US-China Relations - 60. page

Well-known Chinese news site Sina recently reported that the U.S. Republican National Committee (RNC) just reported the highest-in-history monthly campaign fund raising record of US$27.3 million. It did so while the competition was busy impeaching Trump. Its third quarter reported a total of US$126 million. In the meantime, the Democratic National Committee reported a debt of US$7.3 million. It appears the Republican supporters did not change their minds even with all the stories in the media on Ukraine Gate, the withdrawal from Syria, and even the impeachment. With ample funds in the bank, the Republicans started a new campaign against the Democrats called “Stop the Madness,” spending millions of dollars. The new campaign focuses on urging the voters to contact their Democratic representatives and demand tangible results that will directly benefit the people. According to RNC spokesperson Rick Gorka, the goal is to take back control of the House of Representatives.

Source: Sina, October 18, 2019
https://dailynews.sina.com/gb/usa/uspolitics/chinesedaily/2019-10-18/doc-ifzpzhhs9315702.shtml

Apple, Inc. has re-launched a smartphone map app that can show where the Hong Kong policemen are located. The Chinese government’s mouthpiece, People’s Daily, published a critique of the map app saying, “The Chinese people, who have been victims of bullies throughout their history, . . . can’t bear having grit in one’s eye on the major issues of right and wrong.” (“can’t bear having grit in one’s eye” is a Chinese idiom, meaning cannot tolerate even a little bit)

The commentary started by saying, “The developers of the map provide navigation for ‘thugs’ without hesitation. Clearly, they have vicious intentions. The Apple Company would not shy away from approving the app so as to protect the ‘thugs.’ What are they up to?”

The article continued, “(Apple) chooses to approve the app back at the Apple Store in Hong Kong at this particular time. It is to open the doors for violent people who are ruining Hong Kong. Is it intended to be an accomplice?”

The commentary claims that “the map of the mob” is only an example. At Hong Kong’s Apple Music Store, there is also a “Hong Kong Independence” song. “Again, Apple’s series of moves is inexplicable and people have to think about the inner logic of their actions.”

The so-called Hong Kong independence song is the song “Glory to Hong Kong,” which is viewed by Hong Kong demonstrators as the theme song of the movement. Some people even call it the new “national anthem” of Hong Kong.

The article said, “The Chinese people who have been victims of bullies throughout their history have never been as united as they are today. (They) can’t bear having grit in one’s eye on the major issues of right and wrong.” “This kind of foolishness and recklessness will bring much trouble to Apple and Apple needs to think deeply.”

HKmap.Live App is the smartphone version of the website HKmap.Live. It can show the street blocks where the Hong Kong police are located. Apple once denied it, but later put it back in the Apple Store.

Source: Central News Agency, October 9, 2019
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/firstnews/201910090090.aspx

China is upset because Daryl Morey, General Manager of the Houston Rockets sent out a tweet on October 5. The tweet launched a complaint in favor of boycotting the Rockets and a rampage against the team. On October 5, Daryl Morey, General Manager of Houston Rockets tweeted a photo “Fight for freedom, Stand with Hong Kong.” On October 6, the Paper, People’s Daily, and other official media carried an article titled, “The statement that the Houston Rockets General Manager Made on Hong Kong Upset Fans in China. Don’t you want the Chinese Market anymore?” In the article, it claimed that Morey’s “Hong Kong Independence tweet” has upset Rockets fans in China. It quoted a statement that a Chinese NBA commentator made that the Rockets cannot benefit from China while condemning China at the same time. … Even after Yao Ming retired from the Houston Rockets, the Rockets continued to receive financial support from numerous commercial sponsors in China. … ESPN has received tens of millions in support from China over the past four years.” Meanwhile news media including CCTV and Ten cent, Sports programs, Rocket sponsors in China, and the Chinese Basketball Association announced that they will temporarily suspend future collaboration with the Rockets. China’s Consulate General in Houston issued a complaint which requested that the Rockets “take corrective actions and eliminate this bad influence.” The article also mentioned a prior case when Dolce & Gabbana portrayed an “insulting” image about China; it has since been boycotted from entering the Chinese market.

[Editor’s Note: On October 6, Daryl Morey deleted the original tweet on Hong Kong and tweeted that … my tweets are my own and in no way represent the Rockets or the NBA. On October 7, the NBA issued a statement that, Daryl’s “tweet does not represent the Rockets or the NBA, the values of the league support individuals’ educating themselves and sharing their views. . . .” However, numerous parties lambasted the league’s decision to apologize at all.]

Sources:
1. The Paper, October 6, 2019
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_4609604
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_4612025
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_46111862
2. Radii, Chinese Fans Urge Boycott After Houston Rockets
https://radiichina.com/houston-rockets-china-hong-kong

Radio France Internationale reported that the number of U.S. officials who attended the 70th National Anniversary cocktail reception that the Chinese Embassy held in Washington, DC significantly decreased this year. Fewer attendees appeared from the U.S. side. The highest ranked U.S. officials at the reception were Jonathan Fritz, who is the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and the Director of the White House National Security Council. They didn’t make a public speech. Most of the U.S. attendees were chatting among themselves and had little interaction with the Chinese officials.

Back in 2017, first daughter Ivanka and Jerod Kushner attended the National Day celebration and had a warm interaction with Liu Yandong, Vice Premier of China. China’s official media had extensive coverage of the event. In 2018, Matt Pottinger, who has been promoted to the White House Deputy National Security Advisor, attended as a senior director of the White House National Security Council and delivered a speech. The Chinese Embassy also posted a statement on Facebook praising the friendship between the U.S. and China.

It was also noticeable that the U.S. officials attending the National Day reception held by the Chinese consulates at other locations did not meet China’s expectations. At the reception held in San Francisco on September 27, the highest U.S. ranking official was an international affairs adviser to the California Deputy Governor.

Source: Radio France Internationale, September 29, 2019
http://rfi.my/4ahM.T

Well-known Chinese news site Sina recently reported that, based on numbers reported in the U.S. media, multiple U.S. Colleges confirmed that they are seeing a significant decline in the number of Chinese freshmen coming to their institutions. The total dropped by 20 percent or more. The US-China trade war and the security screening are the primary contributors to the decline. Currently there are 363,000 Chinese students in the U.S. The constitute one third of all the international students. This number is more than any other nation. Typically, international students worry about gun violence and immigration restrictions. Chinese students now face one more challenge – restrictions on high-tech majors. Many Chinese students pay full tuition. This constitutes a sizable contribution to the U.S. college education market.

Source: Sina, September 25, 2019
http://finance.sina.com/gb/economy/economy_global/huanqiu/2019-09-25/doc-ifzpkqrh3249919.shtml

Liu Xin, the host of a talk show on the China Global Television Network (CGTN) was interviewed on CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street.” The interview was then broadcasted on the U.S. cable network on September 3, to “provide the perspective of the Chinese” on the ongoing Hong Kong protests and the U.S.-China trade war.

The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) mouthpiece China Central Television (CCTV) launched CGTN on December 31, 2016, to promote the CCP’s view overseas.

Liu made her name in the U.S. by attacking Trish Regan, the Fox Business Network host, who criticized China on the U.S.-China trade war. Trish invited her for a live debate on television, which turned out to be a “dialog” between the two hosts.

In CNBC’s interview, Liu called a portion of the Hong Kong protesters “rioters” and “offenders.” “We see the violence they are committing.” “We see the destruction they are inflicting on public property, and the interruption of the daily lives of the Hong Kong people, shutting down the metro and disrupting the airport.”

Liu didn’t mention how the police used brutal treatment against the protesters; nor did she mention allegations that they directly beat the protesters and supported gangsters in beating the protesters. She fell short of mentioning that Beijing has been ignoring the Hong Kong people’s appeals and taking a hard line position against them, which has caused the escalation of the situation.

On the trade war, Liu criticized the U.S. for raising tariffs on Chinese imports, saying that it’s “not the right direction for talks to resume.” “It really depends on whether the United States is able to show sincerity and to show good faith that it really wants to have a trade deal.”

Robert Spalding, a former National Security Council official and senior fellow at the Washington-based think tank Hudson Institute, told The Epoch Times that the CNBC interview was “bizarre.” He added that he has never seen a representative from Chinese state media be interviewed as a commentator on U.S. television.

Spalding said that Liu’s interview indicated that the Chinese regime was hoping [with the help of CNBC] to spread the CCP’s view to the world.

Source: The Epoch Times, September 4, 2019
https://www.theepochtimes.com/host-of-chinas-overseas-propaganda-network-gets-airtime-on-cnbc_3069060.html