Chinascope – Page 373

LTN: U.S. Has Become Taiwan’s Largest Oil Supplier

Major Taiwanese news network Liberty Times Network (LTN) recently reported that the Taiwan state-owned CPC Corporation (Taiwan’s largest petroleum company) increased its oil import ration from the U.S. from 30 percent in 2018 to 40 percent in 2019. This made the United States Taiwan’s largest oil supplier. Natural gas imports from the U.S. are on the path of rapid growth as well. The planning involves an increase from today’s three percent to 16 percent in 2021. Taiwan is finalizing a US$475 million shale gas investment (30 percent of the stake) in Haynesville, Louisiana. Although the U.S. oil shipping distance is longer than from the Middle East, yet the U.S. suppliers have competitive pricing and also provide diversity. However, Taiwan does not plan to exceed the 40 percent upper ceiling for U.S. oil. The CPC also suggested that the expected significant increase of the natural gas import level was a direct result of the U.S. Trump administration removing the legal restrictions on exporting U.S. LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas).

Source: LTN, December 25, 2019
https://ec.ltn.com.tw/article/breakingnews/3020154

Briefings | | January 2, 2020 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Beijing Anticipates Upcoming Mass Layoffs and Social Unrest

As the end of the year approaches, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang once again demanded to regulate how Chinese companies fire their employees. He proposed measures to prevent the outbreak of mass layoffs. The official party mouthpiece Xinhua News Agency reported on December 24 that Li issued the “Opinions on Further Improving Job Market Stability.” It proposed that the government should put more emphasis on employment stability and offer guidance to companies that conduct economic layoffs. The Opinions aims to prevent the risk of mass layoffs and ensure that the employment situation is stable. The above measures highlight China’s grim employment situation as a large-scale wave of layoffs may come soon.

The Opinions also mentioned the need to improve emergency response mechanisms. All regions should deal in a timely manner with mass social unrest that results from large-scale layoffs. The local governments have been advised to coordinate the employment needs of different groups and formulate temporary response measures.

On December 23, the government think tank, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, released the “Social Blue Book: Analysis and Forecast of China’s Social Situation 2020.” It stated that, due to the downward pressure on the economy and the impact of Sino-U.S. trade frictions, compounded by cyclical, structural and frictional factors, China’s employment situation continues to fluctuate because of increasing pressure and amid growing risks.

Source: Radio Free Asia, December 25, 2019
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/jingmao/ql2-12252019061501.html

Briefings | | January 2, 2020 | Economy/Resources

China Firmly Opposes the U.S. Space Force

Well-known Chinese news site Sina recently reported that China firmly opposes the newly founded U.S. Space Force. After U.S. President Donald Trump signed the military spending bill into law, the U.S. military officially established a new branch – The Space Force. Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang responded in a press conference, expressing “deep concerns” and “strong opposition.” Geng suggested that the United States took this step facing disagreement from the international community. The U.S. strategy of dominating outer space is really the militarization of space and is turning outer space into a war field. The move is directly against the common international belief of the peaceful use of outer space and it will destroy the global strategic balance, which is the foundation of world stability. It is a direct threat to peace and security. Geng called on all “major world powers” to take a “careful and responsible attitude” on this issue. President Trump said it was critical for the United States to have an advantage in space. Another Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson also mentioned that it has become urgent now to negotiate and establish international legal agreements on outer space arms control.

Source: Sina, December 25, 2019
http://https//chinanews.sina.com/gb/chnmilitary/chnmilitary/cankaoxiaoxi/2019-12-25/doc-ifzscpwc6013816.shtml

Briefings | | January 1, 2020 | US-China Relations

Potter King: “I Have Never Kneeled Down to the CCP”

Taiwan Internet Celebrity “Potter King” hosted a show with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and posted it on YouTube. His video was watched 3 million times on Facebook and 600,000 times on YouTube.

