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U.S. FCC Takes Multiple Actions against Chinese Service Providers

Radio France Internationale (RFI) Chinese Edition recently reported that the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is moving to prevent certification of wireless equipment by Huawei, ZTE, and other foreign companies deemed to pose a threat to U.S. national security. The new proposal would permanently ban all entities on the national security risk list (e.g. Huawei) from playing any role in equipment authorization. U.S. officials worry these companies could spy and steal data from the U.S., a charge that Chinese officials denied. The move is part of sweeping restrictions on Chinese technology companies implemented by the current and the previous U.S. administrations.

Well-known Chinese news site NetEase (NASDAQ: NTES) reported that the FCC is requiring U.S. subsidiaries of China Telecom, China Unicom, and China Mobile to stop their fixed or mobile broadband internet services in the United States. The order also applies to Pacific Networks and its wholly-owned subsidiary ComNet. The FCC previously banned these companies from providing telecommunications services. That decision has been upheld by U.S. courts. FCC Chairman Jessica Rosenworcel said that the commission has evidence that the Chinese telecom operators are now providing broadband services in the United States.

Sources:
(1) RFI Chinese, May 2, 2024
https://tinyurl.com/23fav8cy
(2) NetEase, April 26, 2024
https://c.m.163.com/news/a/J0NAUUVT05566G1I.html

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Chinese Media’s Critique of US Student Protests Supporting Gaza

Protests by American university students in solidarity with Gaza have intensified, resulting in clashes and over a hundred arrests, sparking global interest. Chinese state media have seized on the incident, repeatedly expressing “concern” and leveraging the protests to criticize alleged American double standards and suppression of free speech.

Students nationwide have rallied against the escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas, which has lead to mounting casualties. With the current academic term drawing to a close, nearly a thousand arrests have been made on campuses across the United States. Protests have also surfaced in other countries, including France and Canada.

The demonstrations in the U.S. have become a focal point internationally, with Chinese state media consistently commenting on the unfolding events. Chinese media have critiqued what they say is an inconsistency between American democratic values and the curbing of students’ freedom of expression within the U.S.

An article from the People’s Liberation Army Daily’s Weibo account, “Jun Zhengping Studio,” accuses authorities in the U.S. of meting out violent repression in response to students’ legitimate demands. The article questions the disparity between the rights that students are taught they have and the treatment of the students when they attempt to exercise those rights.

China Daily, the flagship newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party, published an English commentary backing the student protesters. The article condemns what it sees as the Biden administration’s indifferent response to the protests and to law enforcement’s crackdown on demonstrators.

A video released on the People’s Daily’s WeChat account, “Island of Heroes,” suggests that the protests stem from dissatisfaction with America’s perceived double standards and pro-Israel bias.

In addition to stances published by China’s state-run media, many Chinese netizens have shown “spontaneous concern” about the events. Netizens have left comments on the official Weibo account of the US Embassy in China, expressing anti-American sentiments as well as support for students’ freedom of speech.

China’s criticism of alleged American violations of free speech and human rights has also garnered pushback. Zhang Xiaogang, a board member of the Democratic China Front in Australia, suggests that China may be manipulating nationalist and anti-American sentiments to divert attention from its domestic governance challenges.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), April 30, 2024
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202404300236.aspx

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Before Yellen’s Trip to China, Official Mouthpiece Reports on Yellen “Public Opinion Flop”

In the days leading up to U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s trip to China, official Chinese state news agency Xinhua published a report titled “Blaming China, U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen Suffers Public Opinion Flop.” The report states that, on March 27th, Yellen visited a photovoltaic battery factory in Norcross, Georgia, and accused China’s renewable energy industry of “overcapacity” only to face a backlash in public opinion.

During her speech at the factory, Yellen expressed concern over “global spillovers from the excess capacity that we are seeing in China,” saying that such excess capacity distorts global prices and production patterns, ultimately harming American firms and workers.

Xinhua reported that Yellen’s comments sparked immediate criticism from netizens. One commenter said that her complaint about China’s rapid development of green energy technology is akin to a weightlifter who doesn’t train but complains that another weightlifter can lift heavier weights. Others questioned why it would be problematic if China increases production to lower prices, suggesting that this would benefit consumers and promote the adoption of renewable energy technologies like solar panels.

Xinhua also quoted netizens who challenged Yellen’s notion of “global prices,” arguing that prices are determined by manufacturing costs, transportation, and profit margins, saying that any manufacturer can set their own prices.

The report added that, on news sites such as the Financial Times, hundreds of netizens overwhelmingly criticized Yellen’s remarks. Reportedly, some commenters called her remarks fallacious, accusing the U.S. of initially claiming that China was not doing enough in green energy, and now reversing course to criticize them for doing too much on the issue. Others pointed out America’s “double standards,” saying that the U.S. talks about free markets when it has a competitive advantage but resorts to protectionism when it doesn’t.

The Xinhua report concluded by quoting a netizen who accused the U.S. of hypocrisy, saying “the U.S. has one set of rules for itself and another for others.”

