Chinascope – Page 170

China’s Cyber Regulator Sends Team to Social Media Firm Douban

On March 15, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), China’s top cyber regulator, directed its office overseeing the city of Beijing to send a team to Douban to “supervise its rectification and reform.”

Douban is an interest-based networking site in China that lets users form online communities and review films, books and music. At the end of last year, the head of the CAC had already met with the person in charge and chief editor of Douban.com, as there were “repeated appearances of information prohibited by laws and regulations being published or transmitted on Douban.com and its accounts.”The CAC ordered Douban “immediately to rectify and seriously deal with the persons responsible” in accordance to the Cybersecurity Law. The CAC’s office in Beijing imposed administrative penalties totaling 1.5 million yuan (US$ 0.24 million) in fines on Beijing Douwang Technology Co., the main operator of Douban.com.

In fact, this is not the first time that the CAC punished Douban. From January to November 2021, the CAC directed its office in Beijing to impose 20 penalties on Douban, for a total cumulative fine of 9 million yuan (US$ 1.4 million).

Source: China.com.cn, March 15, 2022
http://tech.china.com.cn/app/20220315/385795.shtml

Briefings | | March 15, 2022 | Information/Technology

Russian Banks Switched to China UnionPay

Well-known Chinese news site Sina (NASDAQ: SINA) recently reported that, after the two major credit card brands Mastercard and Visa announced the suspension of their operations in Russia, several Russian banks, including Sberbank, announced on the same day that they plan to switch to China UnionPay. They have started issuing cards using the UnionPay payment system. This move is expected to ease the impact of the current situation on Russian cardholders. In addition to Sberbank, Alpha Bank and Tinkoff Bank both issued announcements to switch to UnionPay. Russia’s Pochta Bank, Gazprom Bank, Russian Industrial Communications Bank and some other small banks have already cooperated with China UnionPay. On March 6, Mastercard and Visa announced that they would stop their business in Russia in response to Russia’s military operations in Ukraine. Visa and Mastercard accounted for 74 percent of Russian payment transactions according to a previous report by The Wall Street Journal.

Source: Sina, March 6, 2022
https://news.sina.com.cn/c/2022-03-07/doc-imcwiwss4544738.shtml

Briefings | | March 15, 2022 | Geo-Strategic Trend

LTN: Russians Faced Terrible Losses They Have Never Encountered

Well-known Taiwanese Newspaper Liberty Times Network (LTN) recently reported that the Russian invasion of Ukraine faced heavy resistance and suffered heavy losses. According to the Ukrainian intelligence agency, the Russian army has lost 31 battalion tactical groups (BTG) in the fighting. This kind of loss is something the Russian army has never encountered in the past. Up through the present, 18 Russian BTGs have lost their combat capabilities, and 13 have been completely destroyed. This means means that, within two weeks, a total of 31 BTGs have completely lost their combat capabilities . Although the BTG with artillery as the main body is very large in scale and firepower, it can give heavy blows to fixed enemy units. However, it lacks mobility. Logistics is also one of its weaknesses. Earlier, Forbes military reporter and expert David Axe emphasized that Ukraine has figured out the main weaknesses of typical BTGs, including weak flanks. Axe also said that, if the Ukrainian commander can mobilize enough troops to withstand the artillery fire, he can attack the weakest positions in the BTG defense, including the command post, intelligence units, and key support units and other BTG main battle force gathering areas.

Source: LTN, March 13, 2022
https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/breakingnews/3857182

Briefings | | March 15, 2022 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Global Times: Italy Blocked Chinese Acquisition of Italian Military Drone Company

Three government sources revealed that Global Times recently reported that the Italian government just rejected a deal to sell a military drone company to Chinese investors. This is the latest move by Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi to curb Beijing’s “advancement” into the euro zone’s third-largest economy. A 75 percent stake in Alpine Aircraft Manufacturing in northern Italy was sold to Chinese investors in 2018. After an investigation into the deal was launched last year, the Italian government recently approved the cancellation of the deal at a cabinet meeting. The Italian Cabinet determined that the transaction participants failed to notify the Italian government under the so-called “Golden Power” regulations. In addition to canceling the deal, the Italian government has imposed fines on the deal participants, according to officials familiar with the matter. The “Golden Power” regulations are said to be designed to protect strategically important assets. Since it was implemented in 2012, the “Golden Power” regulations have prevented foreign companies from entering Italy six times. It is worth noting that five of the six times were to prevent Chinese companies from bidding, and four of them happened after Draghi took office. Light aircraft and Strix mini-drones produced by Alpine Aircraft Corporation have been used by the Italian Air Force in Afghanistan. The company supplies high-tech drones for military use to Italian special forces and NATO.

Source: Global Times, March 12, 2022
https://world.huanqiu.com/article/479mlMWfcaZ

Briefings | | March 14, 2022 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Global Times Editorial: China-Korean Relations Need “Respect,” but Don’t Forget the Word “Mutual”

After the result of Korea’s presidential election was made public, China’s state media, Global Times, published an editorial giving advice to Korea’s new administration not to side with the U.S. on some key issues such as THAAD deployment. An excerpt of the article follows:

“The results of South Korea’s 20th presidential election were released on March 10. Yin Xiyue the candidate of South Korea’s largest opposition party, the National Power Party, won the election. The extent to which the new president will adjust South Korea’s domestic and foreign policies has attracted great attention from the outside world. At the press conference held that morning, Yin Xiyue said that “the Korea-China relations will be developed on the basis of mutual respect.” This sentence leaves a lot of room for the public’s interpretation.”

“Due to a number of reasons, some people in South Korea are now paranoid because they believe that ‘China does not treat South Korea as an equal. They think that the connotation of ‘mutual respect’ should be that China treats South Korea ‘as an equal.’ Some even believe that China will respect South Korea only if South Korea-U.S. relations are consolidated.”

“In fact, mutual respect is one of the basic principles of China’s handling of foreign relations and the same is true for South Korea. China understands and respects South Korea’s independent foreign policy orientation, and is also aware of the alliance between the United States and South Korea. However, China’s respect for South Korea has never been due to the U.S.-Korea alliance or other reasons. It can only be based on a mutual understanding of each other’s core interests and major concerns.”

“At the same time, we also want to remind that ‘mutual respect’ not only includes ‘respect,’ It includes the connotation of ‘mutual,’ which is equally important. It not only means that China respects Korea, but also includes China’s legitimate concern that Korea should respect China.”

“There is a view that Yin Xiyue deliberately mentioned ‘mutual respect,’ which is aimed at the relevant remarks of the Moon Jae-in government on the THAAD issue (not joining the U.S. anti-missile system, not developing security cooperation between South Korea, the United States and Japan into a tripartite military alliance and not deploying an additional THAAD system). Although Yin Xiyue did say that he did not think it was ‘achieved within the framework of mutual respect,’ his senior adviser also said that Yin Xiyue supported the addition of a new ‘THAAD’ system. But we hope that this view is a distorted one or a misunderstanding of Yin Xiyue. In other words, China respects South Korea’s legitimate concerns about its own security, and at the same time, it also recognizes that real security must be common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable. China’s strategic security interests should also be respected by South Korea. The South Korean side should not regard the deployment of THAAD as an issue of ‘internal affairs’ or a ‘sovereignty’ issue, which is essentially a wedge that the United States has nailed in Northeast Asia.

“At the press conference, Yin Xiyue expressed his desire to ‘rebuild the Korea-U.S. alliance.’ We fully respect South Korea’s independence and sovereignty, but China-South Korea relations should not be regarded as an appendage of South Korea-U.S. relations, nor should the self-esteem of South Korean society be filled with misreading and misjudgment that ‘China will respect South Korea only when South Korea-U.S. relations have been consolidated.’ Moreover, South Korea actually has no room to gamble in the so-called ‘China-U.S. battle.’ Only by accurately clarifying and grasping the connotation of ‘mutual respect’ can South Korea find the code to become a ‘central country.'”