However, Papitube, a media company in China, which signed “Potter King” for the China’s market, demanded that he remove the video from YouTube, since he called Tsai Ing-wen the “President.” The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been belittling Taiwan all along and does not allow others to call it a country or call its leader the “President.”

Later, “Potter King” posted the WeChat exchange between himself and the Chinese company on the Internet. It showed that the staff at Papitube said, “Taiwan President???????!” “Can you remove it right now?” “Do you think if you didn’t post it on a Micro Blog that you can get away with it?” “This is very serious!”

“Potter King” refused to remove it. He answered that, if he can’t call his President the “President” (according to the CCP’s rule), he’d rather not make money from China. He said, “From the beginning, I have never kneeled down (to the CCP).”

This is a significant event having to do with the CCP’s coercing the world about Taiwan, since, in the past, many companies and people have chosen to yield to the CCP.

Source: Deutsche Welle, December 16, 2019
https://www.dw.com/zh/撩总统被中方解约-波特王凸显艺人困境/a-51689526

Briefings | | January 1, 2020 | Geo-Strategic Trend Government/Politics

Beijing Threatens Countries That Do NOT Sign up with Huawei

As the U.S. and the rest of the world see the danger of using Huawei due to its ties with the Communist regime in China, Beijing has been openly warning other countries of “consequences” if they do not sign up with Huawei. Some have not responded well to the attempted coercion

A voice recording on November 15, 2019, revealed that Feng Tie, China’s Ambassador to Denmark, had made such a threat to Bárður Nielsen, the Primary Minister of the Faroe Islands, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. Feng warned that if the Faroe Islands’ telecom company Føroya Tele did not sign the 5G network contract with Huawei, the islands would not have a chance to sign a free trade agreement with China. Feng visited the Faroe Islands at least twice in the past two months.

Fishing accounts for more than 90 percent of the Faroe Islands’ exports. Seven percent of the islands’ Salmon exports go to China. The islands opened an office in Beijing this year in order to further their exports. Many Denmark politicians criticized the CCP and expressed that they would protect Denmark and its autonomous territory the Faroe Islands.

A few days before the Faroe Islands incident, Wu Ken, China’s Ambassador to Germany, warned, “There will be consequences if Germany decides to exclude Huawei from the German market. The Chinese government will not stand by without taking any action.” Wu further linked German car industry to Huawei’s position in Germany.

Back in January 17, 2019, Lu Shaye, then China’s Ambassador to Canada, stated at a news conference that there would be “consequences” if the Canadian government prohibited Huawei from providing 5G network equipment to Canada. Ralph Goodale, Canada’s Minister of Public Safety responded that Canada would not yield to Beijing on national security issues.

Sources:
1. Epoch Times, December 22, 2019
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/19/12/22/n11738051.htm
2. Epoch Times, December 20, 2019
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/19/12/20/n11735005.htm

Briefings | | December 30, 2019 | Geo-Strategic Trend Government/Politics

Xinhua: Chinese Government Plans for “Tight Days” Ahead

Xinhua recently published a commentary after the National Financial Work Conference, observing that the Chinese government is preparing to tighten its control over spending. The Conference outcome was a guideline for all levels of the government to do careful planning next year, ensuring that money is spent only on things that are required. In the year 2019, China delivered a major tax cut package that boosted the market while eating into government income. It is expected that the next year will continue to have the same challenges China has today, if not more. All government branches are asked to get ready for tough days ahead and all the work should focus on expanding income sources and reducing the budget. The government should set an example for the whole country on looking at all phases of operations to cut costs. The Conference sent the message that the Chinese leadership is asking the entire government system to “get serious” about the coming tight days, by cancelling unnecessary projects and strictly controlling new initiatives. “Scientific money management” should become the new norm and should form the foundation of a sustainable society.

Source: Xinhua, December 27, 2019
http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/2019-12/27/c_1125397290.htm

Briefings | | December 30, 2019 | Economy/Resources Government/Politics

Xinhua Commentary Series: Spotlight on the U.S. Presidential Election

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.”