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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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CNA: Beijing Defines Extradition Protest in Hong Kong as a “Color Revolution”

According to Hong Kong’s Ming Pao News, at the Beidaihe meeting, the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) top officials defined the violence that the Hong Kong anti-extradition protest triggered as color revolution. The article said that the current and retired leaders have reached a consensus that the incident is the result of a color revolution “led by military and political intelligence agencies from multiple nations and regions.” They defined the target; it is against the CCP. The CCP’s top officials have concluded that the color revolution is likely to expand into areas such as finance, trade, or national security. Therefore, the Hong Kong Government may not be capable of handling it and may need or require Beijing’s support. However, they still hope that the Hong Kong government can use its ability to calm the civil strife within a limited time and legal framework. According to sources, if the Hong Kong government is not able to do so, Beijing can, under the law, provide all needed “assistance.”

In July and August each year, the CCP leadership takes a vacation at the Beidaihe summer resort, Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province and discusses a number of major issues. This is commonly known as the Beidaihe Conference.

The state CCTV news recently broadcasted that Li Zhanshu, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee and Chairman of the National People’s Congress attended an event in Beijing, indicating that this year’s Beidaihe Conference has ended. Hence the report in Ming Pao.

Source: Central News Agency, August 17, 2019
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/firstnews/201908170032.aspx

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Huanqiu Article: Expose the “Gang That Endangered Hong Kong Security”

Huanqiu published an article that condemned a list of leaders of those in Hong Kong who have been involved in the protest against the proposed extradition bill and warned them not to use democracy as an excuse and not to portray students as victims. It cautioned them, saying they should forget about launching a “Color Revolution” in Hong Kong.

The list included the following people: Jimmy Lai (Lai Chee-Ying), businessman; Martin Lee Chu-ming, politician; Anson Chan (Chan Fang On-sang), formal Chief Secretary for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government; Albert Ho Chun-yan, a former member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong for the District Council; Joshua Wong Chi-fung, student activist; Nathan Law Kwun-chung, student leader; and Alex Chow Yong-kang, social activist. The article listed their crimes which include assisting foreign forces to interfere in Hong Kong, inciting violent individuals to destroy Hong Kong, and inciting students to march on the streets. It specifically criticized them for the following:

1. Jimmy Lai for meeting with Pence, Pompeo, and Bolton in July and publishing anti-extradition statements in the New York Times;
2. Martin Lee Chu-ming for meeting with Pompeo in May and Julie Eadeh, US Consulate General, in Hong Kong in August;
3. Anson Chan, for meeting with Pence, Pelosi, and representatives from the National Security Bureau; for appealing and calling on the U.S. to put pressure on Beijing in March as well as meeting with Julie Eadeh in August;
4. Albert Ho Chun-yan for attending the protest in Yuen Long in July and meeting with a male foreigner in August;
5. Joshua Wong Chi-fung for meeting with Julie Eadeh in August; and for inciting violence during the protests;
6. Nathan Law Kwun-chung for making up rumors to endanger the police force; for calling on the public to participate in the protest through social media; and for meeting Julie Eadeh in August;
7. Alex Chow Yong-kang for his speech in the U.S. in March in which he started that there is no democracy and freedom in Hong Kong; for calling on the U.S. House of Representatives to further study the development of Hong Kong democracy; and for participating in protest activities in front of the Chinese consulate in New York in August.

Source: Huanqiu, August 17, 2019
http://china.huanqiu.com/gangao/2019-08/15316859.html?agt=15422

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Beijing’s Representative in Hong Kong Called U.S. Lawmakers “The Black Hand behind the Extreme Violent Elements”

The Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is an office under the PRC’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is in charge of foreign affairs related to Hong Kong. Recently it released a list of statements regarding U.S. politicians and media on Hong Kong.