Source: Global Times, March 10, 2022
https://opinion.huanqiu.com/article/478hZjJlQhJ

Briefings | | March 14, 2022 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Duowei News: Reflections on the Ukraine War: This Is a Period of Strategic Opportunity for China

Duowei News, a pro-Beijing Chinese News media stationed in North America, published an article stating that the Russia-Ukraine war is giving China another golden development opportunity. The following are excerpts from the article.

“China’s rise can be attributed to a number of reasons, but there is one thing upon which everyone generally agrees. That is the fortune of the country. Take the China-U.S. relationship as an example. At the beginning of the millennium, when George W. Bush took office, the U.S. had already vaguely felt the momentum of China’s rise. Bush gradually changed China’s position from a partner to a competitor. During his campaign, George W. Bush also made it clear that if there were a war in the Taiwan Strait, he would help defend Taiwan.”

“Given China’s level of technological and economic development at that time, if the United States had started to contain China with all its strength, encouraged Taiwan independence, forced China to attack Taiwan, and then intervened on a large scale to conduct political, diplomatic and economic blockades, it is not difficult to imagine what China would look like now.“

“However, the 9/11 incident suddenly occurred. All the focus of the U.S. military diplomacy turned to the war on terrorists. China also quickly showed its sympathy and support for the United States. As a result, during Bush’s tenure, Sino-U.S. relations not only did not decline. The relationship entered one of the most stable and peaceful periods in history.”
……
“The Ukrainian war broke out and all the development plans (of containing China) that were planned according to the wishes of the United States were disrupted. Although the United States has gained a lot of military-industrial and economic benefits from this war, the Biden administration’s most important strategic appeal to win over Russia and unite Europe and other Western societies to contain and isolate China with all its strength can no longer be achieved.” “At least for the next 10 to 20 years, Russia’s economy will be in shambles, plunged into its worst isolation since World War II, further deepening its economic and diplomatic reliance on China.”

“At the same time, due to the military pressure from Russia, the United States has also begun to show goodwill toward China. Since the war, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has taken the initiative to call the Chinese Foreign Minister twice to discuss the Ukraine issue, hoping that China can play a constructive role during the war. In addition, on issues such as the economy; trade, Taiwan, and others, the United States has also begun to make concessions and adjustments covertly but slowly.”

“Because the contradiction between China and the United States is structural, and associated with strong cultural, ideological and power conflict factors, it is impossible for China-U.S. relations to return to the past. However, at least for the next 5 to 10 years, there will be a period of a relatively easy time. This is a very rare opportunity for China’s development. During this period, China must focus its energy on development and seize this rare opportunity to develop and strengthen itself as soon as possible.”

“Of course, there is a premise here. That is, the Taiwan issue. The next 5 to 10 years will also be a window for China to solve the Taiwan issue. How China and the United States will deal with this issue will especially test the political wisdom of both sides. That is to not only resolve China’s core concerns of accomplishing national reunification, but also not to embarrass the United States. At the same time, it also depends on the fortune and wisdom of Tsai Ing-wen and the next Taiwan government (which is likely to continue to be the DPP). Maybe, what is happening in Ukraine today will be repeated in Taiwan tomorrow. The fight that Russia and the United States and Europe are going through will also be the fight that China and the United States and Japan will experience in the future.”

Source: Duowei News, March 6, 2022
https://www.dwnews.com/中国/60281141/乌克兰战争随思录这是送给中国的战略机遇期?itm_source=universal_search&itm_campaign=universal_search&itm_content=这是送给中国的战略机遇期&itm_medium= web

Briefings | | March 14, 2022 | US-China Relations

China’s Small and Medium-sized Private Enterprises Shrink Rapidly: Forcibly Demolished or Had to Establish a CCP Branch

At the end of 2021, the South China Morning Post reported that small businesses, the perennial backbone of China’s economy, are shrinking at a rapid pace. During the first 11 months, 4.37 million small businesses were written off, while only 1.32 million were registered. This is the first time in many years that the number of small business cancellations in China has exceeded the number of registrations.

