Government/Politics – Page 18

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 | | November 10, 2023 | @CS Government/Politics

Ministry of State Security: Be a Firm Guardian of Financial Security!

China’s Ministry of State Security published an article to state that it will safeguard China’s financial security, and that others should do the same. Commentators suggested that the article indicates China is running out of options for sustaining its financial market and is looking to expand the police forces for support. The following is a translation of the article:

Financial security is an important part of national security. The maintenance of financial security is a major responsibility with strategic and fundamental importance concerning China’s overall economic and social development. To promote high-quality development of China’s financial industry, we must build a solid defensive perimiter for financial security and limit what financial risks we are willing to accept.

Some countries treat finance as a tool for geopolitical games, repeatedly acting as currency hegemon and [threatening others by] waving the “financial sanctions” stick. Some ill-intentioned people [within China] have tried to stir up turmoil and make money during the [resulting] chaos. There are not only people who short-sell Chinese assets when they anticipate China’s financial market will fall, but also people who advocate for the fall of the financial markets or who steal money from the financial markets. They have attempted to shake the confidence of the international community in investing in China and to trigger financial turmoil in China. These factors have brought new challenges to the maintenance of financial security under present circumstances.

State security organs should place greater importance on preventing and resolving financial risks; actively participate in the development of national security systems in the economic and financial fields; closely monitor, accurately predict and effectively prevent national security risks in the financial field; crack down on and punish illegal and criminal activity in the financial field that jeopardizes national security; act as a steadfast protector of financial security; and make contributions for the sake of national security to the advancement of high-quality financial development [of China] and high-level opening up. (Ministry of State Security)

Source: Sina, November 3, 2023
https://finance.sina.cn/2023-11-03/detail-imzthyww3984891.d.html?oid=%E8%B4%A2%E7%BB%8F%20%E6%97%A0%E9%94%99%E7%89%88%E7%BB%B4%E6%8A%A4%EF%BC%88kxys.vip%E7%94%B5%E6%8A%A5%EF%BC%9A@kxkjww%EF%BC%89.smb&vt=4&cid=76654&node_id=76654

Briefings | | November 10, 2023 | Economy/Resources Government/Politics

CCP Reform Committee Calls for Optimization of State-Owned Enterprises

The 3rd meeting of China’s Central Committee for Comprehensively Deepening Reform of the Chinese Communist Party was held on November 7th. Directives from the meeting stressed the importance of “optimizing the layout of state-owned enterprises, strengthening supervision of monopolistic industries, improving the state capital operating budget system, and emphasizing fiscal discipline.” The Committee is chaired by Xi Jinping, who presided over the meeting.

Other dictates resulting from the Committee’s meeting include:

The state capital operating budget is important and should be improved to expand its scope, strengthen its functions, better manage revenue and spending, and increase fund effectiveness.
Adhere to Party leadership and fully utilize the [Chinese] system’s advantage of concentrating resources on major initiatives. The goal is to optimize the distribution and structure of state-owned enterprises, concentrating state capital in key national security industries, public services, emerging strategic industries, and improving people’s livelihoods. This will allow state enterprises to better align with national strategies.
For natural monopoly industries like electric power, oil, gas and rail, regulation should focus on ensuring that those industries fulfill national security duties, social responsibilities, and business scope limits.

The Committee meeting reiterated the principle of “overcapacity reduction” and the idea of “living a tight life” fiscally. It called for strengthening budgetary constraints, promoting performance management, rationalizing revenues and expenditures, improving people’s livelihoods, and ending extravagance and waste.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), November 7, 2023
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202311070369.aspx

Briefings | | November 9, 2023 | Government/Politics

CCP Tried to Prevent Overseas Commentator From Talking About Li Keqiang’s Death

After Beijing announced the former Premier Li Keqiang’s death on October 27, there have been many Internet discussions about whether the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) assassinated Li.

Cai Shenkun (蔡慎坤), the well-known Internet commentator on China’s current affairs who first reported the fall of China’s Defense Minister Li Shangfu, implied in a tweet (on platform X) that Li Keqiang’s death was a hit: “Some important sources have revealed the true cause of Li Keqiang’s death, which is truly unbelievable and shocking! In the (CCP’s) fast-moving meat grinder, every person, even so-called high-ranking national officials, is still like ants, utterly lacking in dignity and value!”

