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One-Third of New Academic Degrees in Chinese Universities Are in AI

China’s Ministry of Education recently announced a list of new majors (in 2021) to be included in the catalog of undergraduate programs in higher education institutions. Among the 37 new majors (departments), engineering related programs occupy the lion’s share. About one third of the new majors are in AI and electronic engineering, including intelligent surveillance engineering, intelligent mining engineering and quantum information science.

Since the end of 2020, the president of China, Xi Jinping, has repeatedly stressed the need to strengthen national science and technology forces, to enhance the capabilities of controlling the industrial supply chain and to solve the problem of “being strangled” in key technologies.

In addition to AI, China is also trying to accelerate the development of its own semiconductor industrial talents. 2020 saw the establishment of an Integrated Circuits University in Nanjing, also known as the first “chip university” in China. In early 2021, Anhui University is also setting up an IC (integrated circuit) college. The Shenzhen University of Technology in Guangdong Province established the School of Integrated Circuits in collaboration with China’s leading semiconductor company SMIC in June of this year.

Source: Radio Free Asia, June 30, 2021
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/Xinwen/5-06302021102334.html

A List of Political Figures Who Sent a Congratulatory Message to the CCP

China’s official newspaper People’s Daily recently published a list of international political figures who called or wrote to the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) General Secretary Xi Jinping and the CCP Central Committee to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the CCP.

Edgar Lungu, President of Zambia
David W. Panuelo, President of the Federated States of Micronesia
Blade Nzimande, General Secretary of South African Communist Party
Delfim Neves, President of National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe
Dési Bouterse, President of National Democratic Party of Suriname
Qasim Suri, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan
Megawati Soekarnoputri, former Indonesian president
Igor Dodon, former Moldovan president
Asadollah Badamchian, secretary-general of Iran’s Islamic Coalition Party
Wee Ka Siong, Minister of Transport of Malaysia
Korneliya Ninova, Leader of Bulgarian Socialist Party
Ichiro Ozawa, former President of Democratic Party of Japan
Mizuho Fukushima, head of the Social Democratic Party of Japan
Fabien Roussel, national secretary of the French Communist Party
Dogu Perincek, chairman of Turkey’s Patriotic Party
Gyula Thurmer, leader of the Hungarian Workers’ Party
Jean Christophe Iseux von Pfetten, Chairman of the Institute for East West Strategic Studies in UK

Source: People’s Daily, June 28, 2021
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2021-06/28/nw.D110000renmrb_20210628_1-03.htm

Leaked Files Show: Beijing Is Sinicizing Religions to Control its People

Beijing has been actively transforming religions in order to further its political agenda.

Last February, China’s National Religious Affairs Administration released the regulations called, “Measures for the Administration of Religious Personnel.” Under the regulations, religious groups must follow the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) leadership, publicize the CCP’s directives and policies, and also educate and guide religious believers to support the CCP’s leadership and the socialist system.

Leaked documents from the Chinese Communist Party in Liaoning Province reveal more efforts have been underway to sinicize religions.

The United Front Work Department of the Kuandian County CCP Committee in Liaoning Province disclosed in an internal document dated January 3, 2020, that it would step up efforts to sinicize the Bible.  The document said that it is inevitable to sinicize Christianity and that Christian groups must proactively include core socialist values in their religious activities.

The United Front Work Department of the Dandong City CCP Committee in Liaoning Province stated in an internal document dated May 8, 2020, that, the primary task in sinicizing religions is to “guide religions to adhere to the correct political direction.”

Other CCP documents from Dandong showed that in 2020, local authorities organized a training course titled “Dandong City’s Adherence to the Sinicization of Buddhism” with the theme, “Love the country and love religion, and be a qualified monk in the new era.” These documents also disclosed that the CCP held a number of lectures and preaching competitions, which were “guided by the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party” and resolutely promoted the “sinicization of religions.”

The CCP’s internal documents show that the CCP requires that religions support the CCP leadership and control, and engage in CCP political activities. The Civil Religious Affairs Bureau of Yuanbao District, Dandong City, stated in a work report on April 14, 2021, that [people must] “promote the sinicization of religion and promote the patriotism of religious staff.” The Puji [Buddhist] Palace in Dandong recently laid a wreath in the Korean War Memorial Hall in memory of Chinese soldiers who died in support of North Korea.  Documents also disclosed that on October 25, 2020, the Kuandian County Christian Church celebrated the 70th anniversary of the CCP victory in the 1949 Korean War, as the church conducted its Sunday Christian activity.

Source: Epoch Times, June 18, 2021

https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/21/6/18/n13031727.htm

Central Commission for Discipline Inspection: Communist Party Followers Can Never Betray the Party

Days prior to the 100th anniversary of the communist party, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection published an article and reminded the communist party members that they must never betray the party.

On June 19, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection published an article. Nearly two-thirds of the article was about Gu Shunzhang who is a former security chief and alternate member of the Political Bureau. In 1931, he betrayed the communist party and was arrested. Then in 1935 he tragically died in prison. The article stated that “Never Betray the Party is not just an oath; it is also a political red line.” It reiterated that the party members must display loyalty to the party and that they must unite around the party and never rebel against the party.

The official media also reported that, during his recent visit to Qinghai Province, Xi Jinping told the party members to be loyal to the party. Xi even personally led dozens of officials to a historical exhibition hall to swear to the party oath and pay allegiance to the party.

Source:
1. Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, June 19, 2021
https://www.ccdi.gov.cn/yaowen/202106/t20210619_244195.html
2. Xinhua, June 19, 2021
http://www.qh.xinhuanet.com/2021-06/19/c_11275787p11.htm

Hong Kong to Test Cross-border Use of Digital Chinese Currency

The cross-border use of digital Chinese currency will be fully rolled out for testing in Hong Kong. Hong Kong’s Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said that, in the coming year, preparations will be stepped up for the issuance of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) in Hong Kong at the wholesale and retail levels, including a study on the application of the electronic Hong Kong dollar (e-HKD) at the local retail level.

On Sunday, Chan said in his blogger that he is determined to promote the transformation of Hong Kong in the direction of a digital economy, to encourage more enterprises to use technology and to enhance operational efficiency and expand their businesses.

According to Sing Tao Daily, Hong Kong will continue to work with the People’s Bank of China in the coming year to conduct technical tests on the local use of CDBC, so as to provide convenient cross-border payment services for mainland and Hong Kong residents.

Source: Sing Tao Daily, June 28, 2021
https://std.stheadline.com/daily/article/2370853

NASA Administrator: Support Permanent Exclusion of China from International Space Station

Global Times recently reported that, on June 23, at a U.S. House of Representatives hearing, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said that he supported the permanent “Wolf Clause” that excludes China from participating in the International Space Station. This means that China will never be allowed to participate in the Space Station’s research. Nelsen testified categorically that “America should be number one” in space technology. He also asked the House Science, Space and Technology Committee for a larger budget in order to produce greater results. In April 2011, on the grounds of so-called “national security,” the U.S. Congress approved the “Wolf Clause,” which banned any joint scientific research activities between China and the United States that were related to NASA or which the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy coordinated. With the recent space achievements China had, the EU and the U.S. started to worry. The European Space Agency (ESA) has already announced its 15 billion Euro new space program. The U.S. Biden administration just rushed a $24.8 billion 2022 NASA budget to Congress. Nelson seems to be familiar with the process of pumping more money into the Trump’s Artemis Program: play the “Watch the Chinese” card.

Source: Global Times, June 25, 2021
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/3UGUbf5IV1ks2OWVLcfHhg

China Strictly Bans Bitcoin Mining

Well-known Chinese news site Sina (NASDAQ: SINA) recently reported that the Chinese central government required a ban on bitcoin mining across all provinces. Some provinces are leading the implementation of the policy. Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Qinghai, Yunnan and Sichuan issued local detailed requirements to power suppliers to cut off power to the miners. So far, large scale bitcoin mining has been brought to a full halt in China. Surprisingly, at the same time, some U.S. states are welcoming bitcoin miners. At the moment, there are at least five bitcoin mining companies being publicly traded in U.S. capital markets. For example, this year Marathon Digital Holdings acquired the Hardin Power Station in Montana to supply power for bitcoin mining. Emiliano Grodski, CEO of Bitfarms, said that, thanks to the Chinese government’s intervention, his company is seeing the most rapid growth in its history. In the U.S., The low cost of energy in Texas has attracted many bitcoin miners. In early 2019, Wyoming passed a bill to recognize virtual currency as an intangible personal asset. Last month, Miami had the world’s largest bitcoin conference. The mayor even welcomed Chinese bitcoin miners to come and offered a low-cost nuclear power supply. The Americans may bring China some enlightenment on this matter.

Source: Sina, June 23, 2021
https://www.163.com/dy/article/GD5V3H970552A0PE.html

Beijing Sends its Spies as Media Reporters

A former CCP media official revealed that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) sends its intelligence officers as media reporters to spy on the host countries.

During a recent interview, Cheng Kai, former chief correspondent at People’s Daily in Shenzhen and editor-in-chief of Hainan Daily, stated that, based on his experience during the 1980s, over half of the reporters that the CCP media send overseas are intelligence officers.

Xinhua News Agency and People’s Daily are minister-level organizations. Other national newspapers such as Guangming Daily, Economic Daily, Farmers’ Daily (Nongmin Ribao), and Workers’ Daily (Gongren Ribao) are deputy ministerial-level organizations. These media are authorized to send reporters overseas. When in the host country, they have considerable responsibilities to collect intelligence for the CCP.

Cheng recounted a memorial service for a former colleague, a People’s Daily reporter stationed in Algeria who died in a car accident. In addition to the president and editor-in-chief of People’s Daily, CCP leaders in charge of intelligence also attended the memorial service. It turned out that the former colleague was a spy and a People’s Daily reporter.

In the 1980s, People’s Daily had over 40 branches overseas. About half of its overseas reporters were officials from the CCP intelligence organization. With a reporter’s pass, it was convenient to interview people in the host countries. These so-called reporters spent most of their time collecting intelligence. One would not see them publish any news reports for as long as a year.

According to Cheng, if a reporter from People’s Daily or Xinhua contacts someone for an interview, the person should first ask himself whether the reporter is a Chinese intelligence officer.

Even reporters from Chinese regional newspapers may be state agents. For example, during his tenure as editor-in-chief of Hainan Daily, the Hainan Provincial CCP Committee directed Cheng to issue 20 Hainan Daily reporter identification cards, 10 to the Hainan Provincial Public Security Department, and 10 to its State Security Department. Cheng did not know who would hold these reporter ID cards. He was assured that he would not be held responsible for the actions of these 20 “reporters.” The CCP would make sure he would not be aware of any activities of these “reporters.’ He believed that these individuals were state agents who were spying on political dissidents.

Source: Epoch Times, June 25, 2021.

https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/21/6/11/n13015628.htm