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Consulate Calls for Essays on CCP’s Congress from Princeton’s Chinese Students

An anonymous Chinese student at Princeton University told Radio Free Asia that the Association of Chinese Students and Scholars at Princeton University (ACSSPU) had posted a notice on its WeChat group that the Chinese Consulate in New York issued a call for essays from these students. The Consulate organized an essay contest to “welcome the 20th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).” It asked the Princeton students to write a 1000-word essay on their study of the CCP Congress, incorporating their overseas experiences.

According to the screenshot provided by the source, the sender of the essay contest message is Wu Yu. The ACSSPU’s official website hosted the notice on Princeton’s website. Wu Yu is the organization’s Director of Propaganda.

Teng Biao, a law scholar and adjunct professor at the City University of New York, said in an interview with RFA that, in addition to diplomacy, Chinese embassies and consulates have a very important role to play, which is to infiltrate and conduct overseas propaganda. The Chinese Students and Scholars Association receives money from the embassies and consulates in cooperation with the CCP’s United Front work. “The United States has laws targeting these agents. We have been calling for these Chinese Students and Scholars Associations to be declared as foreign agents of the Chinese Communist Party.”

Source: Radio Free Asia, October 24, 2022
https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/us-article-10242022112043.html

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

The Paper: Indian Nuclear Submarine Successfully Fired a Missile for the First Time

Well-known new Chinese news site The Paper recently reported that India has successfully launched a ballistic missile from its first domestically produced Destroyer-class nuclear submarine, hitting a target area in the Bay of Bengal with very high accuracy. This shows that the India’s nuclear submarine officially has the ability to launch ballistic missiles from a submerged state. India has become the sixth country in the world after the United States, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom to have nuclear strike and counterattack capabilities on land and from the sea and air, enhancing its “trinity” nuclear deterrence capability, while also bringing more instability to the already-complex situation in South Asia. As an important platform for sea-based nuclear forces, nuclear submarines have the advantages of self-sufficiency, endurance, and high raid power. They can stay away from bases and go deep into enemy-controlled areas for long-term patrol and for surveillance activities, which can effectively make up for the lack of range of submarine-launched ballistic missiles. However, India currently has only one strategic nuclear submarine capable of using submarine-launched ballistic missiles. It also has the lowest number of missiles in the world. According to the plan of the Indian Navy, five nuclear submarines are part of its strategic plan. The sea-based nuclear force has always been a weak link in the construction of India’s nuclear force system. This is a major technical challenge for India due to the high technical reserve required to launch missiles from nuclear submarines. This recent success shows that India has made significant progress in the construction of sea-based nuclear forces. However, the number, technical level and range of missiles that are among India’s strategic nuclear submarines are far behind those of the world’s leading nuclear powers.

Source: The Paper, October 22, 2022
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_20396208

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

China Places Airplane Order with Airbus Despite Big Airline Losses

After ordering 292 Airbus planes in July, China added another 40 planes in September, making the order total 332 planes for US $42.1 billion. The orders were placed by China Southern Airlines, Air China, and China Eastern Airlines.

However, China’s civil aviation industry has accumulated a loss of nearly 300 billion yuan (US $41 billion) since the COVID pandemic, with a loss of 108.9 billion yuan (US $15 billion) in the first half of this year alone. There are 12 Chinese airlines whose total assets are lower than their total debts.

The ordered Airbus planes are the A320NEO series plane, a narrow-body mainline airliner. China has manufactured its own narrow-body mainline airliner, the C919, and started selling it overseas.

Source: Epoch Times, October 15, 2022
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/22/10/15/n13846316.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources Geo-Strategic Trend

Concerns about Using China-made Security Scanning Equipment in Strasbourg, France

Three members of the European Parliament, Bart Groothuis, Nathalie Loiseau, and Reinhard Bütikofer, sent a letter to Strasbourg, France regarding the use of China-made baggage scanning equipment at the Strabourg airport. They asked for an independent investigation to see if the technology of the manufacturer Nuctech  caused spy risk. Groothuis also expressed concern that the airport may have to rely on a Chinese company for innovation, maintenance, and technical support.

Nuctech is a partially state-owned security inspection products company in China. Its products include X-ray scanning materials and sensors for use at ports and airports. The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) put China on its blacklist in 2020.

The Strasbourg Airport signed a contract with French distributor DETEKT’IN in early October, in which DETEKT’IN will supply and maintain Nuctech’s equipment at the airport.

Some other French airports, such as Bordeaux, have already used Nuctech’s equipment.

Source: Epoch Times, October 15, 2022
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/22/10/15/n13846264.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Chinese Violence: Its Diplomats Dragged Protesters Inside Its Consulate to Beat Them

On Sunday, China’s consul-general and other staff members of the Manchester Consulate in England attacked protesters outside their facility and dragged a man inside their compound so they could beat him. As the situation heated up, China continued its wolf warrior approach and lodged representations to the U.K. to demand the protection of its diplomats.

On Sunday, a group of Hong Kong activists held a peaceful protest outside the Chinese Consulate. In response to their peaceful protest, a group of men, wearing masks, came out of the consulate gate and started beating them. The consulate staff members even dragged one protester inside the consulate grounds to assault him further. U.K. police intervened and pulled the man out.

The victim, Bob Chan, explained, “I was pulled inside and was beaten up.”  He had injuries to one of his eyes, and pain in his head and back. He said, “The worst is that near my spine there are some internal injuries and it still hurts when I sit down.”

Scenes of the attack were videotaped and widely viewed online. The British were shocked by the Chinese diplomats’ actions.

