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Xi Jinping’s Speech at the PLA Military Equipment Conference

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Military Equipment Conference was held in Beijing on October 25 and 26. At the conference, Xi Jinping gave a key speech.

Xi said, “I hope that comrades implement the Party’s thinking about building a strong army, … and that they build the management system for weapons and equipment modernization in order to make positive contributions to the PLA’s one hundred year anniversary (August 1, 2027).”

Zhang Youxia, the Vice Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) Central Military Commission, said, “We must focus on national security needs, keep an eye on the realistic military struggle, focus on technological self-reliance and self-improvement, and make every effort to speed up the modernization of weapons and equipment, to advance the PLA’s weapons and equipment work to another great level.”

Source: People’s Daily, s Daily, s Daily, October 27, 2021
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2021-10/27/nw.D110000renmrb_20211027_2-01.htm

 

Beijing Firms Up its Close Engagement with Afghan Taliban Government

On October 25th and 26th, during his visit to the Qatari capital of Doha, the Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with a delegation of the interim Afghan Taliban government. It was the first high-level engagement since the militant group took power in Kabul two months ago. On Monday (the 25th), Wang Yi met with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the acting deputy prime minister of the Afghan interim government. After their Tianjin meeting, it was their second meeting  in three months.

In an article titled, “At this Critical Time, the Taliban Made a Promise to China with Ten Words,” which was in the leading online news media Net Ease, the Chinese media highly touted Wang Yi’s meeting with Baradar. In the news photo showing Wangyi and Baradar greeting each other with an elbow, the caption described, “The news photo is interesting. Wang Yi in a suit and leather shoes stretched out his left elbow, and the Taliban leader Baradar in fluttering robes stretched out his right elbow. Baradar, a bearded man smiled, and Wang Yi, who was wearing a mask, smiled too. …”

The article began with the statement, “On October 25th, we met in Qatar. It was almost 3 months since the last meeting in Tianjin.”

Then it added cheerfully, “Three months ago, the Taliban only occupied half of the country. Baradar led a delegation to visit China. It was also the first public visit to China by the leadership of the Taliban, which attracted worldwide attention.

“Three months later, the Taliban had become the masters of all of Afghanistan and Baradar also served as the acting deputy prime minister of the interim government. He and Wang Yi met again.”

The article then highlighted the meeting with Baradar’s message.
It said, “According to the press release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during the second meeting, the Taliban made a clear promise.

“Please note this passage from Baradar:

“Baradar emphasized that China is an important neighboring country of Afghanistan and he is grateful for the respect and friendliness shown by China during these difficult times in Afghanistan. Pursuing a policy of friendship with China is Atta’s firm choice (Atta Muhammad Nur, a main political power in Afghanistan) and hopes to strengthen cooperation with China in various fields. Atta attaches great importance to China’s security concerns and will resolutely fulfill its commitments, and will never allow anyone or any force to use Afghanistan’s territory to do things that endanger China.”

The Article repeated Baradar’s message with the following statement:

“The meaning is also very clear:

1. We thank China for its respect and friendship to Afghanistan during the difficult period in Afghanistan.

2. The Afghan Taliban have always pursued friendship with China and hope to strengthen cooperation in various fields.

3. Regarding China’s security concerns, (Baradar promises) that the Taliban will resolutely fulfill their commitments and deliver what they have promised.”

The article was republished by a number of other top online media such as Sina, Sohu, etc.

Source: Net Ease, October 27, 2021
https://www.163.com/dy/article/GNA58UCO052182V3.html
https://news.sina.com.cn/c/2021-10-27/doc-iktzscyy1988315.shtml

Military: CCP Scholar: Ten Benefits for the CCP to Take Back Taiwan

Jin Canrong is a Professor and Vice Dean of the School of International Relations of Renmin University of China. He is a vocal political speaker to promote and justify the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) strategies and policies.

His speech that the there will be ten benefits for the CCP to take back Taiwan was posted on YouTube on September 23, 2021. The following are the points he made:

First, China’s national strategic position will be improved. The first island chain surrounding China will collapse.

Second, China will be able to wipe out the hundred-year national shame. Chinese people have a healthy mentality.

Third, it will completely establish the connotation of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics.

Fourth, the status of our military will be improved with a great step. This would be the Chinese military taking the initiative to go out for a war.

Fifth, it will resolve the TSMC problem. The CCP can nationalize (take over) TSMC; together with Micron and the mainland’s SMIC, China’s (chip) technology will make a dramatic jump.

Sixth, It will help the CCP’s political security. Jin thinks Taiwan is the main source of “color revolutions” in mainland China and one of the biggest threats to the CCP’s political life in China.

Seventh, it will make social stability better. Jin blames the Taiwanese for 90 percent of the telecom fraud in mainland China.

Eighth, it will provide a new wave of revitalization for the economy at China’s coast. China can put more resources into economic development, and the economy at China’s eastern coast will take off.

Ninth, it will eliminate China’s diplomatic weakness. The United States uses Taiwan as a weapon against China. Many countries ask China for financial aid in exchange or in trade for supporting the “One China” policy.

Tenth, it will establish China’s international prestige and change the world landscape overnight.

Related postings on Chinascope:

Source: YouTube, “Jin Canrong: Top Ten Gains from Attacking Taiwan,” Oct 2, 2021

Military: People’s War against U.S. Spies

Amidst the U.S. CIA recruiting staff members who know Chinese, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), via its online account “Jun Zheng Ping” called for a people’s war against the U.S. spies. In Chinese, Jun Zheng Ping (“钧正平”) is the homonym of “军政评” (an abbreviation for “PLA Political Commentary”).

The post is titled, “What should we do when the CIA is on a recruiting spree for Chinese-speaking spies?” It said that, “The CIA’s requirements for recruiting agents were exposed: candidates should understand Mandarin, Shanghainese, Cantonese, or Hakka.”

Then the posting continued, “A few days ago, the CIA announced that it would set up a ‘China Mission Center’ to deal with the so-called ‘China threat.’ The CIA agent recruitment requirements included knowing Mandarin and some Chinese dialects. Hostile forces outside the country have been ‘working hard.’ (We can) never slacken on national security work. The U.S. intelligence services that recruit agents so blatantly must have more sinister and unpleasant means behind the scenes. Still, however cunning the fox is, it cannot fight a good hunter. The only way to maintain national security is to trust the people and rely on the people. (We) need ‘Chaoyang Ladies’ (volunteers to watch for any suspicious people and report them to the authorities); we also need ‘fishing copper fishermen’ (Chinese fishermen taking out U.S. military equipment from the international waters), to fight a ‘people’s war’ against spies, to make it so the spies have no move to take and nowhere to hide!”

Related postings on Chinascope:

Source: Sina, October 17, 2021
https://news.sina.com.cn/s/2021-10-17/doc-iktzqtyu1903245.shtml

Xinhua: China Started to Have 24-Hour Training Capabilities for Carrier Fighter Pilots

Xinhua recently reported that, according to the head of the Training Group of the Naval Aviation University, China has successfully completed the day-and-night carrier landing qualification certifications for carrier-based fighter pilots. The Chinese Navy also achieved multi-batch takeoffs and landings of carrier-based fighter jets. China has now started to have 24-hour full-time training capabilities for carrier-based fighter pilots. Since China’s second aircraft carrier completed its first maritime trial mission in April 2018, it has since trained carrier fighter pilots on a large scale. However, the training work faced “five challenges: a lack of instructors, a lack of teaching materials, a lack of supporting materials, a lack of standards and specifications, and a lack of experience. There was an urgent need for a complete, professional, large-scale, and standardized training system. In less than a year, the Naval Aviation University of China had its first group of carrier fighter pilots independently trained and they obtained the aircraft carrier flight qualification. Starting in 2019, China began to train carrier fighter pilots recruited directly from high schools, and the first group of pilots trained under this model became qualified in November 2020.

Source: Xinhua, October 2, 2021
http://m.news.cn/2021-10/02/c_1127926161.htm

Global Times Editorial: Mainland Military Aircraft Flying over Taiwan Is an Unmistakable declaration of China’s Sovereignty over Taiwan

China’s state-run media Global Times published an editorial stating that mainland China will have a showdown with Taiwan if the DPP authorities continue to make trouble colluding with the U.S. and Japan. Below is an excerpt from the article:

“The Taiwan issue continues to ferment. More than half of China’s diplomatic troubles are related to this issue. In the long run, maintaining the current form of peace in the Taiwan Strait means higher and higher costs for the mainland. The U.S.-Taiwan collusion and the Japan-Taiwan collusion can happen for numerous reasons, which will continue to consume the mainland’s diplomatic resources and energy.”

“In view of the fact that the DPP authorities (of Taiwan) are determined to work with the U.S. and Japan against the mainland and that the United States is also making more and more frequent strategic manipulations of the Taiwan issue, while the mainland only takes fundamental measures and launches a resolute fight, can this situation be stopped, the DPP authorities and their supporters completely suppressed, and the strategic initiative of the situation across the Taiwan Strait brought under firm control.”

“The PLA fighter planes flew over the island of Taiwan. This is a step we must take. That will constitute a fundamental warning to the DPP authorities and bring about the reconstruction of the situation across the Taiwan Strait. It will be a clear and unmistakable declaration of China’s sovereignty over Taiwan, and will create unprecedented conditions for us to further implement this sovereignty.”

“The mainland military aircraft flying over the island of Taiwan must be backed by a large-scale and overwhelming military action. The military aircraft flying over is only part of the mainland’s strong determination to reset the Taiwan Strait structure. This is the showdown, giving the DPP authorities a choice between two alternatives: either accept that the mainland aircraft are to cruise through Taiwan, and step back its extreme anti-mainland path of colluding with the United States and Japan, or provoke a war by firing against the mainland military aircraft and be destroyed and eliminated by the People’s Liberation Army.”

Source: Global Times, September 13, 2021
https://opinion.huanqiu.com/article/44kv8MlneoQ

Military: Huanqiu Report: “PLA Warships Appeared Near the U.S. Coast”

Huanqiu reported that the U.S. Department of Defense revealed, on September 12, that China’s warships appeared near the U.S. coast. The U.S. posted a picture which showed that, on August 30, the U.S. Coast Guard patrol ship USCGC Bertholf was conducting “close surveillance” of Chinese naval vessels entering international waters in the U.S. exclusive economic zone near the Aleutian Islands. The Chinese vessels included a Type 055 destroyer, a Type 052D destroyer, and a replenishment ship.

Though Huanqiu quoted a Chinese military expert as stating that “this might be a routine ocean-going training exercise and that there is no offensive implication,” the hottest comments in this article by the Chinese netizens overwhelmingly suggested that they view it as an answer to the U.S. naval ships sailing in the South China Sea. While Beijing claims the waters there to be China’s waters, the international community does not.

Some of the comments were:

“China’s freedom of navigation has begun, and the U.S. needs to get used to it!”

“Right, we should knock on the U.S. door to see if the American Empire is home.”

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you! You Yankees can sail freely, why can’t China sail freely? This is the best answer to you Yankees.”

“It is to provoke (confrontation). So what!”

“It’s just free sailing. Chinese warships are brave adolescents who like to wander around to any location in their own territory. So what if you don’t like it?”

Source: Huanqiu, September 14, 2021
https://world.huanqiu.com/article/44l3rQZKpOG

U.S.-China Relations: Huanqiu’s Editorial on the U.S.-Taiwan Connection

Huanqiu published an editorial regarding two developments in U.S.-Taiwan relations. The first was a report that the U.S. is considering Taiwan’s proposal to rename Taiwan’s representative office in Washington from the “Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office” to the “Taiwan Representative Office.” The second development was that senior U.S. officials had an in-person meeting with the Taiwan Foreign Minister in Annapolis, MD, which is a one hour drive away from Washington, DC.

Huanqiu’s editorial said,

“The U.S. side is well aware that this is not a trivial matter, and they are now in the stage of releasing information and testing the reaction of mainland China.

What is there to test? They want to push the matter to the tipping point of a showdown. Mainland China has no choice but to meet the challenge and prepare for a showdown with them.

If the U.S. changes the name of the Taiwan Representative Office, the mainland’s diplomatic response will not be lower than our response to Lithuania at all. It can fully expected that China will recall its Ambassador from the U.S.

Having only a diplomatic response is obviously not enough. If the U.S. and Taiwan rename Taiwan’s office, they have violated the red line of (China’s) Anti-Secession Law. Mainland China needs to take severe economic and military measures to combat the arrogance of the U.S. and Taiwan. The mainland should apply severe economic sanctions against Taiwan or even impose an economic blockade, depending on the situation.

Militarily, mainland warplanes should fly over the sky of the Taiwan island and include Taiwan’s airspace as part of the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA’s) cruising patrol. This is a step that mainland China must take sooner or later, and the office renaming will provide a sufficient reason for the mainland to assert its sovereignty over Taiwan. We expect that the Taiwanese military will dare not stop the PLA warplanes from flying over Taiwan. If they dare to open fire, let us deliver a decisive and devastating blow to the ‘Taiwan independence’ forces without hesitation.

Actually, the Taiwan issue is a willpower contest. Since Beijing has declared that Taiwan is China’s core interest, we will act resolutely to guard this bottom line of our national interest and pay any price for it.

It seems that sooner or later, a big, earth-shaking storm will come to the Taiwan Strait. Even if the U.S. and Taiwan retreat their foot this time, their foot will cross the line the next time. Now we need to get ready to ‘break their legs’ in the Taiwan Strait at any time.”

Source: Huanqiu, September 12, 2021
https://opinion.huanqiu.com/article/44k3twGoFQh