Chinascope – Page 158

A Number of China’s Project 985 Universities Withdraw from “International Universities” Ranking

Project 985 was a project that was announced by the Chinese government at the 100th anniversary of Peking University on May 4, 1998, to promote the development and reputation of the Chinese higher education system by founding world-class universities in the 21st century. The name derives from the date of the announcement, May 1998, or 98/5 according to the Chinese date format. The project involves both national and local governments allocating large amounts of funding to certain universities in order to build new research centers, improve facilities, hold international conferences, attract world-renowned faculty and visiting scholars, and help Chinese faculty attend conferences abroad.

As of today, 39 universities are members of Project 985. They are regarded as the tier 1 universities in China out of 3,012 higher education institutions as of 2021.

Recently, a number of project 985 universities announced that they have withdrawn from the international ranking of universities and will not provide relevant materials and proof to the relevant authorities in the future. They include Renmin University of China, Nanjing University, Hubei University, and Lanzhou University.

Source: Sohu, May 9, 2022
https://www.sohu.com/a/545313475_120935730

Briefings | | May 11, 2022 | Economy/Resources

UDN: U.S. Poll Showed Two-Thirds of Americans See China as A Competitor

United Daily News (UDN), one of the primary Taiwanese news groups, recently reported that, according to a poll by the Pew Research Center, two-thirds of the American people regard China as the main competitor of United States. Most of them have no confidence in the Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s handling of international affairs. Younger Americans are less concerned than older Americans about the cross-Taiwan-strait tensions. China has so far refused to condemn Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine. Around 62 percent of the respondents were concerned about the China-Russian partnership. Among those polled, 47 percent are worried about China’s influence on U.S. policy, 43 percent are worried about China’s military power, and 35 percent each are worried about China’s economic competition and Taiwan Strait tensions. In the past year, the proportion of Americans who have a negative view of China has also increased, reaching 82 percent, of which 40 percent felt very negative. There are significant differences in the perceptions of China between older Americans and younger generations, with older Americans holding more negative views of China. With regard to Xi Jinping as a leader on the international stage, about 41 percent of the respondents said they had no confidence at all, and 42 percent were not very confident. Only 15 percent of the respondents had confidence that Xi Jinping can handle international affairs properly.

Source: UDN, April 28, 2022
https://udn.com/news/story/6809/6274984

Briefings | | May 11, 2022 | US-China Relations

EU Passes Resolution Condemning Chinese Communist Regime’s Forced Organ Harvesting

The European Parliament passed a resolution on May 5, 2022, expressing their “serious concerns” over the ongoing, systematic and inhumane harvesting of organs from Chinese dissidents, especially Falun Gong practitioners, Uyghurs, Tibetans, Christians, and other Muslims.

The resolution states “The People’s Republic of China has extremely low rates of voluntary organ donations owing to traditional beliefs; . . . Whereas China declared that it had stopped using organs from executed prisoners in 2015 and had launched a national donation system, without, however, ever completely banning the practice, which still remains legal;”

“The organ transplant system in China does not comply with the WHO’s requirements for transparency and traceability in organ procurement pathways, and whereas the Chinese Government has resisted independent scrutiny of the system; whereas voluntary and informed consent is a precondition for ethical organ donation;” hence the resolution.

The resolution “calls for the EU and its Member States to raise the issue of organ harvesting in China at every Human Rights Dialogue. It insists that the EU and its Member States publicly condemn organ transplant abuses in China; it calls on the Member States to take the necessary actions in order to prevent transplant tourism to China by their citizens and to raise awareness of this issue among their citizens traveling to China.”

Source: Radio Free Asia, May 6, 2022
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/junshiwaijiao/cl-05062022131145.html

Briefings | | May 10, 2022 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Chinese Foreign Ministry Issues Lengthy Article Attacking National Endowment for Democracy

A 10,000-word article on the Chinese Foreign Ministry website criticized the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) for its ties to the CIA, for subverting the legitimate governments of other countries and cultivating pro-U.S. puppet forces under the guise of promoting democracy. The article, published days before the 2022 China-Europe Human Rights Symposium on May 10, is seen as a wave of Chinese offensives aimed at setting the agenda for the discourse.

“A List of Facts about the American National Endowment for Democracy” stated that the NED has been involved in staging several color revolutions around the world for more than 30 years, including the Orange Revolution in Ukraine in 2004 and the Arab Spring in 2010.