Source: Xinhua News Agency, March 29, 2024
http://www.xinhuanet.com/world/20240329/dbcaa69345b84253a27bd4c115869d7c/c.html

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Xinhua Commentary: Pacific Island Countries Should Not be Anyone’s “Backyard”

Xinhua News Agency published a commentary regarding a statement by Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Thomas-Greenfield made the following statement in an interview on April 1st:

“[The U.S. is] not trying to force countries to choose between us and China. What we’re doing is giving them a choice to make. Many countries will say we’re forced into these relationships because we don’t have other choices. We’re giving them those other choices. And those other choices mean having the U.S. have their backs, having the U.S. standing with them side by side as they address some of the challenges that China is forcing upon them.” [2]

Xinhua called the statement “not only illogical but also a misrepresentation of the facts.” It stated that the Pacific Island countries have the political wisdom to make their own decisions. Below are some translated excerpts from the commentary:

“In recent years, the U.S. has been aggressively promoting the “Indo-Pacific strategy,” from the AUKUS (security partnership among the US, UK, and Australia), to the QUAD (quadrilateral security dialogue among the US, Japan, India, and Australia), and further to the “Blue Pacific Partnerships” initiative (involving the US, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the UK). The United States has gone to great lengths in creating various “circles” to contain China, enticing and utilizing Pacific Island nations as a crucial part of its containment strategy. However, the United States underestimates the political wisdom of the Pacific Island countries in discerning the current situation, as well as their determination to pursue an independent and autonomous development path.”

“In April 2022, China signed a government-to-government security cooperation framework agreement with the Solomon Islands. In July 2023, China and the Solomon Islands formally established a comprehensive strategic partnership based on mutual respect and common development in the new era. During the 2024 Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference, President Lionel Aingimea of Nauru stated that, as a Pacific Island nation and a developing country, Nauru supports “building bridges” rather than “erecting walls” and hopes to construct a more integrated and closely-connected world.”

“Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama recently stated that China’s assistance to Pacific Island nations has played an important role in regional development.”

“The various slanders and smears by the U.S. against China’s pragmatic cooperation with Pacific Island nations will only expose the U.S.’ domineering attitude of judging others by its own standards. Pacific Island nations are independent sovereign states and not anyone’s “backyard.”

Sources:

Xinhua, April 4, 2024
http://www.xinhuanet.com/world/20240404/7934d20bdc9c476c81c1035425ffdc4a/c.html

CSIS, April 1, 2024
https://www.csis.org/analysis/us-ambassador-united-nations-linda-thomas-greenfield-us-diplomacy-pacific-islands

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend US-China Relations

Lianhe Zaobao: China Bans Government Use of Intel and AMD Chips

Singapore’s primary Chinese language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao recently reported that China is reportedly phasing out the use of U.S. chips and operating systems for government computers.

Following official procurement standards released last year, Chinese officials are winding down the use of Intel and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) components in government computers and servers. At the same time, China is also trying to eliminate the Microsoft Windows operating system and foreign-made database software in favor of domestic software. State-owned enterprises are required to complete the transition to domestic technology by 2027.

China’s Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology released seven government procurement standards on December 26 last year. They clearly required that the Communist Party and government agencies at or above the township level comply with the standard of “safety and reliability.” On the same day, China’s Information Security Evaluation Center announced the first list of “safe and reliable” processors and operating systems. All of the recommended processors and operating systems are produced by Chinese companies, including Huawei and Phytium.

In the context of the China-US technology war, China has continuously encouraged government agencies to use domestically produced tech products in recent years. In 2022, government agencies and state-owned enterprises were asked to replace foreign-brand computers with domestic equipment. Mandates for equipment replacement at that time did not include hard-to-replace components such as processors, however. In addition to computers, China is also requiring employees in government agencies and state-owned enterprises to switch to domestically produced mobile phones. As of December last year, at least 10 provinces, including Beijing, Tianjin, Zhejiang, Guangdong, and Jiangsu, had implemented such requirements.

Source: Lianhe Zaobao, March 24, 2024
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/news/china/story20240324-3209230

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology US-China Relations

Chinese Social Media Celebrates Baltimore Bridge Collapse

The Francis Scott Key bridge, located in Baltimore, Maryland, collapsed on March 26th after being rammed by a cargo ship, the Dali, which lost control of its steering. Much of the bridge sank into the river within seconds of being rammed.

The accident immediately drew attention on Chinese social media. On Weibo, for example, a video of the accident has been viewed more than 1.2 million times. On Chinese social media platforms, where anti-American sentiment is prevalent, many netizens celebrated the incident. A Weibo blogger named “Air Sky Toner” wrote: “This is a really beautiful sight, like watching a movie; this bridge is free from now on.”

The bridge was named after Francis Scott Key, the author of the lyrics of the U.S. national anthem “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Some Chinese netizens inferred that the bridge collapse signaled the decline of the United States. “It is not a good sign that this bridge collapsed,” one blogger wrote.

Some social media users also used the bridge collapse to mock American democracy. On the Chinese video website Bilibili, a commentary video with 24,000 likes said that the “a ship of democracy” caused the collapse of “a bridge of democracy.” The video went on to criticize the U.S.’ infrastructure problem.

False information about the accident spread widely on Chinese social media. A number of bloggers with large numbers of followers have claimed that the captain of the Dali was from Ukraine and that the accident was staged by the U.S. government. Some bloggers posted photos of the alleged Ukrainian captain’s credentials. The Associated Press found that a Ukrainian captain did indeed pilot the Dali years ago, from March 19 to July 27, 2016.

Some Chinese bloggers also claimed that CNN incorrectly reported that the collision was an attack from China. They posted screenshots with captions reading “A cargo ship loaded with Chinese goods attacked our bridge!” However, unlike Chinese media that often use the term “our country” to refer to China, American media, including CNN, rarely use that term to refer to the United States. According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the screenshot was not from CNN, but from NBC’s local channel in Baltimore. In a statement to AFP, CNN said that it had never run a story like that; the image was fake, and the caption, font, and style are not CNN’s either.

Source: VOA, March 31, 2024
https://www.voachinese.com/a/baltimore-china-disinformation-20240329/7549288.html

Briefings | | |   @CS US-China Relations