On March 1, the National Bureau of Statistics of China released the PMI (Purchasing Managers’ Index) operation of February 2022. In terms of enterprise size, the PMI for large and medium-sized enterprises was 51.8 percent and 51.4 percent respectively, up 0.2 percent and 0.9 percent compared to that of the previous month. However, the small enterprises PMI was 45.1 percent, down 0.9 percent from last month. This was lower than the critical point. (a PMI below 50 indicates that the economy is in contraction.)

Mr. Li (a pseudonym), a small private enterprise boss from Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, has been uprooted from his hometown and displaced overseas for more than 2 years. He had 10 stores in Xiaoxie old industrial park at Lu’nan Street, Taizhou. In 2018, the Taizhou government demolished four to five hundred enterprises in the industrial park under the name of old city renovation and took away the related land. The vast majority of those small enterprise owners were not given resettlement funds.

Mr. Li said, “The local government offered a very low price for compensation. That’s ridiculously low, just like a robbery! If you did not agree, the government could use tax, public security, fire, or environmental protection . . . from six or seven departments to deal with you.” Now the industrial parks have moved to remote places, like the new Binhai Industrial Park. He’s not able to afford even one store. “There is no way for the business to go on. Now some people still go to Beijing in order to petition, but the suppression is very serious,” Mr. Li started In1992. They were led to the Xiaoxie industrial park as private enterprises. It’s because the land has appreciated in value, an incrrease of probably dozens or up to a hundred times. The government wants to take the land back forcibly for commercial development and make a big profit. A similar event happened in the Shuanggang Industrial Park in Quzhou, Zhejiang Province. Those companies were auctioned off at low prices, and the owners ended up not having enough money to cover their debts. Some of them even committed suicide with hatred (in their hearts).

Mr. Li revealed, “When they get bigger, the enterprises are forced to establish CCP (Chinese Communist Party) branches ” (the CCP controls everything in China.). There are three purposes: one is to organize some CCP’s activities in two in three days. Its aim is for brainwashing; the second is for donating money easily when necessary; and the third is that the enterprise’s patents will belong equally to the state.

For example, one of Mr. Li’s friends runs a large enterprise. A few years earlier the local CCP committee let him establish a party branch. He had been shirking it. Later, the CCP’s street office, the mayor and secretary of the town and the party union organizations came to him together. Mr. Li’s friend said that although he had a hundred employees, there were no CCP members in his factory. It’s not enough to set up a branch. (To set up a party branch needs three party members at least). Unexpectedly, they said — it’s okay. We will assign CCP members to you.

Mr. Li also mentioned that another friend’s enterprise produces high-end products directly required by the CCP for military use. It wants the technology. Some private enterprises also have a lot of things that the CCP does not have. So, the friend’s enterprise was acquired by the CCP with generous conditions and enough money. However, his freedom is gone, — two CCP persons were assigned to him plus two armed police officers to be his servants — driving his car and even opening the door for him.

Source: Epoch Times, March 9, 2022
ttps://www.epochtimes.com/gb/22/3/8/n13631574.htm

Reports | | March 10, 2022 | Economy/Resources

Subnational Infiltration – Ireland Professor Resigned to Protest University’s Pro-Russia and Beijing Stance

Ben Tonra, Professor and Vice Principal of the College of Social Sciences and Law at the University College in Dublin (UCD), resigned to protest the university’s taking a soft position towards Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its backing for the Confucius Institute from China.

“Based on the statements and response of the University’s leadership to the invasion of Ukraine and the role of the Confucius Institute on campus, it is clear to me that I do not share the values underpinnings of the UCD’s global engagement strategy,” he said on Twitter.

Professor Tonra was upset that UCD called Russia’s invasion “the situation in Ukraine.”

The UCD’s Confucius Institute was established in 2006. In 2021, a group of professors expressed strong opposition to a course on Chinese history and politics being delivered by the Confucius Institute which is one of the Chinese Communist Party’s invasive infiltration tools.

A spokesman for the university said the course was delivered by the Irish Institute for Chinese Studies (IICS), an academic center in the university, not by the Confucius Institute at UCD.

However, “a professor pointed out that [IICS and the UCD’s Confucius Institute] were established at the same time, are in the same building, have the same director, the same email address, the same phone number, overlapping senior staff, and share the same mission to promote teaching Chinese studies,”

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.