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly told Sky News that the episode was “absolutely unacceptable” as the protests were “peaceful and legal.” James pointed out, “They were on British soil.”

British Foreign Office summoned Chinese charge d’affaires Yang Xiaoguang on Tuesday. “Today we have made our view clear to the Chinese authorities: the right to peaceful protest in the UK must be respected,” said foreign office minister Zac Goldsmith.

China countered toughly.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at the media conference on Wednesday that China lodged representations to the UK. “We hope that the UK will earnestly fulfill its responsibility and take effective measures to strengthen the protection of the premises and staff of Chinese embassy and consulates in the UK,” Wang said.

Zheng Xiyuan, China’s consul-general at Manchester, who was videotaped for coming to the protesters, kicking the banner, and pulling Bob’s hair, told Sky News that he was at the demonstration “peacefully.” “He (Bob Chan) was abusing my country, my leader, I think it’s my duty,” said Zheng.

In a letter sent to Greater Manchester Police, Zheng stated the banners featured a “volume of deeply offensive imagery and slogans,” including a picture of the Chinese president Xi Jinping with a noose around his neck. He also stated that he was disappointed police didn’t do more to help the consulate and claimed his staff were under attack.

Sources:
1. Radio France International, October 19, 2022
https://www.rfi.fr/cn/国际/20221019-中国称就驻英领馆港人被打事件向英方-提出交涉
2. Radio Free Asia, October 18, 2022
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/junshiwaijiao/al-10182022082738.html
3. Sky News, October 20, 2022
https://news.sky.com/story/chinese-consul-general-defends-actions-after-being-seen-pulling-protesters-hair-in-manchester-12724934
4. Global Times, October 19, 2022
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202210/1277465.shtml

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

CNA: Taiwan Ranked Richest in Asia and Fifth Globally

Primary Taiwanese news agency TheCentral News Agency (CNA) recently reported that the financial services company Allianz just released its Allianz Global Wealth Report 2022. The Report shows Taiwan’s per capita net assets amounted to 138,220 euros (approximately US$134, 363), surpassing Japan and Singapore to rank first in Asia and 5th in the world (after the United States, Switzerland, Denmark and Sweden). The latest report, compiling data for 2021, analyzes the asset and debt positions of nearly 60 countries, indicating 2021 may be the last year of substantial economic growth, and 2022 will be a turning point, with the world likely to undergo a “dramatic shift.” The report also highlights that Asia is richer than Europe. The total financial assets of private households in China are estimated at 32 trillion euros, accounting for 14 percent of the world’s total financial assets. Japan is at 16 trillion euros. China and Japan are second only to the United States’ 103 trillion euros. Asia has overtaken Europe as the second richest region after the U.S. However, the Report bluntly says 2022 will be a turning point. At the beginning of the year, the Russian-Ukrainian war stifled the recovery after the epidemic and turned the world upside down, fueling soaring inflation, and governments of various countries resorted to monetary tightening policies to curb inflation. In addition, the war also deepened the energy and food crises. The report argues that monetary tightening is squeezing the economy and markets after the value of household financial assets hit a record high for three years in a row. “in real terms, households will lose ten percent of their wealth.”

Source: CNA, October 14, 2022
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/afe/202210140102.aspx

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

CNA: British Government Officially Gave Notice to Remove Huawei by 2027

Primary Taiwanese news agency Central News Agency (CNA) recently reported that the British government issued an official notice on October 13 to 35 domestic broadband and mobile network operators, as well as to the Chinese telecom giant Huawei that Huawei must completely remove Huawei equipment from the UK’s 5G public network by the end of 2027. The ban also includes 1.) an immediate halt to the installation of Huawei equipment on 5G networks and 2.) the complete removal of Huawei from facilities important to national security by January 28, 2023, and 3.) the refusal to install any Huawei products affected by U.S. sanctions on full-fiber networks. In a notice to Huawei, the UK Digital Ministry explained the reasons for the ban.  Huawei is headquartered in China and its business is controlled on the Chinese end. The Chinese government and related actors have carried out and are expected to continue to carry out cyber-attacks on the UK. The Chinese government and related actors continue to seek to exploit weaknesses in telecommunications service equipment and networks in order to undermine their security. Chinese laws such as the National Intelligence Law allow the Chinese government to require Chinese companies and their employees to engage in activities “harmful to the UK.” Also, in terms of law enforcement practices, the Chinese government may even ask Huawei employees to cooperate with the Chinese government. The Chinese government’s authority under the statute means Huawei’s equipment could be secretly embedded with malicious functions. The UK Telecommunications (Security) Act, which went into effect in November last year, gave the UK government new powers to impose stricter controls on high-risk telecom service providers based on national security concerns.

Source: CNA, October 13, 2022
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/aopl/202210130365.aspx

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend Information/Technology

North Korea Fired More than 40 Missiles This Year

North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile into the waters off its eastern coast on October 14, the latest in a series of recent North Korean launches.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile was launched from the Sunan area near the North Korean capital Pyongyang. Reuters said this was at least North Korea’s 41st ballistic missile launch this year.

North Korea stated that its recent string of missile tests, including an intermediate-range ballistic missile that flew over Japan last week, was in response to the joint military exercises by South Korea and the United States.

North Korea’s latest launch in the early hours of Friday also drew Japan’s attention. The Japanese government said the missile is believed to have fallen outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, about 370 kilometers from the coast.

Source: Epoch Times, October 13, 2022
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/22/10/13/n13844834.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend