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

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Wu Guoguang: Xi Jinping’s Reversal of the Course, Will China’s Transition be Peaceful or Marked with Bloodshed?

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Cheng Xiaonong: U.S.-China Strategic Relations Have Crystallized

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Xinhua Commentaries: “Exposing the Three Major Political Deficits of the U.S.”

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Beijing News: Stable Economic Growth May Not Require Six Percent GDP Growth Rate

Famous Chinese economist Guan Tao authored a commentary which Beijing News recently published. The commentary started by advising that stabilizing economic growth should depend on reforms and adjustments, instead of stimulation. Guan’s recommendation was made in the context of the annual Central Government Economic Work Conference, which normally takes place near the end of the year, deciding the critical plans for next year. Guan proposed that the government has no need to forcibly keep the six percent GDP growth rate in order to maintain economic stability. With its great potential, the Chinese economy may continue to slow down next year. Using this year’s growth rate as next year’s “red line” is not reasonable. It is perfectly acceptable, given the size of the Chinese economy, to have a slower growth rate, as long as the investments into improving people’s living quality and job security are sufficient.

Source: Beijing News, December 11, 2019
http://www.bjnews.com.cn/finance/2019/12/11/660348.html

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

China’s Domestic Software Push Is Hard to Implement

Taiwanese online news site Storm recently reported that China’s central government established a three-year plan to replace all foreign hardware and software in the entire government system. Although the Chinese government did not confirm the existence of such a plan, the news was verified via multiple channels. It is relatively easy for the Chinese government to switch entirely to Chinese vendors like Lenovo, which is a preferred supplier today anyway. However, nearly all software in use today in the government system was designed to run on either Microsoft Windows or Apple MacOS. It is expected to be very challenging to replace U.S. made operating systems and the day-to-day software packages that run on top of them. Chinese domestic operating systems attempted this in the past decade or two and failed multiple times. There are hardly any software developers who are willing to develop for the domestic operating systems. Analysts expressed the belief that the new policy will have a major impact on the Chinese IT industry. However, the private sector may not go along with the government to replace IT environments. Even in the hardware space, with strong domestic vendors’ support, it is very hard to overcome the fact that critical components like CPU and memory are almost all made outside of China.

Source: Storm, December 9, 2019
https://www.storm.mg/article/2041930

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology US-China Relations

Russia Concerned about China Copying Russian Weapons

Voice of America quoted a statement from an official in charge of intellectual property protection at a Russian technology group. He said that China has been copying Russian weapons and equipment on a large scale, from aircraft engines to Sukhoi fighters and from carrier-based aircraft to air defense missile systems and to portable air defense missiles. The official said that even the short to medium range surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery weapon system Pantsir-S1 (NATO reporting name: SA-22 “Greyhound”) saw its copycat in China.

China has been a major buyer of Russian weapons and equipment for many years. Piracy is also a major problem in military and technical cooperation between the two countries. In the past two or three years, Russia’s major arms trading projects with China have included the Su-35 fighters and S-400 air defense missiles. However, China has purchased a very limited number of these weapons. Military analysts believe that the main purpose of China’s procurement of these weapons was imitation.

The Military-Industrial Courier, a weekly Russian newspaper, has published a long article saying that China developed the J-11B fighter on the basis of the Su-27 fighter aircraft and it also developed the J-15 on the basis of the carrier-based aircraft Su-33. The Xian H-6 bomber also comes from the Soviet Tupolev Tu-16 bomber. Furthermore, the armored fighting vehicles that started to equip the Chinese army in 2012 are also reminiscent of the two models of infantry fighting vehicles from the Soviet Union and Russia. China’s Yuan-class conventional-powered submarine also uses Russian technology.

Zvezda (Red Star), a Russian state-owned nationwide TV network that the Russian Ministry of Defense runs, has published a long story, detailing how China has been copying Soviet and Russian weapons and equipment since the 1950’s. The report said that 95 percent of current Chinese weapons and equipment have elements from Soviet or Russian weapons.

Source: Voice of America, December 15, 2019
https://www.voachinese.com/a/russia-concerns-weapons-chinese-military-pirated-20191215/5206556.html

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Malaysian Student Association Criticized Police for Acting for the CCP

Suara Siswa UM is a coalition of student associations at the University of Malaysia. This group includes UMANY, Demokrat UM, and Angkatan Mahasiswa UM. The organization recently criticized the police for intervening in their academic activities in order to please the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The university allows students’ associations to approve certain academic activities. In November, UMANY approved Professor Ho Ming-sho of National Taiwan University, to give an academic lecture on the topic of, “Reflections on Hong Kong and the Taiwan Social Movement. However, the political police of Malaysia questioned the organization and threatened the event.

UMANY approved Dr. Wu Ruiren, a researcher at Academia Sinica (the National Academy of the Republic of China) to conduct another speech event in later November. The topic was the impact of nationalism in China. The university rejected the organization’s facility application.

Suara Siswa UM felt that the political policing was due to the fact that these topics touched the politics of Hong Kong and Taiwan and thus got on the CCP’s nerves.

UMANY President Liao Yanghong said, “China has more and more influence over Malaysia. They don’t like any external statement or discussion on China’s politics which does not follow the CCP’s position. They have indirectly interfered with our society many times.”

He also pointed out that UMANY’s events related to Hong Kong, from June to now, including both gathering to support the Hong Kong people as well as speeches by people from Hong Kong, were suppressed.

