Chinascope – Page 364

China Regretted that Europe Started a Conflict Resolution Process on the Iranian Deal

The Chinese Central Government Official Website recently reported that the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs commented on the new development in the Iranian Nuclear Deal. He made these comments at a press conference when he was asked for China’s position on the joint announcement of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. The three countries had started a conflict resolution process regarding the Iranian Nuclear Deal. China recognized that the reason for Iran to cut back on fulfilling its responsibilities under the Deal was that the United States exited the Agreement. The U.S. pressed Iran to the extreme and obstructed other parties from performing their commitments. China expressed the belief that the UN Security Council officially acknowledged the Iranian Deal and that all parties should attempt to resolve the issues via dialogues that could restore the balance. China will continue to communicate actively with all parties and push for a peaceful diplomatic solution.

Source: Chinese Central Government Official Website, January 15, 2020
http://www.gov.cn/xinwen/2020-01/15/content_5469552.htm

Briefings | | January 22, 2020 | Geo-Strategic Trend

RFI Chinese: China Now the Only Country Blocking Wikipedia

Radio France Internationale (RFI) Chinese Edition recently reported that the Turkish Constitutional Court ordered that the ban on Wikipedia be lifted because the ban was recognized as a violation of the Constitution. The Turkish government removed the three-year-old ban. This made China the world’s only country left that still blocks Wikipedia. The Chinese government blocks all language editions of this globally popular encyclopedia website. Turkey blocked the site due to the fact that Wikipedia published two articles accusing the Turkish government of supporting terrorist groups. From time to time, Turkey has also blocked Facebook and Twitter. Turkey is still the world’s number one country to have requested deletion of twitter postings. However, the Wikipedia block caused a widespread wave of anger among Turkish netizens. It was a surprise that the Turkish government honored the Constitutional Court ruling.

Source: RFI Chinese, January 17, 2020
https://bit.ly/3amtOjQ

Briefings | | January 22, 2020 | Government/Politics

Six Deaths among 323 Wuhan Coronavirus Cases in 13 Chinese Provinces

The number of confirmed cases in China of the Wuhan pneumonia has exceeded 300. According to China’s official media, as of 7:00 am on January 22, a total of 323 cases of the Wuhan pneumonia had been diagnosed in mainland China, spreading over 13 provinces. There have been six deaths,

The distribution of the pneumonia patients infected with the new coronavirus is as follows: 270 cases in Hubei Province, the origin of the outbreak, 10 in Beijing, 17 in Guangdong, six in Shanghai, five in Zhejiang, one in Yunnan, two in Sichuan, two in Tianjin, one in Henan, five in Chongqing, one in Shandong, one in Hunan, and two in Jiangxi. Most patients have a history of having traveled to Wuhan city in Hubei province. As of 2:40 am on January 22, Hubei Province launched a secondary emergency response mechanism for public health emergencies, requiring strict implementation of isolation measures and strengthened prevention and control over the region.

After a visit to the city of Wuhan to investigate the epidemic on December 31 last year, Wang Guangfa, a member of China’s National Health Committee and the chief physician at Peking University First Hospital, was confirmed, on January 21, as having been infected with the Wuhan pneumonia. So far a total of 14 medical staff members have also been infected.

Source: Central News Agency, January 22, 2020
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/firstnews/202001220019.aspx

Briefings | | January 21, 2020 | Economy/Resources

New College Admissions Pilot Focuses on Advanced Technology

The Ministry of Education issued a directive on January 15, 2020, saying that China has launched a new college admissions pilot program involving 36 top universities. The goal is to produce talent in areas critical to China’s national defense. Analysts view it as China’s attempt to alleviate the impact of the United States’ restrictions on China’s access to the West’s advanced technology.

On January 15, China’s Ministry of Education released the “Opinion on the Pilot Work of Basic Subject Enrollment Reform in Some Universities,” which is also called the “Strong Foundation Plan.” The ministry said that the pilot program aims to enroll students who can help alleviate the talent shortages in high-end chips and software, artificial intelligence technology, new materials, advanced manufacturing, and areas critical to national security,.

According to the Opinion on the pilot, those admitted will be trained in special programs and receive preferential treatment in terms of graduate studies, doctor’s degrees, overseas training, and scholarships. Once admitted into the pilot program, students cannot change their majors.

