Skip to content

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

Read More ...

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

Read More ...

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

Read More ...

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

Read More ...

DW Chinese: Global Times Chief Hu Xijin Complained about the Great Firewall

Deutsche Welle Chinese Edition recently reported that Global Times (Huanqiu) Editor in Chief Hu Xijin just posted a complaint on social media Weibo that it has been really hard to get onto the “foreign Internet.” Hu and the Global Times are strong defenders of the Communist Party’s propaganda policies and Internet access control policies. However, they were often given privileges to get outside the Great Firewall to speak for the Party. Hu has been actively posting pro-Mainland messages on twitter for over a year now. It appears he just lost his access to the outside Internet world. China is currently in preparing for the celebration of the Communist government’s 70th anniversary. Internet access controls have been tightened up. Within two hours, Hu’s complaint on Weibo was quickly deleted. Chinese President Xi Jinping recently pointed out that the Chinese internet needs to be “safe and controllable.” China has also been cracking down on VPN providers recently. Hu Xijin also defended the Great Firewall himself when he had an interview with Hong Kong TVB, saying controlling access to outside networks is necessary.

Source: DW Chinese, September 18, 2019
https://bit.ly/2ksBcoB

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology Social Stability

The Epoch Times: As the Third National Parade Rehearsal Takes Place, Beijing Seems to Be in a Security War

As the National Day Parade is getting closer, a number of regions in China have tightened up their security surveillance. This is especially so for Beijing. Cai Qi, the Beijing Municipal Party Committee Secretary, spoke at the Beijing Security Work conference on August 31 and said that the security work in Beijing must be “excellent and perfect, with no loses.”

On September 21 and 22, Beijing held the third National Day Parade practice rehearsal. The authorities blocked the road near Chang An street and shut down the No.5 subway that passes through Chang An street. In addition, starting from the end of August, fruit and kitchen knives were removed from the shelves and petitioners in Beijing were arrested. The authorities imposed strict control over the personnel entering Beijing to ensure that “they are clean.” Hospitals in Beijing were notified that they could only release patients and could not admit patients. They also could not operate if there were non-emergency surgeries. One resident shared a notice he received from the building management office. The notice read as follows: Per the notification from the police, the gas supplies to this residential building will be temporarily shut off from 8 pm on September 30 until the celebration activities are concluded. Residents who live on 8th floor and above and who have a street view of Chang An street must put reflective stickers on their windows. Residents must gather on the ground floor at 8 am on October 1 and are not allowed to return back home until the activities are concluded. For seniors who lack mobility, the police will come to their homes to assist them.

Source: The Epoch Times, September 19, 2019
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/19/9/22/n11538985.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

State Media Promoted Website That Leaks Personal Data of Hong Kong Protesters

A Russian registered website called “HK Leaks” has recently been collecting and posting the personal data of the Hong Kong anti-extradition bill protesters. On September 18, China’s state TV network China Central Television (CCTV) shared the video of the “HK Leaks” website on Weibo and encouraged netizens to forward it to others. In response, the Hong Kong pan-democratic district councilor Sunny Chiu made a posting on Facebook and suggested that the Chinese police were behind the website.

The personal data exposed on the “HK Leaks” website includes each person’s name, personal photo, occupation, birthday, phone number, and Facebook account. Some people’s residential addresses were also posted. In addition to some media reporters, the list also includes members of the Hong Kong Legislative Council, social activists, and even ordinary Hong Kong citizens who participated in the parades. The website called these people “poisonous reports,” “Hong Kong independence thugs,” and “ringleaders that ruin Hong Kong.”

The website also leaves an email address to send tips. The list continues to grow. CCTV posted a video on its Weibo account around 1 p.m. on September 18, saying that “some netizens have created a website called HK Leaks.” They suggesting netizens “take off their masks and act together! Forward!” As of the morning of September 19, the video could not be seen.

Hong Kong pan-democratic district councilor Sunny Chiu shared a story on Facebook. The website showed that a violent thug accused a Hong Kong citizen, who was not a well-known social activist, of participating in illegal gatherings and also published his personal information. Chiu said that, two months ago, the police detained the victim for five hours when he entered mainland China from Hong Kong. During the detainment, the police confiscated the victim’s mobile phone, checked the photos, identified him as a participant in illegal parades, and took away the information on his phone. The victim told Chiu that he had deliberately filled in two errors in the address bar on the confession paper requested by the police. Later, the exact same mistakes showed up on the “HK Leaks” website. The victim believes that it must be the police who have been leaking the personal information of the Hong Kong people.

Source: Central News Agency, September 19, 2019
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/201909190055.aspx

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

RFI: Low Postage on Goods from China Costs German Online Merchants Five Billion Euros Each Year

According to German TV 2, Germany’s Business Daily and other media reports, unfair competition from China has caused huge losses for Germany’s online merchants. According to the statistics of the German Industry Association, the loss in the electronic products industry alone is as high as five billion euros (US$5.51 billion) each year. Gero Furchheim, chairman of German E-Commerce and Distance Selling Trade Association (BEVH), told Deutsche Presse-Agentur, “This has caused tremendous losses to Germany and has cost thousands of jobs.” Since China’s cargo transportation surged three years ago, Deutsche Post DHL has estimated that it has lost 120 million euros (US$132 million dollars). The value of China’s sale of electrical appliances to German private homes alone is estimated to exceed 1 billion euros (US$1.1 billion) per year.

The postage for goods sent from China is very low. The U.S. and other developed countries hope to solve this problem during a special meeting in Geneva that the Universal Postal Union will hold on September 24 where they will raise China’s postage. Meanwhile White House trade adviser Navarro will lead a delegation to Geneva, Switzerland, next week, demanding reforms to the Universal Postal Union (UPU) which has been around for 145 years. The U.S. could withdraw from the UPU as early as October 17, if the negotiation fails.

Source: Radio Free Internationale, September 22, 2019
http://www.rfi.fr/tw/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B/20190922-%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B%E4%BD%8E%E9%83%B5%E8%B2%BB%E5%B0%8E%E8%87%B4%E5%BE%B7%E5%9C%8B%E7%B6%B2%E5%95%86%E6%90%8D%E5%A4%B150%E5%84%84%E6%AD%90%E5%85%83

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Hangzhou Sent “Government Affairs Representatives” to 100 Companies Including Alibaba

According to “Zhejiang Online,” the news portal of the Zhejiang Provincial Government, on September 20, Hangzhou City held a comprehensive implementation of the “New Manufacturing” mobilization meeting. The “New Manufacturing Plan” was released at the meeting.

As part of the New Manufacturing Plan, the Hangzhou Municipal Government will assign 100 officials to 100 large private enterprises such as Alibaba, Geely Holding, and Wahaha as “government affairs representatives.”

The Hangzhou Municipal Government explained that the purpose of the move was for the so-called “service-oriented enterprises,” “to coordinate different types of government affairs for enterprises,” and “to promote project implementation.”

Source: Sina.com, September 20, 2019
https://finance.sina.com.cn/chanjing/gsnews/2019-09-21/doc-iicezzrq7425544.shtml

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Pass the Ideological Test or No Press Pass

The Media Oversight Bureau, under the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Propaganda Department, issued a directive on August 23 titled, “Notice regarding the establishment and certification of the news collection and learning organization on the ‘Study Xi, Strong Nation’ platform.” The notice specified detailed requirements for news organizations in order for them to apply for a new version of the press pass. The applicants must pass the training test of the mobile phone app the ‘Study Xi, Strong Nation’ platform before applying. The examinations included “Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era,” “General Secretary Xi Jinping’s Important Speech on Propaganda and Ideological Work,” the Marxist view of journalism, journalism ethics and policy regulations, and news gathering and editing.

A group of news organizations will conduct a “pilot test” at the end of this month. The official examination will be held in the first ten days of October. If the first attempt fails, a makeup test will be arranged and there will be only one makeup test. In addition, all news organizations must set up a news collection and learning organization on the “Study Xi, Strong Nation” platform.

The Central Propaganda Department introduced “Study Xi, Strong Nation” (学习强国) earlier this year. It is a “theoretical study platform” for “Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era” and Xi’s speeches. There is a website and smart phone app version that the Alibaba Group developed.

Source: Central News Agency, September 18, 2019
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/201909180177.aspx

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Party Journal Republished Xi’s 2014 Speech: Copying Another Country’s Political System Will Ruin China’s Future

On September 16, the Chinese Communist Party’s flagship publication Qiushi published a speech that Chinese President Xi Jinping gave five years ago. The speech emphasizes that copying the political system of another country will not work and will ruin China’s future. Xi gave the speech on September 5, 2014, at the 60th anniversary of the founding of the National People’s Congress of China. The whole speech focused on the superiority of the Chinese political system, especially the “People’s Congress representation” system, and the rejection of Western democratic politics.

In his speech, Xi said that the wrong choice of political path has led to many cases of social turmoil, divided nations, a regime change, and the death of people. Xi added that China is a large developing nation. “Holding onto the right path of political development” is a “major issue of fundamental and overall importance.”

Xi continued that to design and develop the national political system, one must adhere to the national conditions and the actual situation. Seeing that other countries have something and China does not, someone may think that “there is a deficiency and we need to copy it.” Seeing that China has something but other countries do not, someone may think that, “It is superfluous and has to go.” The two views are simplistic and one-sided and “are both incorrect.”

Xi mentioned that one needs to learn from the “beneficial results” of foreign political civilizations, but “we must not give up the fundamentals of China’s political system.” “Which model can we follow? Who can tell us what to do?”

Xi claimed that the key to developing a socialist democracy is to expand, instead of weaken, its advantages and special characteristics. One must persist in the “core leading role of the Party in controlling the overall situation and coordinating with all players.”

Source: Central News Agency, September 16, 2019
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/201909160114.aspx

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Global Times: Chinese Armed Unmanned Aircraft Exported to Europe for the First Time

Global Times recently reported that, according to the Defense Ministry of Serbia, Serbia will purchase armed unmanned aircraft from China. This was announced after a Chinese military delegation visited Serbia. This is the first time China has exported armed unmanned aircraft to a European country. The deal includes nine Chengdu Pterodactyl I (also known as Wing Loong I) unmanned aircraft. It was agreed that Serbia may purchase another 15 in the future. The Pterodactyl series of unmanned aircraft was first developed in 2007, with the first large batch delivery in 2010. China has exported this model to several countries in the past several years, including the United Arab Emirates. As of the end of last year, China had shipped 100 Pterodactyl aircraft to overseas customers. Serbia stated that this deal strengthened the military power of the nation. The first delivery to Serbia is expected to occur in the next few months.

Source: Global Times, September 11, 2019
https://uav.huanqiu.com/article/9CaKrnKmN79

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Geo-Strategic Trend