Chinascope – Page 136

Under Fiscal Pressure, Chinese Local Governments Have to Resort to Fines to Generate Revenue

China’s economic downturn, along with the Covid epidemic and other factors, has drained local government revenues. Mainland Chinese media reported that many local governments have been resorting to the indiscriminate use of fines to generate revenue.

China NewsWeek magazine reported on August 29 that, in recent year, in many areas, the revenue from fines, penalties, and confiscations has increased significantly.

In 2021 among the 111 cities that have publicized data on fines. 80 cities saw a rise in the revenue from fines. In 15 of them the fines more than doubled. For example, the fines in Leshan in Sichuan increased by 155 percent and Nanchang in Jiangxi by 151 percent.

Qingdao, the city, ranked Number One. In 2021. The revenue from fines amounted to RMB 4.377 billion ($ 0.63 billion), an increase of 127 percent compared to 2020. In addition to Qingdao, Jiangsu Province includes 6 of the top 14 cities in terms of the highest fine revenue.

For example, in order to raise revenue, traffic police in Inner Mongolia set up check points on highways and have fined the truck drivers for violations such as “not wearing seat belts,” although in fact the drivers had actually buckled up and did not violate any traffic laws.

The newspaper quoted a researcher who reported that the source of a significant portion of local fiscal revenue is from land sales. He said that, according to the National Bureau of Statistics,, the local government revenue from land sales in the first seven months of this year was only about 1/3 of what it had been in the same period last year, putting pressure on fiscal revenue.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), August 29, 2022
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202208290196.aspxwear

Briefings | | September 7, 2022 | Economy/Resources

Turkish Media: China is Selling Russian LNG to Europe at Inflated Price

The Turkish newspaper Yeni Safak reported on Friday, September 2, that China will sell Russian LNG (liquid natural gas) to European countries at an inflated price. In practice, this represents an indirect violation of the European embargo.

According to Chinese customs data, in the first six months of 2022, China imported 2.35 million tons of fuel from Russia at a value of $2.16 billion.

The newspaper said Russian LNG exports to China via the Siberian pipeline have increased by 63 percent. .

The article added, “Experts stressed that the supply of LNG exceeds China’s domestic demand and that the Chinese government will sell LNG purchased from Russia to European countries that are coping with the energy crisis,” .

Source: Sputnik News (Russia), September 3, 2022
https://sputniknews.cn/20220903/1043653866.html

Briefings | | September 7, 2022 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Lianhe Zaobao: Satellite Data Showed Worsening Consumer Activities in China

Singapore’s primary Chinese language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao recently reported that satellite data showed that retail activities in China have worsened both online and offline. E-commerce demand was particularly weak, and activities in e-commerce distribution centers were even lower than in 2020. According to data shared by satellite image analysis company SpaceKnow, China’s intercity truck flow fell by 20 percent in August, and this indicator is directly related to GDP. Distribution centers faring much better during the 2020 outbreak than they are now. The data also indicated weaker earnings trend for companies like Alibaba could continue as consumers cut back on spending. The weakness also spread to brick-and-mortar retailers, with changes in the number of cars in mall parking lots in August being much lower than the same period in 2021. Chinese officials have tried to use government spending on infrastructure to reinvigorate growth. However, high-frequency data suggests that the infrastructure boost has so far not been able to offset the blow to the construction sector from a sharp drop in China’s real-estate market. Public data shows that China’s consumer confidence index fell to its lowest level in nearly a decade in April and has barely rebounded since then.

Source: Lianhe Zaobao, September 1,2022
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/realtime/china/story20220901-1308601

Briefings | | September 6, 2022 | Economy/Resources

CNA: Far Fewer U.S. Companies Are Optimistic about Future Business in China

Primary Taiwanese news agency Central News Agency (CNA) recently reported that, according to a report just released by the US-China Business Council, due to factors such as strict Covid control measures and rising geopolitical tensions, the proportion of U.S. companies that are optimistic about China’s business prospects for the next five years has plummeted from nearly 90 percent 10 years ago to barely more than half as much now. This is a new all-time low. The report is based on interviewing the Council’s 117 member companies, most of whom are large multinational companies headquartered in the United States that have operated in China for more than 20 years. The survey found that optimism about the business outlook in China for the next five years among respondents has fallen sharply. It fell by 18 percentage points this year, to an all-time low of 51 percent. Comparing China’s current business environment with three years ago, 83 percent of the companies surveyed said they are not as optimistic now as they used to be. This represents an increase of 24 percentage points compared to last year. At the same time, the proportion who felt pessimistic doubled last year’s number to 21 percent, a record high. The report pointed out that, given the long-term impact and uncertainties caused by the tension between China and the United States, the surveyed companies believe that geopolitical factors will have the greatest impact on the outlook, including China’s Covid control policies as well as technology regulations. This annual report also details the top ten challenges faced by American businessmen in China. The lockdown policy replaces Sino-US relations as the number one challenge this year. Around 96 percent of the companies surveyed have suffered heavy losses due to the government’s Covid control measures.