High school graduates in China normally need to take the national college entrance examination to be admitted to a university (gaokao). In the 2003 gaokao reform, 90 universities were allowed to use independent enrollment as an alternative admissions method. The pilot program eliminates independent enrollment.

Source: China’s Ministry of Education, January 15, 2020
http://www.moe.gov.cn/srcsite/A15/moe_776/s3258/202001/t20200115_415589.html

Briefings | | January 19, 2020 | Government/Politics

Human Rights Watch Released Its 2020 Report; China Responded

Deutsche Welle Chinese Edition recently reported that the well-known international organization, Human Rights Watch, just released its 2020 report. Its Executive Director Kenneth Roth called for a globally united effort to counter Beijing’s attacks, since the Chinese government has been using its economic and diplomatic power to destroy the system that defends human rights. The new report indicated that the current regime has successfully turned China into a vast monitored nation in which the regime has nearly full control over society. The regime has been establishing censorship within China and is now exporting censorship internationally. Roth was refused entry into Hong Kong recently because he intended to hold a press conference there. China is now using traditional policing mechanisms as well as high-tech methods to enforce its control, not only in Mainland China, but also in places like Hong Kong. The Report said human rights violations continue to spread around globe, including in Sylvia and Yemen, but China is the focal point.

Global Times issued a report on the second day after the Human Rights Watch 2020 report was released. Geng Shuang, spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, commented at a press conference that the Human Rights Watch Report, along with a Freedom House report, were flat-out lies. These two organizations ignored the fact that the Chinese people are the most authoritative ones to judge China’s human rights situation. China is currently in the best period of time in history for human rights. However, Geng admitted he never read any of these reports.

Sources:
(1) DW Chinese, January 15, 2020
https://bit.ly/2Rx7Dyy
(2) Global Times, January 15, 2020
https://world.huanqiu.com/article/9CaKrnKoTPa
(3) Freedom House
https://freedomhouse.org/article/chinese-communist-party-s-media-influence-expands-worldwide

Briefings | | January 19, 2020 | Social Stability

HK01 Interview: The CCP Will Follow the Historic Cycle of Any Party/Regime (It Will End)

A Chinese Communist Party (CCP) theorist admitted that the CCP may face its end soon and collapse. Fang Ning, Party Secretary of the Institute of Political Science, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, made the point during an interview with HK01, a Hong Kong news media. Fang is a communist theorist and has given lectures at two sessions of the CCP Politburo Group Study.

HK01 asked him, “Qiushi Magazine published a series on Xi Jinping’s speech. (From Xi’s speeches), one can see that Xi Jinping has a deep worry about the crisis and whether the CCP can maintain its ruling position over the long-term. He has also talked about how to escape the historic cycle (that any party may collapse in the end). As the CCP is reaching its 100th anniversary, do you think it can escape the ‘historic cycle?’”

Fang Ning answered, “The historic cycle does exist. The cycle of a party or regime is that, when it fights for power in the beginning, it is very active, vigilant, hard-working, and self-disciplined. As time goes by, all kinds of social problems keep accumulating. It begins to slack off and can gradually collapse. That’s the rule. We hope to overcome this cycle problem. . . . Therefore (we) must do everything possible to solve this problem. Whether it can be solved in the end is dependent on how we do it.”

Source: HK01, January 5, 2019
https://www.hk01.com/議事廳/414273/01專訪-對話房寧-百年大黨能否跳出歷史週期律-

Briefings | | January 19, 2020 | Government/Politics

Sputnik Chinese: China Launched Satellites for African and Latin American Countries

Sputnik Chinese, the news agency that the Russian government owns, reported that, on December 20, 2019, China launched an Ethiopian satellite and a Brazilian satellite with its Long March 4B rocket.

The Ethiopian satellite was the country’s first satellite. China designed and built it. Out of the total cost of US$ 7 million, China paid US$ 6 million for it.

The Brazilian satellite was the country’s sixth satellite. It is part of a joint Sino-Brazilian project.

A little earlier, China also sent two more Beidou Satellites of its own into space. It thus completed the 24-satellite setup of the Beidou global navigation system. 24 satellites are what is needed to provide full global coverage; both the U.S.’ GPS system and the Russian navigation system also use 24 satellites.

In 2019, China made 30 launches; it has sent over 50 spacecraft into space leading Russia and the U.S.

Source: Sputnik Chinese, December 21, 2019
http://sputniknews.cn/science/201912211030290947/

Briefings | | January 15, 2020 | 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.