Skip to content

Huawei to Launch 5G Infrastructure in Southeast Asia

Agence France-Presse reported that China’s telecom giant Huawei is ready to launch 5G infrastructure across Southeast Asia. Zhou Mingcheng, Huawei’s VP for global public affairs, said at the ASEAN meeting in Bangkok on Sunday that China and the United States are engaged in a trade war, as well as a technological war. Zhou said, “We are here to support the 5G development in ASEAN countries.” The 10-members of ASEAN have a total population of more than 600 million. ASEAN countries hope to embark on the latest technology so as to become globally competitive in business, infrastructure, and transportation.

After Huawei set up a regional headquarters in Thailand in 2015, for three years in a row, Thailand has been the company’s largest destination for investments in Southeast Asia. From 2016 to 2018, Huawei won a total purchase order of US$2.09 billion in Southeast Asia. Although the United States has repeatedly issued security warnings against Huawei’s 5G network, traditional American allies Thailand and the Philippines, instead of paying heed, have been anxious to explore the superfast 5G network that Huawei has promised. In early February of this year, Thailand launched Huawei’s 5G test platform, Huawei’s first test platform in a Southeast Asian country. Global Telecom, the Philippines’ largest mobile telecommunications operator, already started to use Huawei technology this summer, launching the first 5G broadband service in Southeast Asia.

However, not all ASEAN countries like Huawei. Vietnam has chosen to side with the United States and has partnered with other companies, including Ericsson and Nokia.

Source: Voice of America, November 3, 2019
https://www.voachinese.com/a/5150592.html

A China Built High-voltage Power Transmission Project in Mongolia

The completion ceremony for the China built 330 kV power transmission project connecting Mongolia’s capital city of Ulaanbaatar to Mandalgovi, the capital of Dundgovi Province in Mongolia, was recently held in Mandalgovi. The power transmission project is the first cross-region high-voltage transmission line in Mongolia, aiming at improving the local power supply, enhancing grid security and stability, and reducing electricity costs. The website of the Dundgovi provincial government claimed that the project achieved the interconnection of the Mongolian central power system and the southern power system, ensuring the safe and reliable operation of the southern power grid in the country.

Mongolia’s Minister of Energy stated that the project will solve the problem of the local power shortage. In recent years, China has launched projects to help the livelihood of those in Mongolia, greatly promoting the economic and social development of Mongolia.

The Chinese ambassador to Mongolia said that China has been providing aid and preferential loans to Mongolia to support the country’s infrastructure and major livelihood projects. It plays an important role in pairing China’s “Belt and Road Initiative” with Mongolia’s “Development Path” strategy and promoting Mongolia’s economic and social development.

Source: People’s Daily, October 31, 2019
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2019-10/31/nw.D110000renmrb_20191031_4-16.htm

China Times: TSMC Responded to the Plan to Manufacture Chips in the U.S.

Major Taiwanese newspaper, China Times, recently reported that the Taiwanese chip maker TSMC officially responded to the question of whether it has a plan to invest in new manufacturing capabilities in the U.S. TSMC is the world’s top chip maker with 7 nano-meter manufacturing technology. It receives orders from leading companies such as Apple and Huawei and holds a massive global market share. TSMC also makes chips which the U.S. military uses in high volume. The news triggered a number of reports that TSMC is under heavy pressure from the U.S. Department of Defense to make chips in the United States, citing national security concerns. TSMC clarified that it has no immediate plan to open new factories in the States, but the company is continuously looking into this option. TSMC did admit that it is producing military chips. The primary challenge for manufacturing in the U.S. is cost. The company hinted that it would need a substantial subsidy. However, the new announcement also indicated that, to solve the national security issues that some customers have, the company is devoted to developing traceable chips.

Source: China Times, October 31, 2019
https://www.chinatimes.com/realtimenews/20191031004013-260410?chdtv

Xinhua: China’s October Manufacturing PMI Dropped to 49.3 Percent

Xinhua recently reported that the Chinese National Bureau of Statistics just released its official October manufacturing PMI (Purchasing Managers Index) number. The latest index number has suffered a month-over-month 0.5 percent decline since September, to 49.3 percent. This is now an eight-month low. According to the new report, in October, large scale companies manufacturing PMI declined 0.9 percent, to 49.9 percent. Mid-scale companies declined to 49.0 percent, which is a 0.4 percent increase from last month, and the manufacturing PMI small-scale companies dropped down to 47.9 percent, representing a 0.9 percent decline. Among all subcategories, the new orders index reached 49.6 percent (a 0.9 percent decline), the raw material inventory index reached 47.4 percent (a 0.2 percent decline), and the employment index reached 47.3 percent (a 0.3 percent increase). These are the three subcategories that kept the overall manufacturing PMI below 50 percent. PMI is an indicator of financial activity reflecting purchasing managers’ acquisition of goods and services. A PMI number below 50 typically reflects a decline.

Source: Xinhua, October 31, 2019
http://www.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2019-10/31/c_1210334911.htm

RFA: China Shows Signs of Further Suppression of Religious Freedom

Radio Free Asia, (RFA)recently reported that China’s Zhejiang Province started implementing a new regulation on November 1. It requires that all domestic religious groups must “Sinicize.” This means that no foreign power can influence any religious locations or activities. Critics said the Chinese government frequently suppresses religious activities under the name of “collusion with anti-China forces.” This new regulation is only making things worse. The official Zhejiang provincial version of the regulation requires all religions to practice the Socialist Core Values. No individual or organization can intervene in the government’s legal, executive, or educational functions in the name of religion. The new regulation also requires the government to improve information systems that administer religious activities. No churches or priests in Zhejiang have accepted RFA’s requests for an interview.

