China Intensifies Rural Anti-Corruption Drive: Over 77,000 Village Officials Under Investigation in 2024
China’s anti-corruption campaign has intensified at the grassroots level, with 77,000 current or former village party branch secretaries and village committee chiefs investigated for corruption between January and September 2024. This marks a significant increase of over 30,000 cases compared to the same period last year, according to official reports from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.
In total, Chinese disciplinary authorities investigated 642,000 corruption cases during this nine-month period. The investigations spanned all levels of government, from 58 high-ranking provincial officials to thousands of local administrators. The crackdown has been particularly notable at the village level, where the number of cases in the first three quarters of 2024 has already exceeded the full-year total of 61,000 cases in 2023.
Common corruption practices among village officials include accepting kickbacks from local construction projects and fraudulently obtaining rural compensation funds. With China having more than 600,000 administrative villages, the scale of the corruption has sparked public debate. On social media, many netizens suggest that while the number of investigated officials is already substantial, it likely represents only a fraction of actual corruption cases, with many instances going unreported. The persistent revelation of corruption cases has led to public cynicism, with some commenting that the system is “rotten from top to bottom.”
Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), October 28, 2024
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202410280309.aspx
China’s Book Ban Crackdown: Officials Face Punishment for Reading ‘Political’ Materials
Chinese authorities have significantly intensified their crackdown on Communist Party officials found reading or possessing banned books, with at least 15 high-ranking officials charged in 2024 alone — nearly double the number from 2023.
The most recent case emerged on September 25, when Li Bin, the former deputy director of Mudanjiang’s People’s Congress Standing Committee, was expelled from the party and referred for judicial processing. While Li faced various corruption charges, including accepting bribes and illegal financial gains, the authorities notably listed his primary offense as “violating political discipline by privately reading illegal publications containing content that undermines party unity.”
This trend of charging officials for possessing or reading “publications with serious political problems” has become increasingly prevalent in China’s anti-corruption campaign. Several prominent figures have fallen under similar charges, including Wang Xiaoguang, former deputy governor of Guizhou Province, who was accused of “being keen on reading overseas publications with serious political problems,” and Liu Liange, former chairman of Bank of China, who was charged with “privately bringing banned publications into the country.”
An investigation by Caixin Media revealed 29 additional cases of officials facing book-related charges, with the most common accusations being unauthorized possession of politically sensitive materials and illegal importation of banned publications. The crackdown has extended beyond traditional printed materials to include digital content. In response, the Communist Party’s revised Disciplinary Regulations, which took effect on January 1, 2024, expanded Article 52 to specifically include penalties for accessing problematic content across various media formats, including electronic materials, online texts, images, audio, and video resources.
Source: Deutsche Welle, October 25, 2024
https://p.dw.com/p/4mEam
Indonesia Expels Chinese Coast Guard Vessel in Natuna Sea Waters Three Times
On October 21, Indonesia reported that China’s Coast Guard ship 5402 entered the northern waters of the Natuna Sea without permission on three occasions, disrupting seismic survey activities conducted by a unit under Indonesia’s state-owned oil and gas company in the area. Indonesian authorities communicated with the Chinese vessel via radio. The Chinese side insisted that the waters it entered were under Chinese jurisdiction. In the end, Indonesia deployed a patrol plane and patrol ship to expel the Chinese vessel.
The same Chinese vessel entered the waters again on October 23 and was expelled by Indonesia.
On October 24th, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian responded to the incidents, stating that the Chinese Coast Guard vessel was patrolling within waters under Chinese jurisdiction. Lin said that China is willing to strengthen communication and consultations with Indonesia through diplomatic channels to properly handle maritime issues between the two countries.
On the next day, October 25, the same Chinese vessel entered the waters again. And again, Indonesia expelled it.
Source: Lianhe Zaobao, October 27, 2024
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/news/sea/story20241027-5254193
China Eyes Exporting High-end Medical Equipment Overseas
China held its 90th China International Medical Equipment Fair (CMEF) at Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province recently. Nearly 4,000 companies from China and abroad showcased tens of thousands of medical device products.
People’s Daily reported that China has made significant strides in the high-end medical equipment area, such as ventilators, sleep apnea machines, AI-based medical imaging processing, and surgical robots. In recent years, Chinese medical device companies have been advancing steadily into the global markets. According to data from China’s General Administration of Customs, China’s total exports of medical devices reached 484 billion yuan (US$ 68 billion) in 2023, among which, medical equipment exports grew 5.4 percent year-over-year and were up 54.8 percent compared to 2019.
The CMEF event organizer, Reed Sinopharm Exhibitions, signed a cooperation agreement with the Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia (APHM). Next year, the two parties will jointly host an exhibition in Malaysia, aiming to bring more Chinese medical device products to the international markets.
Source: People’s Daily, October 22, 2024
http://health.people.com.cn/n1/2024/1022/c14739-40344083.html
Chinese Government Mandates Domestic Electric Vehicles for State Agencies
China’s National Government Offices Administration (NGOA) has issued a new directive requiring central and state agencies to transition their vehicle fleets to domestic new energy vehicles (NEVs). According to the notice, government departments must achieve a minimum replacement ratio of 30% for NEVs, with expectations to gradually increase this percentage over time.
Despite the aggressive push for NEV adoption, the government maintains strict cost controls as part of its austerity measures. Each sedan purchased cannot exceed 180,000 yuan (approximately $25,000), reflecting the administration’s commitment to fiscal responsibility while promoting green technology.