Suara Siswa UM criticized the police for intervening in students’ academic activities and asked why they seemed to take action on behalf of the CCP but did nothing to protect the Malaysians’ freedom of speech and academic freedom under the Constitution.

Source: Epoch Times, December 7, 2019
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/19/12/7/n11707414.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend Government/Politics

Revised Code of Conduct for Chinese Journalists

On December 15, Xinhua News Agency, the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, published the newly revised Code of Professional Ethics for Chinese Journalists. Among others items, the Code proposes that journalists arm their minds with Xi Jinping’s “Ideology of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era,” and always keep in mind the mission of journalism of the Chinese Communist Party.

The Code also proposed strengthening the concept of the rule of law; abiding by the Constitution, laws, and regulations; and effectively safeguarding national political security, cultural security, and social stability; as well as adhering to the Party’s discipline in journalism.

The Code proposed the cultivation a global and international vision so as to “vividly tell China stories, stories of the Chinese Communist Party, stories of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and stories of the Chinese people,” so that “the world would understand China better.”

Source: People’s Daily, December 16, 2019
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2019-12/16/nw.D110000renmrb_20191216_4-04.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

CNA: Chinese Government Recommended Purchasing Air Purifiers

Primary Taiwanese news agency, the Central News Agency (CNA) recently reported that the Chinese National Health Commission (NHC) just issued its official guide on health protection given the prevailing air pollution conditions. Currently the smog-based air pollution has triggered warnings in 55 cities across China. The NHC guide advised that office spaces, indoor sports areas and schools should be equipped with air purifiers. It recommended closing windows during smog days and using air purifiers to reduce the PM2.5 level. However NHC did not mention how public school classroom air purifiers would be funded. Studies over the past several years showed that each classroom will require two purifiers. Due to high purifier acquisition cost and high electricity cost for daily operations, so far only the city of Beijing has subsidized the schools for part of the cost. Very few schools standardized the equipment but they are usually funded by donations from the students’ parents. After a time, some schools have even removed purifiers to maintain fairness among the classes. The media suggested that the government should establish a set of criteria on how air purifiers should be deployed in schools. Based on data that the Ministry of Environmental Protection released, this winter Northern China has had low wind speeds and higher temperatures. This may lead to longer-lasting smog days with a wider regional coverage. PM2.5 particles are air pollutants with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less, small enough to invade even the smallest airways. These particles generally come from activities that burn fossil fuels, such as traffic, smelting, and metal processing.

Source: CNA, December 11, 2019
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/201912110072.aspx

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics Social Stability

Retired Taiwan General Sentenced for Receiving Political Donation from CCP’s Contact in Hong Kong

The Taipei Court sentenced Luo Wen-shan, a retired Lieutenant General, to 2.5 years in prison for violating the Political Donation Law.

In the past, Luo has served the Administrative Deputy Minister of National Defense and the Deputy Commander of the Joint Logistics Headquarters.

He was charged with receiving political donations from Hong Kong businessman Hui Chi-Ming amounting to a total of HK $2 million (US $255,500).

Hui immigrated to Hong Kong from Guangdong Province in the late 1980s and chairs the Hong Kong Hoifu Energy Group and Sino Union Petroleum & Chemical International. As a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, Hui has met with several of the Chinese Communist Party’s top leaders, including Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Hu Jintao, and Wen Jiabao. On multiple occasions, he has also led China’s delegation to visit other countries.

Luo also received HK $137,500 (US $17,563) from Ho Biu, another Hongkonger in August 2012.

Luo claimed that the money from Hui and from Ho was used to pay for the Presidential campaign advertisements for Ma Ying-jeou during the Taiwan elections and the cost of Hui’s meeting with Ma Ying-jeou and Lien Chan. Ma was the former Taiwan President and the Kuomintang Chairman. Lien also served as the Kuomintang Chairman and former Taiwan Premier.

Source: Radio Free Asia, December 3, 2019
https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/htm/tw-court-12032019134226.html?encoding=simplified

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Geo-Strategic Trend Government/Politics

China to Ban Live Webcasts; Three Minutes Minimum Delay Required

The Chinese authorities issued a directive in August last year requiring real name registration for live webcasts. Recently, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced a series of regulations including a ban on live web broadcasts and other restrictions upon online video programs. The Notice said, “live Internet broadcasts should take the form of delayed broadcasts, with a minimum delay of three minutes. Performance organizers and online broadcast companies should formulate live broadcast management procedures and emergency contingency plans, and arrange special personnel to conduct real time review of the contents and of Internet users’ comments. Any problem should be dealt with in a timely manner and the video materials should to be kept for at least 60 days for inspection.”

Chinese authorities’ surveillance of online video programs has become increasingly harsh. It is believed that the new media has mostly exposed the major and small incidents that the authorities have attempted to cover up.

The consultation period for the aforementioned Notice will end on December 22. In August last year, six national level agencies in China, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the State Administration of Radio and Television, issued a “Notice on Strengthening the Management of Webcasting Services.” The notice requires the implementation of the real-name registration system, stringent management of online program anchors, the establishment of a blacklist for anchors, and improvement of the monitoring, review, and disposal of illegal and harmful contents. The notice also requires the online live broadcasters to cooperate with the authorities and provide the necessary documents, materials, and data.

Source: Radio Free Asia, December 11, 2019
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/meiti/ql1-12112019043530.html

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology