Chinascope – Page 488

Xinhua: We Must Keep the Alarm on after the ZTE Shock

Xinhua published an article on its WeChat Official Account discussing the lesson learned from the ZTE incident after the U.S. Department of Commerce issued the notice on May 25, 2018, regarding the lifting of the ban on ZTE’s sales. Below is an excerpt from the article:

ZTE escaped the disaster, but the Americans almost stripped it alive by taking off one layer of its skin. The hard-earned money that ZTE made over the past few years was all made for the Americans. The lesson is very, very painful. The lesson is at least three-fold:

First, Chinese companies cannot have the slightest mentality of taking chances. In particular, in some countries, politicians have already made Chinese companies their special targets. If they try to take all kinds of chances, sometimes they don’t even know how they became dead.

Second, there is no line that the United States won’t cross today. To be fair, ZTE committed some wrongdoings, but were they absolutely worth the death penalty? However, the United States killed it with one strike. Its intention is self-evident. This also helped the world to poke through an illusion. In the past, it was always thought that the United States would not be unreasonable to the point of wiping the opponent out, similar to the practice of “trade terrorism.” However, the reality is cruel. There is nothing that the United States will care not to break. Fair trade? Fundamental principles? Everything can be thrown out of the window.

Third, it is still the word: core technology, core technology, and core technology.

Although ZTE escaped the disaster, it is believed that the psychological shock brought to the Chinese people is still quite far-reaching. We must be clear-headed. In many areas, we have indeed achieved amazing results. We must also know that, in some areas, we still have a big gap.

Especially in the area of core technology, Chinese leaders warned that core technology is the country’s most important device. If a house is built on someone else’s foundation, it may not be able to survive storms. The core technology under other people’s control is our biggest hidden danger.

The last point in particular means we must keep the alarm on!

This point, we must remember that knowing shame is akin to courage!

We must also thank the Americans for reminding us of this point!

Source: Xinhua, May 26, 2018
http://www.xinhuanet.com/world/2018-05/26/c_1122892029.htm

Briefings | | June 2, 2018 | US-China Relations

Quotes from Xi Jinping’s Speech at the 2018 Meeting of Academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences

On May 28, 2018, the 19th Meeting of Academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the 14th Meeting of Academicians from the Chinese Academy of Engineering were held in Beijing, where Chinese President Xi Jinping gave a speech. Xi’s major points (dubbed as golden quotations) were summarized in the Forum of Powerful Nations section of the People’s Daily website. Below are the first six quotations.

1. For China to flourish and rejuvenate, we must vigorously develop science and technology and strive to become the world’s major scientific center and innovative high ground.

2. The situation is pressing, the challenges are pressing, and the mission is compelling. The majority of scientific and technological workers in our country must grasp the general trend, seize the first-mover advantage, face the problems and difficulties, aim for the cutting edge in science and technology in the world, and lead the direction of technological development.

3. We must soberly realize that some historical intersections may have resonance with each other, and some historical intersections may pass us by.

4. Practice has repeatedly told us that we cannot expect to acquire the critical core technology through request, purchase, or begging.

5. (We should) make great efforts in the key areas and areas that have high barriers, gather elite forces, and make strategic arrangements to make breakthroughs as soon as possible.

6. (We should) take the key common technology, leading-edge technology, modern engineering technology, and disruptive technological innovation as breakthrough points and strive to be able to own and control the critical core technologies so that we can firmly hold the controlling power over innovation and development in our own hands.

Sources:
1. Sina, May 29, 2018,
https://news.sina.cn/2018-05-29/detail-ihcffhsu8968435.d.html?vt=4&pos=108&his=0
2. Xinhua, May 28, 2018,
http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/2018-05/28/c_1122901308.htm

Briefings | | June 2, 2018 | Government/Politics

RFA: Beijing Legal Evening News Went Through Internal Personnel Shakeup

Radio Free Asia reported that, after its new publisher took office in January, Beijing Legal Evening News went through an internal personnel shakeup. It closed its “In Depth News” division which resulted in losing four of its reporters. According to an anonymous source, over 40 news editors and reporters resigned to protest the internal personnel cleanup. It drove the internal workforce to shrink drastically and its original news coverage decreased as well. The new Publisher only has an accounting background in his previous role with Beijing Youth Daily and has no experience in running a news media. According to the article, in the past few years and before the loss of personnel, Beijing Legal Evening News had published a number of in depth coverage articles that gained widespread public attention. Some reporters complained that the loss of personnel would result in the loss of a large number of its readers.