Source: RFA, November 1, 2019
https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/religion-11012019093329.html?encoding=simplified

A Chinese Dissident Founded an Anti-CCP Federation

Epoch Times held an interview of a Chinese political dissident, Mr. Wang Zhongyi (whose original name was Wang Rui). Mr. Wang founded a non-governmental organization called the World Youth Freedom Federation (世界青年自由联盟), with the goal of overthrowing the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Mr. Wang applied for political asylum in Taiwan when he visited there in 2014. He came to the U.S. in 2018 and registered the federation in April 2019. The organization has over 60 members.

Mr. Wang found that nobody, either inside or outside mainland China truly likes the CCP, but most of them are afraid of the party. “If you want to take on the CCP, the CCP will take you on. It can kill you even if you are outside China.”

To him, this is a twisted situation. It should be that the CCP in the U.S. itself feels scared. How is it that the anti-CCP people have the fear? To change the CCP, Mr. Wang called for the young to join his organization, which does not appeal to or recommend anything to the CCP. Instead it just wants to “overthrow the CCP.”

The organization has two major tasks: “Assistance” and “Protection.”

Many Chinese political dissidents face difficulties when they come to the U.S. as they don’t understand the U.S. system. The federation integrates the resources from its members to provide assistance to the newcomers in a number of areas including job search, school, immigration status, apartment rental, transportation, and even obtaining a driver’s license.

This will enable people to feel the benefits and warmth of the U.S. system. “Only then will they know to pass the warmth on to others and will they have time and energy to promote universal values.”

On the protection side, Mr. Wang thinks that the CCP’s propaganda has misled many dissidents, making them think that the CCP is very powerful. His organization will protect those anti-CCP people. Many young members of the federation have a license as an armed guard, so people don’t have to fear the CCP spies’ threats.

“Being anti-CCP is the responsibility (of our generation). Let’s not pass down the suffering to the next generation.”

Mr. Wang was grateful for the U.S.’ saving many Chinese, but he understood that the U.S. cannot bring all Chinese over. His responsibility is to make China the same as the U.S. He feels that more and more young Chinese who escaped to the U.S. share the same view. He wants his federation to become the key resource to stop the CCP’s overseas expansion and gradually contain the CCP’s influence within China; in the end he and his coworkers will go to China to fulfill their mission.

“We only want to overthrow the CCP. Then we will dissolve our organization.” Mr. Wang does not care who becomes the President after the CCP, because there can never be any regime worse than the CCP. The federation is to build up the power of the people but not to make the choice for the people.

Source: Epoch Times, October 1, 2019
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/19/10/1/n11559203.htm

National Post: Host on Chinese-language Station in Toronto Fired for Criticizing the CCP

According to the Canadian news media, the National Post, a talk-show host on a major Chinese-language radio station in Ontario says he was fired because, while on the radio, he questioned a pro-Beijing community leader .

Mr. Kenneth Yau was an unpaid guest host on the Fairchild Radio’s AM1430 station. He interviewed Simon Zhong, head of the Toronto Community and Culture Centre on September 30. Zhong is considered a China ally. Mr. Yau pressed Zhong to explain how he could both be “100 percent Canadian” and also respect the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

After the show, many pro-China listeners complained to the Toronto station. A few days later, the station let Mr. Yao go, using the reason that his on-air style was “too loud.”

Mr. Yau said he has also challenged Beijing’s stance on the Hong Kong protests, prompting threats from listeners to kill his family and rape his daughter. He also defended Canada’s arrest of a Huawei Technologies executive.

Mr. Yau thought that the station felt pressure both from advertisers who had connections with China and relatively recent immigrants who grew up on the mainland under Communist rule and were more loyal to the regime than those who came earlier from places such as Hong Kong.

The incident underscores what many Chinese Canadians see as a troubling reality: most of the media catering to their community are loath to say anything critical of Beijing.

That includes self-censoring topics that the Chinese government considers taboo, such as discrimination against the Falun Gong and human rights in Tibet.

Another host, Anita Lee, on Fairchild’s AM1740 station was let go after expressing support for protesters in Hong Kong. She played Glory to Hong Kong, the rousing anthem that the demonstrators have adopted, an ode to freedom, democracy, and human rights. After a barrage of complaints, Ms. Lee returned to work. Fairchild said she had simply left to spend more time with her children.

Source: National Host, October 8, 2019
Host on Chinese-language station in Toronto says he was fired for criticizing Beijing

Non-productive Activities Add to the Burden of China’s Private Sector

In addition to a lack of corporate confidence, China’s private enterprises are often called upon to participate in “political studies.” They are forced to invest in non-productive activities, negatively impacting their operational efficiency.

One private enterprise employee told the Central News Agency that, because she was the only Communist Party member in the group and because she is honest and reliable, the entire company relied on her to handled different political activities such as taking photos, compiling reports, and organizing training. Although most of the events are for show, they still require a considerable amount of time.

An economist who did not want to be named told the reporter that China is facing the pressure of economic growth, but the current practices only make the situation worse. Under the banner of “the Party managing everything,” companies frequently hold political studies. Private enterprises also have Communist Party branches and are mandated to organize Party activities. All these practices increase spending and reduce production.

Xiang Songzuo, a professor at the Renmin University School of Finance, mentioned in an article in October that security inspections and non-productive activities are now everywhere. They are all fiscal expenditures. The fiscal revenue growth in the first three quarters of this year was only 3.3 percent, while the expenditure growth reached 9.4 percent. “On one hand, there is a serious shortage of economic vitality; on the other hand, non-productive fiscal expenditures are growing rapidly.”

Source: Central News Agency, November 3, 2019
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/201911030013.aspx