On October 31, Cai reported that the CCP asked him to stay silent on Li’s death. His post on platform X said “The CCP is very dissatisfied with me discussing sensitive topics abroad, especially the sudden event involving Li Keqiang. The police from my place of residence came to intimidate me once again, causing deep fear for my family and loved ones! Several friends who have not yet retired also sent messages through intermediaries, advising me not to focus on domestic current affairs, which (they said) would be beneficial to both myself and others.”

Source: NTDTV, October 31, 2023
https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2023/10/31/a103815842.html

Briefings | | November 1, 2023 | Government/Politics

China News: China National Data Bureau Open for Business

China News recently reported that the newly established China National Data Bureau officially opened for business on October 25. Below are some key excerpts from the article:

The main responsibilities of this ministry-level organization are to promote the construction of data infrastructure systems, to coordinate the integration, sharing, development and utilization of data resources, and to establish Digital China, Digital Economy, and Digital Society.

Data has been playing an increasingly important role in China’s national economic and social development. Data as a critical resource should be managed by a central ministry. At present, the scale of China’s digital economy has developed significantly. In 2022, it has reached RMB 50.2 trillion (US$6.86 trillion), accounting for more than 41 percent of the Chinese GDP, and the total volume ranked second in the world.

The Bureau will focus on improving China’s data infrastructure, which is still “hard infrastructure” based on traditional information network infrastructure and digital infrastructure designs. However, based on the characteristics of the industrialization of data elements, the second “soft infrastructure” level should include well-coordinated standards, specifications, tools, etc. This is a key point in entering the data digitization stage. More importantly, for certain industries where the data scale is relatively large, the data quality is relatively high, and the data potential is relatively rich, a data space must be established to form a new data infrastructure from bottom to top, to support the industrialization of data use.

Source: China News, October 27, 2023
https://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/2023/10-27/10101575.shtml

Briefings | | October 31, 2023 | Government/Politics Information/Technology

Eighteen Provinces Issue Special Bonds Totaling 840.4 Billion Yuan Over Seventeen Days

China’s provincial governments have accelerated issuance of special refinancing bonds since the beginning of October. These special refinancing bonds are used to repay existing debt, including settlement of government arrears to businesses. Beijing gave the green light to issuance of such bonds so as to mitigate risks associated with local government debt.

On October 9th, Inner Mongolia became the first province to issue special bonds this year. According to local disclosure records regarding special bond issuance, the total issuance of local special bonds reached approximately 840.4 billion yuan (US$ 115 billion) within 17 days. Yunnan, Inner Mongolia, and Liaoning are the top three issuing provinces, with each issuing over 100 billion yuan in special bonds.

During the three years leading up to this wave of special bond issuance, there were two prior waves of special bond issuance by local governments. Both prior waves were longer in duration than the most recent 17-day wave. The first wave occurred over 10 months and amounted to about 627.8 billion yuan and the second one, 9 months in duration, totaled 504.2 billion yuan of issuance.

Source: Security Times (China), October 19, 2023
http://www.stcn.com/article/detail/1008629.html

Briefings | | October 29, 2023 | Economy/Resources Government/Politics

Local Government Positions for Chinese Officials’ Children Educated Abroad?

Recently, many local governments have announced government positions hiring Chinese students who obtained degrees from certain qualifying foreign universities. For example, Beijing will selectively hire individuals who have obtained degrees between August 1, 2022, and July 31, 2024 from overseas universities ranked within the top 100 in the world (based on the 2023 Academic Ranking of World Universities by ShanghaiRanking).

Chinese college graduates have been facing a tough job market for years. Moreover, many local governments have struggled to pay their employees on time as they face big fiscal deficits. Chinese netizens have charged that these new government positions are intended to provide jobs to officials’ children who have studied overseas and then returned to China.

Source: Aboluo, October 22, 2023
https://www.aboluowang.com/2023/1022/1968901.html