The mandate comes amid impressive growth in China’s NEV market. Sales have already surpassed 7.13 million units in the first three quarters of this year, with NEVs capturing over 50% of market share in the third quarter. Industry projections suggest annual sales will exceed 10 million units, marking a significant milestone for China’s electric vehicle industry.
The comprehensive directive specifies that government departments must prioritize NEVs for regular administrative vehicles and fixed-route law enforcement operations. The requirement extends to special-purpose vehicles, such as those used for sanitation and technical inspections, wherever feasible. However, the policy allows for exceptions in regions with challenging geographical or climate conditions.
This initiative serves a dual purpose: supporting the domestic NEV industry’s development while demonstrating the government’s commitment to environmental sustainability. The policy applies across all administrative levels and public institutions under central and state agencies, positioning China’s public sector at the forefront of the nation’s electric vehicle transition.
Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), October 29, 2024
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202410290431.aspx
Xinhua Commentary: US Trade Restrictions Have Ruined ASML and the Global Industrial Chain
Xinhua News Agency published a commentary on ASML’s recent drop in stock price. Below are some key excerpts from the article.
Due to lower-than-expected orders and a downgraded performance outlook, Dutch semiconductor equipment maker ASML recently experienced a sharp decline in its stock price, losing its title as Europe’s most valuable tech company. Many market analysts believe that U.S. restrictions are key drivers behind ASML’s drop in orders, asserting that U.S. hegemonic actions are detrimental to global industrial development and free trade.
It is a common tactic for the U.S. to use “national security” as a pretext to suppress foreign companies and “sanctions” to maintain its competitiveness. The U.S. presents itself as a “defender of free trade,” but it follows “market rules” at will. When leading in technology and holding a strong market position, it champions “free competition.” When other nations make significant technological advances that could challenge its economic and technological dominance, it disregards “market rules,” instead resorting to extreme measures and forming alliances to relentlessly suppress foreign enterprises, including those of its allies.
In the 1980s, when Japan’s high-tech sector posed a challenge to the U.S., the U.S. imposed anti-dumping tariffs and sanctioned companies like Toshiba. The U.S. “long-arm jurisdiction” tactics dismantled prominent French manufacturer Alstom. Targeting India’s steel, Canada’s lumber, and Brazilian agricultural products, the U.S. has employed a range of non-market strategies. It also adds more foreign companies to export control lists and enacts the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, to attract more semiconductor and renewable energy firms to invest and build facilities in the U.S., and block other countries’ products from entering the U.S. market. The U.S. has also targeted electric vehicles (EVs), imposing a 100 percent tariff on Chinese EVs and threatening to ban Chinese software and hardware in networked and autonomous vehicles on American roads. Recently, the U.S. government is even considering restricting sales of advanced AI chips to specific countries, particularly in the Gulf region. These policies severely disrupt business operations, hinder market expectations, and obstruct normal industry growth.
The U.S.’s “freedom” of arbitrarily wielding power comes at the cost of the “unfreedom” faced by ASML and other international companies.
Source: Xinhua, October 19, 2024
http://www.news.cn/20241019/1c9f5f13984e4e63bfbbad7171992f3c/c.html
Lianhe Zaobao: Nokia Reportedly Laying off Nearly 2,000 Employees in China
Singapore’s primary Chinese language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao recently reported that, Finnish telecoms giant Nokia has laid off nearly 2,000 employees in China as part of the company’s cost-cutting plan announced last year. According to an internal report from Nokia, as of the end of 2023, the company employed approximately 10,400 employees in Greater China and 37,400 employees in Europe. Nokia’s layoffs in China account for about one-fifth of its workforce in the region.
China used to be Nokia’s second largest market, but in recent years, with the competition from China’s domestic communications manufacturers and the ban on Huawei in European and American countries, the number of contracts between Chinese telecom operators and Nokia and Ericsson has decreased. In 2019, approximately 27 percent of Nokia’s net sales came from Greater China. Now the company’s total share of the Chinese communications equipment market dropped to less than 5 percent.
Nokia also plans to cut 350 jobs in Europe as it continues to reduce costs. And Nokia’s rival Ericsson is also cutting costs (including layoffs) to combat sluggish sales.
Source: Lianhe Zaobao, October 18, 2024
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/news/china/story20241018-5180057
RFI Chinese: Poll Shows Americans’ Favorability Towards China Hits Record Low
Radio France Internationale (RFI) Chinese Edition recently reported that, Chicago Council on Global Affairs just released its new poll results on China favorability. Poll questions are rated from 0 to 100, and the average score was 26, down from 32 in 2022 – the lowest since the organization began conducting surveys in 1978, before the United States and China established diplomatic relations. However, Americans do not want the competition between the two countries to turn into war. The American public’s primary concern for bilateral relations is to avoid military conflicts.
More than half (56 percent) of Americans surveyed believe that trade between the two countries weakens U.S. national security, and 79 percent support banning U.S. companies from selling sensitive high-tech products to China, up from 71 percent three years ago. Around 55 percent of Americans currently support increasing tariffs on Chinese products, down from 62 percent in 2021. Even as the U.S. political situation becomes increasingly polarized, data shows that surveyed Republicans and Democrats are consistent in their negative attitudes toward China. However, the two parties differ on how to formulate policies to deal with the threat from China.
Source: RFI Chinese, October 25, 2024
https://tinyurl.com/5sp87c67