Source: CNA, August 30, 2022
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202208300180.aspx

Briefings | | September 6, 2022 | Economy/Resources US-China Relations

Global Times: India’s First Domestically Built Aircraft Carrier Officially Commissioned

Global Times recently reported that, on September 2, after 17 years of construction and testing, India’s first domestically built aircraft carrier, the INS Vikrant, was officially deployed. India has become one of the few countries in the world to have the most advanced defense technology. India now has two active-duty aircraft carriers. However, the new aircraft carrier still has serious shortcomings. The deployment of carrier-based aircraft has not yet begun. In addition, the aircraft carrier also lacks a radar system. Some Western media also touted India, saying it marks its entry into the elite alliance of the world’s naval powers. Western media also described India’s domestic aircraft carrier as “a response to the Chinese threat.” It is to “deal with rival China’s much larger and growing fleet.” China is regarded by India as its most powerful competitor. China is ahead of India in terms of the number and technology of aircraft carriers. However, Western analysts expressed the belief that India has had decades of experience in aircraft carrier operation and combat. India imported its first aircraft carrier from the UK in 1961. The new Indian aircraft carrier also raises doubts in neighboring countries. The Center for Strategic and Contemporary Research, a Pakistani think tank, recently issued a report saying that India’s first domestically-made aircraft carrier may seize air and sea dominance in the far seas of Pakistan and achieve a blockade of the line of transportation with Pakistan.

Source: Global Times, September 3, 2022
https://mil.huanqiu.com/article/49UqiWaUCAD

Briefings | | September 6, 2022 | Defense/Military Geo-Strategic Trend

India Is Helping Sri Lanka to Reduce its Reliance on The CCP

In an interview with the New Tang Dynasty (NTD) TV, Cleo Paskal, a researcher at the U.K. policy institute Chatham House, said that India is helping Sri Lanka to reduce its dependence on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Paskal said that India has provided loans and sent fertilizer to Sir Lanka. It has been trying, regarding the political war, to create a situation for Sri Lanka in which it is not-so-dependent on the CCP.

By August 2022, Sri Lanka had US $10 billion in debt. Of that amunt,, 44 percent was owed to Beijing. Japan holds 32 percent and India holds 10 percent.

India has become Sri Lanka’s lifeline. It provided around US $4 billion in lines of credit and swaps, to sustain Sri Lanka’s economy.

India also opposes the docking of China’s spy ships at Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port. In December 2017, Sir Lanka rented the Hambantota Port to China for 99 years, to convert to equity the US $1.4 billion that it owed to China and didn’t have means to pay back, .

Source: Epoch Times, September 4, 2022
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/22/9/3/n13816991.htm

Briefings | | September 4, 2022 | Economy/Resources Geo-Strategic Trend

Attorneys In China Are Required to Sign Commitment to Practice That Endorses the Party’s Leadership

A local Commitment to Practice statement for attorneys was posted on the Internet. Attorneys are required to sign in order to practice law. The statement specified that the signee agree to five promises. The first promise is to “Uphold the guidance of Socialism with the Chinese Characteristics of Xi Jinping’s new era, to uphold the authority of the communist party’s central committee with Xin Jinping as the core and central leadership, and to endorse the communist party’s leadership.”

The second item is to follow the law for attorneys , attorney’s business ethics and practice disciplines, and other requirements for attorneys. The third to fifth items are to follow the regulations on attorney’s interactions with other legal professional, follow the management of the judicial administrative office and the attorney association, and to establish the right law practice ideas.

The exposed picture is said to be a local version. However, attorneys are saying different regions have similar commitment documents for them to sign and they all stress following the party’s leadership.

Source: Epoch Times, August 29, 2022
http://cn.epochtimes.com/gb/22/8/29/n13813299.htm

Briefings | | September 4, 2022 | Government/Politics

For The First Time, Taiwan Shot Down China’s Drone

On September 1, for the first time, Taiwan’s military force shot down a civilian drone from China after sending a warnings to China not to invade its air space.

China views Taiwan as a rebel-occupied island and claims it is a part of China’s own territory. China has escalated tension in the Taiwan Strait for several months. Recently, a few dozen airplanes flew into Taiwan’s air space on a daily basis. After U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the island China has fired missiles in the area surrounding Taiwan.

China also sent civilian drones to the Taiwan-controlled islands that are closer to the mainland. On the Internet, China even displayed the image of Taiwanese soldiers.’Their faces were taken by the drone at a short distance.

Tsai Ing-wen, President of Taiwan, gave the order on Tuesday to the Ministry of National Defense to take necessary and strong countermeasures in a timely manner to defend national security. Tsai said that, though Taiwan would not provoke disputes. that did not mean that it would not take proper actions.

On the same day, shortly after President Tsai’s order, Taiwan fired warning shots at China’s drones for the first time in Kinmen, a Taiwan-controlled island opposite to China’s Xiamen City. The Chinese drones flew away.

On Thursday, troops on the islet warned another Chinese drone but to no effect. Then they shot down the drone, with its remains falling to the sea.

Source: U.S. News and World Report, September 1, 2022
https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2022-09-01/taiwan-shoots-down-unidentified-drone-in-kinmen

Briefings | | September 2, 2022 | @CS Defense/Military Geo-Strategic Trend

Wu Guoguang: Xi Jinping’s Reversal of the Course, Will China’s Transition be Peaceful or Marked with Bloodshed?

Cheng Xiaonong: U.S.-China Strategic Relations Have Crystallized

Xinhua Commentaries: “Exposing the Three Major Political Deficits of the U.S.”

The CCP’s Performing Arts Troupes in the U.S.