The article also accused NED of colluding with local political groups, interfering in the political agenda of other countries, meddling in Hong Kong elections and interfering in China’s internal affairs.

The article points out that the NED, through its subordinate National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), contacted and provided financial support to Hong Kong opposition political groups and organizations. In 2014, it even instructed and funded the Hong Kong opposition, radical youth groups to plan the movement of Occupy Central with Love and Peace (OCLP).

The article also says that NED invests huge amounts of money every year to carry out anti-China projects in an attempt to incite Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibetan independence and it is the main source of funding for many Xinjiang independence groups, providing about 1.24 million (US$, about S$1.72 million) to various “Xinjiang independence” forces in 2020 alone.

The article pointed out that from 2003 to the present, NED was behind the scenes in organizing, planning, directing and channeling funds in many large-scale street movements in Hong Kong, such as the OCLP and anti-extradition law demonstrations. In the 2019 Hong Kong anti-extradition law movement, NED was accused of moving from behind the scenes to the front, directly engaging with the key people in the anti-China rebellion in Hong Kong, granting subsidies and conducting training to those involved in the riots, a figure around $640,000 that year.

Other accusations include claims that the NED has been generating false information, hyping anti-government rhetoric, funding activities and academic programs, and engaging in ideological infiltration.

The article also mentions Taiwan, where NED President Damon Wilson led a delegation to visit Taiwan and held a press conference to announce that he will cooperate with the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy to hold the Global Congress of the World Movement for Democracy in Taipei in October 2022, backing up the forces of Taiwan independence under the guise of democracy.

Source: Chinese Foreign Ministry, May 7, 2022
https://www.mfa.gov.cn/zyxw/202205/t20220507_10683088.shtml

Briefings | | May 10, 2022 | US-China Relations

World Press Freedom Index: Where Countries Ranked

Major Taiwanese news group Eastern Media International recently reported that, not long ago, Reporters Without Borders released the rankings for the 2022 World Press Freedom Index. Taiwan rose from 43rd last year to 38th. It is now ahead of Japan, South Korea and the United States. Hong Kong fell all the way from 80th last year to 148th this year. China ranked 175th out of 180 countries. The Index showed that Nordic countries are still at the top, with Norway and Denmark taking the top two places Both have high ratings of over 90. The five countries sitting at the bottom are North Korea (180th), Eritrea (179th), Iran (178th), Myanmar (176th), and China (175th). The United States ranked 42. The Reporters Without Borders report pointed out that the authoritarian regimes, which strictly control the media, used their asymmetrical position to launch propaganda wars against democracy, intensifying the confrontations with the democratic nations. Every year, Reporters Without

Borders ranks 180 countries and territories on the degree of freedom for journalists.

The situation is classified as “very bad” in a record number of 28 countries in this year’s Index, while 12 countries, including Belarus (153rd) and Russia (155th), are on the Index’s red list (indicating “very bad” press freedom situations) on the map. The world’s 10 worst countries for press freedom include Myanmar (176th), where the February 2021 coup d’état set press freedom back by 10 years, as well as China, Turkmenistan (177th), Iran (178th), Eritrea (179th) and North Korea (180th).

Source: ETToday, May 3, 2022
https://www.ettoday.net/news/20220503/2243194.htm
https://rsf.org/en/rsfs-2022-world-press-freedom-index-new-era-polarisation

Briefings | | May 10, 2022 | Geo-Strategic Trend Social Stability

RFI Chinese: China Abruptly Removed Coal Import Tariffs

Radio France Internationale (RFI) Chinese Edition recently reported that China announced not long ago that it would remove tariffs on its coal imports. As the world’s most populous country, China pledged in 2020 to start reducing carbon emissions by 2030. However, 56 percent of its energy consumption is still based on coal, which has been considered to be an energy source particularly harmful to the climate. In the announcement of China’s General Administration of Customs, the removal of import duties on coal lasts from May 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023. China currently imposes tariffs of three to six percent on imported coal. The General Administration of Customs said the measure was taken to “further secure the country’s energy supply” and development. Faced with last year’s power shortage, China has decided to boost its coal production and the government has ordered Chinese mines to “produce as much coal as possible.” In addition, in 2021, large-scale coal-fired power plant projects were also launched. Coal consumption in China, the world’s second-largest economy, rose 4.9 percent last year.

