Chinascope – Page 460

RFA: Ministry of National Security Prevented Underground Church Believers from Attending Christian Training in South Korea

Radio Free Asia reported that, according to the pastor of the Chinese Underground Christian Church, on October 25, the Chinese Ministry of National Security personnel intercepted more than 100 underground church believers who were about to board a plane so they could attend the Christian training meeting that the Texas Baptist Church organized on Jeju Island in South Korea. They were stopped from boarding on the grounds that they might harm National Security. A twitter photo showed that a member of the National Security Department held a note telling the Christians sitting at the airport that they got an order from the Ministry of National Security to stop these people from going abroad. The Christians were also told that they would be questioned once they got back home. One pastor in China told Radio Free Asia that the Chinese authorities have further escalated the suppression of the underground churches and what little freedom they enjoyed in the past has quickly disappeared. Article 6 of the Chinese Constitution stipulates that Chinese citizens have freedom of belief. He hopes that the international community can pay attention to this issue. Another pastor in the U.S. told Radio Free Asia that this incident shows that the Chinese government has further intensified its persecution of Christianity. The “Regulations on Religious Affairs” that China promulgated last year includes a guideline to intensify the control of believers who attend meetings or any training abroad. Previously, even though Chinese underground church believers were not allowed to attend training in China, they could still go abroad to participate in exchanges or gatherings with believers from other countries. However, since Beijing began to promote “a Chinese-Style religion,” {that is, to Sinicize all religion} they have intensified further control and suppression of religious figures including underground Christian church believers.

According to Radio Free Asia , the revised Regulations on Religious Affairs, which was promulgated in September 2017 and implemented in February 2018, provides strict control over the financial, publishing, and online promotion of religious affairs and the training of believers abroad.

Source: Radio Free Asia, October 29, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shehui/nu-10292018105136.html;

Briefings | | November 2, 2018 | Government/Politics

World Laureates Forum and “WLA Scientific Community”

According to China’s official newspaper China Daily, in November 2017, Roger Kornberg and six other Nobel laureates, including Michael Levitt and Ada Yonath, founded the World Laureates Association (WLA), also known as the Global Nobel Prize Scientists Association. The association’s purpose is to “enhance innovative creativity and foster the development of future Nobel Prize winners” for the benefit of the world.

On October 29, the WLA hosted the World Laureates Forum at Dishui Lake in the Lingang Area of the Pudong New Area in Shanghai. The theme was “Science and technology for the common destiny of mankind.” Over 30 of the world’s top scientists, including 26 Nobel laureates, and winners of the Wolf Prize, the Lasker Award, the Turing Award, the MacArthur Fellows Program, and Chinese scientists attended the forum.

The forum focused on building Shanghai as a science and technology innovation center with global influence. The three-day event included topics such as photonic science, life sciences, innovative drug research, brain science, and artificial intelligence.

Around that time, the “WLA Scientific Community” was launched in Lingang.

According to Chinese media, the community aims to “break the imaginary boundaries of Silicon Valley and Optics Valley and create a ‘Science Valley.’” The “original inhabitants” of Science Valley are the world’s top scientists such as the winners of the Nobel Prize, the Wolf Prize, the Lasker Award, and the Turing Award. The community will be tailored to their diverse needs and for human being’s best brains to create a poetic dwelling for independent innovation.

On May 11, Roger Kornberg represented the WLA and signed a tripartite “Memorandum of Strategic Cooperation” with the Shanghai Lingang District Development and Construction Management Committee and the Shanghai Lingang Economic Development (Group) Co., Ltd. Kornberg stated, “We also hope to establish a number of open, cooperative and shared future technology communities in several Chinese cities such as Shanghai. The world’s top scientists, covering Nobel Prize scientists’ laboratories, studios, and international intellectual property services will lead them.

The “WLA Science Community” consists of three major platforms: the ideological platform, the laboratory platform, and the technology transformation platform. The ideological platform includes the scientific work area, an exchange center, and the release of scientists. It is the birthplace of original ideas. The laboratory platform includes the scientists’ incubator center and the scientists’ laboratory. It is a technology incubator to transform ideas into technology. The technology transformation platform covers a science community technology bank, and the science community fund. It will transform technology into applications.

Source: The Paper, October 29, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2575508
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2576979

Briefings | | November 1, 2018 | Information/Technology

China Has A Natural Gas Supply Gap of over 20 Billion Cubic Meters

Jiemian News, the online news site under the Shanghai United Media Group, recently reported that, for the upcoming winter and spring, China is expecting a natural gas supply gap of 22.8 billion cubic meters. Shanghai United Media Group was established in 2013 through the merger of two large government owned newspaper groups, Jiefang Daily and Wenhui–Xinmin United Press. Just the market share that China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) controls will see a year-over-year demand increase of 32.4 percent. The 5 billion cubic meters of gas supply gap China suffered last winter and spring already has created a major “gas shortage.” To ease the situation, the three largest Chinese natural gas suppliers (CNPC, SINOPEC and CNOOC) expanded their total capacity by 10 billion cubic meters. Among those with the highest increase in demand are industrial fuel gas, city consumer gas, and electricity power generation gas. Some analysts, however, are not very much concerned because the Chinese government has since drastically changed the policy of switching from coal to natural gas.