“On August 17, in response to the erroneous statements made by Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Pelosi, Senators McConnell, Rubio, and Representative Yoho, the National People’s Congress Foreign Affairs Committee spokesman Yu Wenze said that . . .  some Members of the U.S. Congress glamorize violent crimes and call them the fight for human rights and freedom; they distort the Hong Kong police efforts to enforce the law, crack down on crime, and maintain the social order by calling their acts violent suppression, and they threaten to push for a so-called ‘Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act.’ The move is a serious violation of the rule of law, an out-and-out double standard, and a gross interference in China’s internal affairs.”

“On August 15, 2019, the Wall Street Journal published an editorial, ‘The Hong Kong Stakes for Trump.’ The article ignored the facts and turned black into white. It acted despotic about the situation in Hong Kong and made willful comments. The spokesman of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong was the first to raise the issue and express strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition. The spokesperson pointed out that the article, making a series of irresponsible remarks about the situation in Hong Kong, is full of ignorance, prejudice, and arrogance.”

On August 15, the Office of the Commissioner released a statement titled, “The Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong exposed that the U.S. politicians and the extremist violent criminals ganged up and acted in collusion.” The release stated, “In response to the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Pelosi and other politicians’ extremely erroneous remarks about the current situation in Hong Kong, the spokesperson of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong said some U.S. politicians are nearly paranoid in reversing black and white, and are addicted to double standards. They colluded with extremist violent criminals and engaged in anti-China sinful business that will bring disasters to Hong Kong.”

On August 14, the Office issued another statement in response to Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Pelosi and Senator Rubio. “In response to Media reports that Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Pelosi and Senator Rubio issued wrong arguments such as ‘The escalating violence and use of force perpetrated against the Hong Kong protestors is extremely alarming,’  ‘The Chief Executive and Legislative Council must withdraw the extradition bill and end police violence,’ the spokesperson of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong said that some U.S. lawmakers confused right and wrong, reversed black and white, and incited violent crimes. They used their words and deeds to show that they are the black hands behind the extreme violent elements.”

Source: Website of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong
http://www.fmcoprc.gov.hk/chn/gsdzywtdbthlc/

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Survey Shows Most of the Hong Kong Protesters Are Young and Well Educated

The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Lingnan University, the Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, and Hong Kong Baptist University conducted a study called the “Onsite Survey Findings in Hong Kong’s Anti-Extradition Bill Protests.” The study was published on August 12.

Researchers from the four universities surveyed participants who had been in 12 demonstrations between June 9 and August 4 and found that 54 percent were men and 46 percent were women. These demonstrations included large-scale gatherings, as well as “fluid” and “static” demonstrations. Overall, 77 percent of the 6,688 respondents indicated that they had received a higher level of education and 21 percent had received a secondary education (that is, a high school education). Among the protesters, the proportion of people between 20 and 29 years old was as high as 49 percent, compared to 19 percent who were between 30 and 39. Only 11 percent were under 20 years of age and 16 percent were 40 and above. Half of those who responded (that is, 50 percent) considered themselves to be middle class, while 41 percent considered themselves to be “grassroots commoners.”

When asked why they participated in the demonstration, 87 percent said that they demanded that the Hong Kong SAR government withdraw the Extradition Bill amendments; 95 percent were dissatisfied with the way the police handled the protests, and 92 percent asked for the establishment of an independent investigation committee (to investigate the police and other actions).

Source: Central News Agency, August 14, 2019
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/201908140361.aspx

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Chinese Investment in Germany Down by 95 Percent

According to the German Focus, a weekly magazine, Chinese companies have greatly reduced their investment in Europe. Investment in Germany has even down by 95 percent.

According to a study that the consulting firm Ernst & Young published in the first half of 2019, Chinese investments in Europe were only US$2.4 billion, or 2.1 billion euros. That represents an 80 percent drop from the same period last year. Although Chinese companies bought the shares of or acquired 81 European companies, most of them were small size investments.

China does not even have a large-scale M&A in Germany. Chinese investment in Germany was only US$0.5 billion in the first half of 2019. In 2018, the total Chinese investment was US$10 billion. This is the equivalent of a reduction of 95 percent. The consulting firm believed that the main reason for the decline was the suspicion and caution toward Chinese companies in Europe and the impact of the US-China trade war on the Chinese economy. 2016 was a record year, with Chinese investment of more than $85 billion in EU countries.