Source: RFI Chinese, April 28, 2022
https://bit.ly/3FnIOxT

Briefings | | May 10, 2022 | Economy/Resources

CCP’s Warning to Japan: Don’t Be the “Leading-Way-Party” for “Asia-Pacification of NATO”

On May 6, Global Times, an official media of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), published an editorial in Chinese (an English version was published on the next day), warning Japan, “Don’t Be the ‘Leading-Way-Party (Traitor)’ for the ‘Asia-Pacification of NATO.'” The article stated, “Japan shouldn’t be a promoter for NATO’s Asia-Pacific expansion.”

The editorial said, the Ukraine crisis and the geopolitical tragedy it has triggered are not enough to kill the hunger of the U.S. and some Western countries to reap political profits from the situation. Visiting Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his British counterpart Boris Johnson agreed in principle on May 5 on a reciprocal access agreement between the Japanese Self-defense Forces and the British military. Johnson called the move “a landmark” that will strengthen “Britain’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific region.” Meanwhile, Kishida made sensational remarks. He stated that “Ukraine may be tomorrow’s East Asia,” saying that now is the time for the G7 leading nations to solidify their unity.

All these showy remarks reveal a dangerous tendency: NATO is trying to apply the tricks of “bloc politics” and “confrontation between camps” to the Asia-Pacific region. For a long time, the United Kingdom has propagated the following on several occasions, “the globalization of NATO” and the “need to preempt threats in the Indo-Pacific” and to ensure Taiwan “is able to defend itself.” Within the Asia-Pacific region, Japan is abnormally active in catering to such a scheme. It seems Tokyo wants to be the “traitorous guide” for NATO’s expansion in the Asia-Pacific region.

The United States is undoubtedly the main force behind this trend. In recent years, Washington has pushed its allies to coordinate with its strategy to look eastward. London aims to recover its declining influence by “exploring the way” for Washington. Japan wants to take advantage of the U.S. connivance to break the “shackles” of the pacifist constitution and resurrect its militarism. The Ukraine crisis is a “good dish” for some politicians who have constantly escalated their voice and who move to create regional tensions.

This editorial also expresses Beijing’s judgment on NATO. NATO makes divisions in Europe and creates crises and wars in the world. The NATO-style bloc confrontation mechanism forcibly divides regional countries into countries within the alliance and countries outside the alliance, which can only create more insecurity and cause countries to plunge into the paradox and trap of being vigilant and hostile against each other. It is definitely a poison not an antidote for easing the security anxiety and tension of regional countries. The European security “crash” proves the US-led NATO system doesn’t fit in the current era.

Now, some people want to cooperate with the United States and the West to forcibly introduce the “security model” into the Asia-Pacific region, which has proved to be a failure in Europe and has led to serious consequences. Isn’t that an intent to undermine regional peace and stability? Those countries who talk about “Ukraine may be tomorrow’s East Asia” are filled with self-interest and are serious about replicating one or more Ukrainian crises in other regions. Asian countries must remain on high alert to that.

The good situation in Asia must not be destroyed by the “new cold war.” Also. the vigilance and rejection of the “Asia-Pacification of NATO” should become a strong consensus and collective consciousness of all countries in the region.

Finally, the editorial emphasizes in particular is that Japan should not undermine the overall environment for peace and development in the region. Such an act of “inviting the wolf into the room” will harm others and harm itself.

Source: Global Times, May 06, 2022
https://opinion.huanqiu.com/article/47tzr9st2EQ, https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202205/1264992.shtml

Briefings | | May 9, 2022 | Geo-Strategic Trend

China’s Social Media Platform Mandated to Display Region of User IP

In October of last year, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) released a draft copy of the “Internet User Account Information Management Regulations.” The draft copy specified that social media platforms should prominently display the region of the IP address of the user. Domestic users would show the province (or city) of the IP address and foreign users would display the country where the IP address belongs.

According to media in China, Weibo, WeChat, Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok), Kuaishou, Xiaohongshu, Toutiao, and Zhihu have recently enabled this mandatory function to display the province or the country where the user’s IP is located. The user cannot turn off function.

More than a majority of Chinese netizens think that the mandatory display of IP region targets overseas users. Many criticized the move as an infringement on privacy and fear that it may fuel conflicts between users from different regions. Others expressed support, saying it could effectively block foreign forces.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), April 29, 2022
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202204290361.aspx

Briefings | | May 7, 2022 | Information/Technology

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.