Chinascope – Page 475

China Is Developing Cyberattack Technologies to Interfere in Neighboring Countries’ Politics?

Taiwan’s Central News Agency reported that China may have developed cyberattack technologies enabling it to intervene in neighboring countries’ politics. It is believed that China may have used Cambodia’s July 29 general election as a rehearsal, giving it the potential to interfere with intelligence collection and political elections in Asian countries in the future. According to the report, the practices include obtaining confidential information by illegal means, releasing false web information to manipulate voter psychology, and influencing the outcome of the elections by polarizing the target country’s public opinion and attacking the opposition camp.

The report expressed the suspicion that China set up its cyber warfare command center on Hainan Island. The evidence is an email received by Kem Monovithya, the daughter of Kem Sokha, the leader of Cambodia’s largest opposition party. The e-mail carried a virus that was capable of collecting confidential information. An Investigation showed that the server that the email was sent from is located on Hainan Island, China. Based upon the technology and hardware infrastructure, the investigation concluded that the email was undoubtedly linked to China.

This Hainan-based server, according to the report, was found to infringe frequently on Cambodian facilities. It is quite possible that China is using the Cambodian election as a drill to improve its cyber-attack technology. The ultimate goal may be to use the Internet to intervene in the politics of neighboring countries. This practice could be just treading on the heels of Russia.

Source: Radio France International, August 20, 2018
http://rfi.my/31Xx.T

Briefings | | August 21, 2018 | Information/Technology

Beijing News: NAFMII Warned and Punished Dagong Global

Beijing News recently reported that the Dagong Global Credit Rating Group, China’s primary credit rating company, was under fire. China’s National Association of Financial Market Institutional Investors (NAFMII) just issued a “severe warning” to Dagong and banned Dagong from doing business in the debt financing tool ratings market segment for one year. Investigations showed that Dagong was providing direct consulting services to companies to which it had been issuing credit ratings. Dagong provided forged documents to the authorities during the investigations, trying to hide its conflict of interest. Dagong is China’s primary credit rating company. It was established to compete against global leaders like S&P, Moody’s, and Fitch. It is the only rating company in China authorized by the central bank to rate all debt financing tools (except government bonds) and the participating companies that use those tools.

Source: Beijing News, August 17, 2018
http://www.bjnews.com.cn/finance/2018/08/17/499954.html

Briefings | | August 21, 2018 | Economy/Resources Government/Politics

People’s Daily: The Fun of the U.S. Trade War May Die Down Quickly

People’s Daily recently published a commentary in its paper edition, which other media, including Business Daily, then published on-line, predicting the U.S. initiated trade war will soon see its end, although it may look like the U.S. is having a high time and fun at the moment. The “American First” slogan has been shouted for over a year now and some did see a few big steps taken. However, those in the U.S. who did not feel the “First” privileges also started complaining. With the expected big soybean harvest season this fall, Illinois farmers may not necessarily feel happy, since an average loss per acre of soybeans is estimated at US$100. Trump’s US$12 billion federal help may offer a maximum subsidy per acre of US$14. While the U.S. government may not care about the individual farmer’s checkbook, still, the bigger picture does not look rosy either. The U.S. trade deficit in June posted its highest increase in one and one-half years. In the meantime, the U.S. policy makers seem to have suddenly gone completely deaf. They simply ignore the loud and clear voices from the U.S. industries and from around the globe. This is apparently the symptom of a high fever. The dying-down of the fun of “American First” is just a matter of time.

Source: Business Daily, August 16
http://www.nbd.com.cn/articles/2018-08-16/1245887.html

Briefings | | August 21, 2018 | US-China Relations

DW: German Government Warns against China’s Acquisition Efforts and Encourages European Companies to Join Forces to Face Competition from China

The German Government has issued warnings about China’s escalated acquisition efforts and has encouraged European companies to join forces in order to face the competition from China. Deutsche Welle reported that China has been obtaining top technology through the acquisition of foreign companies. It has also been acquiring infrastructure projects in Europe in order to gain political influence. Thomas Bareiß, Secretary of the Committee on Economic Affairs and Energy, said that the German Government inspected 80 acquisition proposals in 2017 and 30 percent of them were acquisition requests from Chinese companies. Bareiß has issued warnings before and said that, although Germany is a country that is very open to foreign investment, it shouldn’t underestimate the acquisition efforts that these Chinese investors have put forth and all the Eastern European countries should unite together on this issue. He said, “We can’t be too naive and too reckless. The competition in the international community requires a tough position. We are willing to face it, but it must be under fair and equal rules of the game. We are still far from it because the investment environment around the world is very different.” Recently, for the second time, China’s State Owned Company, the China Grid Corporation of China (SGCC) failed to acquire a 20 percent stake in the German transmission system operator, 50Hertz. The deal was awarded to the domestic development bank KfW after the intervention of Germany’s Federal Government. Meanwhile Bareiß also acknowledged that Germany needs more strong companies and it is more meaningful if the cooperation is among European companies such as Siemens and Alstom. Three years ago, the China National Automobile Group became the world’s largest railway vehicle manufacturer through merger and acquisition. Early this year, Siemens and Alstom decided to join forces to face off against the competition from the China National Automobile Group.