Source: Radio France International, August 12, 2019
http://rfi.my/4NQh.T

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Epoch Times: CCTV Fabricated a Picture of a Petrol Bomb Burning

On August 13, Epoch Times published an article stating that, according to CCTV reports, on the evening of the 11th, “the mobs threw petrol bombs at the police station on W Tai Nan Street in Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong, causing multiple burns to a policeman.” CCTV then provided a picture that was vague and that had extremely low resolution.

Hu Xijin, the editor-in-chief of the CCP’s Global Times, posted a live video of a petrol bomb detonation. Hu Xijin said, “The mob escalated the violence and threw petrol bombs; a policeman was burned. This video recorded the moment when the petrol bomb exploded.”

An Epoch Times reporter compared the video and the picture, and found the backgrounds in both were highly identical, including buildings, people at the scene, traffic signs, and the flame on the ground. However, the picture provided by CCTV had a humanoid flame that was not in the video at all. The reporter also asked, “Does the city in the video look like Hon Kong, an international finance center, in any way?”

Source:
Epoch Times, August 13, 2019
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/19/8/12/n11449050.htm
Comparison of Petrol Bomb Burning Pictures
The video posted by Hu Xijin

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend Government/Politics

“China Experts” Side with Beijing on Hong Kong Protests

China’s mouthpiece Xinhua News Agency has collected viewpoints from “China experts” in a few countries on the movement going on in Hong Kong.

Robert Kuhn, an American investment banker and author of a propaganda book eulogizing former Chinese Communist Party chair Jiang Zemin, said, “The extreme behavior of the protesters has caused the shutdown of the airport and has caused flights to be cancelled. No country would allow this to happen. The continuation of the riots in Hong Kong is unacceptable.”

Michael Borchmann, a former official from Germany’s state of Hesse, “The riots are still going on and are growing. As the situation develops, people will soon discover that it was not about a specific law, but to create chaos and turmoil in Hong Kong. It is time for the Chinese Central Government to convey the important message of stabilizing the current situation in Hong Kong.”

Ignacio Martínez Cortés, a professor at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (National Autonomous University of Mexico, UNAM), said, “The extended violent protests by the opposition and radical forces in Hong Kong have hindered the normal operation of the local economy, affected people’s lives, and undermined Hong Kong’s international image.”

Sudheendra Kulkarni, an Indian politician and columnist, hopes “that young people in Hong Kong who are bewildered by external forces will wake up as soon as possible, and that the chaos in Hong Kong will calm down as soon as possible so as to save hope for Hong Kong’s tomorrow.”

Others named in the report include Katalina Barreiro, an expert on international relations at Ecuador’s Institute of Advanced National Studies, Stephen Ndegwa, a Kenya scholar, and Hassan al-Saouri, a political science professor at Al Neelain University.

Source: Xinhua, August 14, 2019
http://www.xinhuanet.com/world/2019-08/14/c_1124876756.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Lianhe Zaobao: China Warned India: Don’t Keep Huawei from Expanding in India

Singapore’s primary Chinese language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao recently reported that China has already warned India not to put up any obstacles that would keep Huawei from expanding its business in India. Otherwise the operations of Indian companies in China might suffer the consequences. Indian Minister of Telecommunications Ravi Shankar Prasad said India will start trials to establish 5G mobile networks. However, the country has not decided whether or not Huawei will be invited to participate. In May, U.S. President Trump asked the allies not to use Huawei equipment, citing national security concerns. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs met with the Indian Ambassador to China, Vikram Misri, expressing China’s worry over the influence the U.S. decision might have. Neither of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of China or India responded to the requests for comments on this matter. Compared to other major world economies, India’s business presence in China is minor.

Source: Lianhe Zaobao, August 7, 2019
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/realtime/china/story20190807-978994

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend Information/Technology