Source: Jiemian News, October 23, 2018
https://www.jiemian.com/article/2560174.html

Briefings | | October 31, 2018 | Economy/Resources

SINOPEC and CNPC Did not Order November Iranian Oil

The official website of the China Shipping Services (CNSS), an organization under China’s Ministry of Transportation, recently published an article that stated China’s two largest state-owned oil refiners – China Petrochemical Corporation (SINOPEC) and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) – halted ordering the November Iranian oil. Anonymous sources said the two refiners were concerned about the U.S. sanctions and were uncertain about whether China can get an exemption or not. One of the top officials from these two companies suggested that the risk is “higher than the reduction of the supply level.” Neither of the two companies was willing to confirm the news nor was the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC). Kunlun Bank, which CNPC controls, has informed its customers that it is no longer accepting RMB payments from Iran. In August, Kunlun Bank had already quietly stopped accepting Iranian Euro payments. Nearly all oil transactions between China and Iran went through Kunlun Bank. However, China Shipping Services’ tracking system shows that six out of the nine Iranian November oil tanker ships still have planned destinations in China. India’s import level from Iran also remains unchanged.

Source: CNSS, October 26, 2018
http://www.cnss.com.cn/html/2018/currentevents_1026/318759.html

Briefings | | October 30, 2018 | Economy/Resources Geo-Strategic Trend

China to Build First Permanent Airport in Antarctica

Science and Technology Daily, an official newspaper of China’s Ministry of Science and Technology, quoted someone familiar with the matter on Sunday and reported that the Chinese government plans to build the first permanent airport in Antarctica within a few years in order to receive tourists and researchers regularly.

“The infrastructure will include the runway and a terminal building. According to the plan, the airport will be built in a selected place. It will take several years before the airport is built.” he said. The source said that the airport will be built directly on the glacier covering the surface of Antarctica.

The source also said that as early as 2009 and 2010, Chinese experts built two runways dedicated to emergency landings and refueling for fixed-wing aircraft. One of them was three kilometers west of the Chinese Kunlun Station in Antarctica. He said that China has a more and more urgent need to build a regular airport at the other end of the earth.

Experts believe that, to this end, China needs to negotiate regular flight issues with countries that can provide support for temporary landings. China’s polar plane, “Snow Eagle 601,” which will fly such a long route, will be forced to stop midway for technical support, fuel, or handling bad weather.

Source: Sputnik News, October 29, 2018
http://sputniknews.cn/china/201810291026682591/

Briefings | | October 30, 2018 | Defense/Military

Lack of Capital Investment Makes Development of New Drugs Difficult

Science and Technology Daily published an article on the challenges that China faces in new drug research and development. The long development cycle, the high investment that is required, and the high failure rate are cited as the three major points of difficulty in the development of new drugs, especially in clinical trials. The article reported that the lack of a long-term investment mechanism, especially the imperfection of the capital market, has made the research and development as well as the marketing of new drugs problematic. Most of the small and medium-sized pharmaceutical companies rely on self-raised funds for R&D. The R&D investment accounts for 4 to 8 percent of the total sales while some investments could be as high or higher than 20 percent. Also, pharmaceutical companies are reluctant to invest due to the imperfect intellectual property protection system. Investors fear either the high risks or the lack of focus in new drug research and development.

The article stated that fundamentally solving the difficulties in the research and development of new drugs in China requires the progress and maturation of China’s pharmaceutical industry at all levels, including the improvement of the company’s own research and development capabilities, the improvement of the regulatory system, a real understanding of the long-term, high-risk new drug development, and long-term capital market support.

Source: Science and Technology Daily, October 29, 2018
http://www.stdaily.com/index/kejixinwen/2018-10/29/content_724931.shtml

Briefings | | October 30, 2018 | Information/Technology

Guangzhou Metro Enabled Facial Recognition, Real-name Authentication, Upgraded Inspection of Carry-on Items, and Body Scanning

On October 26, China News reported that, starting on October 26, Guangzhou Metro has enabled facial recognition and real-name authentication, as well as upgrades in the security inspection of personal carry-on items and body scanners at multiple sites. It includes using Artificial Intelligence to identify dangerous goods, light wave security inspection channels, and facial recognition. Passengers need to download the official APP of the Guangzhou Metro in advance for real-name authentication and face collection, and enable the “Smart Security” function. The “face scanner” can be authenticated through the security check channel. The article claimed that, after the security check channel is activated, it can be implemented without the need for security personnel.

According to Radio Free Asia, the First Research Institute of the Ministry of Public Security of China developed these facial recognition systems that pioneered in Guangzhou. They have been tested for many years. Two years ago, it was reported that “Facial Recognition Technology” has been used in anti-terrorism operations. This technology is a dynamic identification system that recognizes the identity of five people every second. The recognition speed is 200 milliseconds each time. The facial recognition system that the institute developed is called “Future-oriented.” It has high accuracy and builds functional identity management in the network world. An official said that, “facial recognition” technology is only needed when national security and public safety are involved, so it is expected that the “facial recognition system” will be used in the future in airports, subways, bus stations, and railway stations.

Last year, the Chinese authorities launched the “Skynet” monitoring system in urban regions and “Project Dazzling Snow” in rural areas. The tens of millions of monitoring probes cover almost all corners of China and are called “the most advanced monitoring system in the world.” The netizens teased that the official is treating the city like a prison. According to reports, the First Institute of the Ministry of Public Security of China was named the “national team for network security.” It conducted research on facial recognition testing technology as early as 2002. In the same year, it carried out regular evaluations of facial recognition products and created the application model for facial recognition in China.

Sources:
1. China News, October 26, 2018
http://www.chinanews.com/sh/2018/10-26/8660955.shtml
2. Radio Free Asia, October 26, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/ql2-10262018094621.html

Briefings | | October 30, 2018 | Social Stability

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.”

The CCP’s Performing Arts Troupes in the U.S.