Source: Deutsche Welle, August 19, 2018
https://p.dw.com/p/33OPL?maca=zh-Twitter-sharing

Briefings | | August 21, 2018 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Myanmar Significantly Reduced China’s Investment in Port of Kyaukpyu

Well-known Chinese news site Sina recently reported that Set Aung, Myanmar’s Deputy Minister of Finance, commented on the downsizing of the Kyaukpyu project, which is part of China’s One Belt One Road program. The original Kyaukpyu Deepwater Port project was targeted at US$7.3 billion. The scope will now be reduced to around US$1.3 billion. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs suggested that the business negotiation is still on-going. The primary developer, China CITIC Group, explained that the US$1.3 billion is for the “initial phase,” which is one of four phases. Deputy Minister Aung expressed his concern about falling into a “debt trap.” The project’s original plan was to construct 10 berths for large oil tankers in the deep-water port. However, the number has been down-scaled to two. The Myanmar government already clarified that it will not provide sovereign guarantees for any loans to the project and the government will require a third-party independent audit on project spending. The Port of Kyaukpyu is located right at the entry point of the China- Myanmar Oil and Gas Pipeline.

Source: Sina, August 3, 2018
http://mil.news.sina.com.cn/dgby/2018-08-03/doc-ihhehtqh1807509.shtml

Briefings | | August 21, 2018 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Mainland Chinese Students Account for One-fifth of the Total Foreign Students in UK

Universities UK International, an advocacy group for the universities in the UK, recently issued a research report showing that, among the foreign students in the UK, about 20 percent are mainland Chinese citizens.

According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, Chinese students account for the highest proportion of foreign students in the UK. In the 2016-2017 school year, 95,000 students from mainland China studied at universities in the UK. When compared with the previous school year, the number increased by 4.2 percent. According to the report, the number of U.S. students was 17,500, ranked second among foreign students in British universities and less than one-fifth of the number of Chinese students. Next on the list were Hong Kong (16,600), India (16,500), and Malaysia (16,300). The report also stated that as many as 27 percent of the students have an economics or a management major.

Source: Sputnik News, August 14, 2018
http://sputniknews.cn/society/201808141026123122/

Briefings | | August 20, 2018 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Epoch Times: Chinese Internet Users Criticize Online Question

163.com recently posted a video program under its military segment titled, “If a war were to start, how much of your savings would you be willing to donate to the motherland?” In the video it stated that every time after a war was over, the U.S. economy didn’t collapse but became stronger because the American people actively donated money and supplies during the war and their sons and daughters actively joined the military. The video then posed the following question: “Even though China was able to build an aircraft carrier . . . the problem is that China has a large population. Will that be a driving force or a source of pressure for our national policy? If at that time there was shortage of national financing during a war, would you be willing to donate money and supplies like the Americans have done?” This video has currently been taken down and the responses that were posted were deleted. Epoch Times published a list of screen shots of the responses and below is the translation of some of the responses:
1. Our motherland is so wealthy. Why do you still need me to donate? The corrupt officials are involved in hundreds of millions of funds from corruption and I couldn’t even come up with the down payment for a house.
2. Who would we have the war against and why? Is it for high housing prices, medical expenses, education or a different retirement system?
3. For sure I will donate US$10,000 to the U.S. As for other people, let those people who are among the elite or the special power class or the second generation of the rich and powerful people take care of it. We, the bottom class, have no idea.
4. If we won the war, housing prices would double, earning would be cut in half; if we lost the war, housing prices would be reduced by 80 percent and salaries would double. You decide whether to donate or not to donate.
5. I can’t even afford a loan for housing. Where would I get the money for a donation?
6. I am not qualified to enjoy any benefits. I would be even less qualified if I were to donate. Don’t count on me.
7. What donation? I wish that day would have arrived sooner.
6. Agree! I am willing to be an informant for the U.S. military.
7. I would donate US$1,000 to the U.S. even if I had to sell what I have.
8. Everyone is responsible for the fate of the nation. If the nation is prosperous, you claim the ownership; if the nation is dying, we, the little people, should take the responsibility?
9. We are not the umbrella. When it rains, you bring us out. When it is sunny, you leave us in the corner. If there was a war, those who receive special treatment should be in the front and the public servants should pick up the cost.
10. Looks like everyone gets the point now. I feel relieved.

Source: Epoch Times, August 13, 2018
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/18/8/13/n10635467.htm

Briefings | | August 20, 2018 | Social Stability

VOA: China to Issue ID Card for Residents from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan Who Live in China for More Than Six Months

China recently announced that it will issue the same type of personal identification card to Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan residents who live in China for six months or longer. VOA reported on the notice the State Council issued. It stated that that Taiwan resident refers to those Chinese citizens who are permanent residents of Taiwan but don’t have Chinese residential status. The notice also mentioned that ID cards will allow residents from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan to have the same type of benefits that the rest of the Chinese citizens have, including employment, education, insurance, and housing funding. However these residents also should provide their personal information to the Public Security Bureau, including their finger prints. The ID card they have would contain an embedded chip that has the ability to track an individual’s whereabouts. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said that the ID card is only a piece of card. It does not mean that we (the Taiwan Government) acknowledge the political system it represents. Another Taiwan official has reminded Taiwan residents that the Chinese government has been escalating surveillance of its residents. Any Taiwan resident who wishes to work or study in the mainland might bear certain personal risks.

Source: Voice of America, August 19, 2018
https://www.voachinese.com/a/news-china-residence-permits-for-taiwanese-20180819/4534868.html

Briefings | | August 20, 2018 | Geo-Strategic Trend

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.