Source: Radio Free Asia, May 29, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/meiti/ql1-05292018102708.html

Briefings | | May 30, 2018 | Government/Politics

Duowei News: How Should China React to the Trump Administration’s Recent Trade Restrictions?

On May 29, ten days after China and the U.S. agreed to hold off on starting a trade war, the White House announced that it will “impose a 25 percent tariff on US$50 billion of goods imported from China containing industrially significant technology, including those related to the ‘Made in China 2025’ program. The final list of covered imports will be announced by June 15, 2018, and tariffs will be imposed on those imports shortly thereafter.” Duowei News published a commentary article on the same day. The article stated that the statement that the White House made certainly proved that those China hardliners were not happy about the last joint statement to hold off on the trade war. It demonstrated the unpredictability of Trump’s political style and that there are conflicts between China and the U.S. that are difficult to resolve. The article suggested that, first of all, China should maintain its strategic strength and be mentally prepared for the difficulties and risks facing China – U.S. relations. It stated that unlike Japan, who the U.S. forced to sign the “Plaza Accord” 30 years ago, which led to the long-term stagnation of its economy, China has more chips and strengths to play in this game. Secondly, China should clearly recognize the gap between China and the U.S. in both hard power and soft power. According to the article, China needs to take ZTE as a big lesson where ZTE, the No.2 player in the telecommunication industry in China and a tycoon in the telecommunication industry in the world, was forced into an idle state because of its over-reliance on U.S. technology. The article concluded, “When a country like the U.S., which surpasses China by dozens of years in its core technology, still holds such a strong sense of crisis against China, how can China not remain clear-headed?”

Source: Duowei News, May 29, 2018
http://news.dwnews.com/global/news/2018-05-29/60061161.html

Briefings | | May 30, 2018 | US-China Relations

RFA: Catholic Pastors Wear Red Uniforms to Receive Patriotism Training

Radio Free Asia reported that the State Administration of Religious Affairs recently organized a trip called, “Love the Party Patriotism-Red Patriotic Journey.” It was held in the Jinggang Mountains in Jiangxi Province and the representatives of five religions, including dozens of pastors who the Roman Catholic Church recognized, participated. The report stated that the trip was organized for these representatives so they could “study and exchange understandings of Xi Jinping Thought as well as socialist core values.” The photos posted online showed a group picture of the representatives. Some of them were wearing red army uniforms and holding a banner that had the word, “patriotism” on it. The official website of the National Religious Bureau did not disclose relevant information about this trip. The article quoted the comments that several religious figures living overseas made. One person commented that participating in a trip like this is a disgrace to religion. Another comment said that the activity clearly shows that Xi Jinping suppresses religion on the one hand while conducting united front and reorganization activity on the other hand. While many churches in China face suppression, the three-Self Patriotic church organizes large scale activities to study socialist core values. According to the article, during their weekend service, some churches even include the study of Xi Jinping Thought and Patriotism as part of the agenda.

Source: Radio Free Asia, May 24, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/clergy-05242018084416.html

Briefings | | May 30, 2018 | Government/Politics

Deutsche Welle: South German Newspaper Stopped Publishing China Watch Supplement

Deutsche Welle Chinese recently reported that a German newspaper, the South German Newspaper (Süddeutsche Zeitung) decided to stop publishing the supplement called China Watch, which China Daily provided. The South German Newspaper, published in Munich, Bavaria, is one of the largest daily newspapers in Germany. China Daily is the Chinese government’s official newspaper designed for readers outside of China. In recent years, many Western newspapers have periodically published China Watch as a supplement, including such famous newspapers as the Washington Post, New York Times, British Daily Telegraph, French Le Figaro and Business Daily in Germany. Although the South German Newspaper refused to comment on the reason for discontinuing publication of the supplement, its choice did receive a lot of praise from political observers and human rights organizations. As part of China’s strategy of broadening China’s influence on public opinion in the West, China Watch took the approach of utilizing the channels available through traditional Western media.

Source: DW Chinese, May 19, 2018
https://bit.ly/2savh8d

Briefings | | May 28, 2018 | Geo-Strategic Trend

China’s Resident Deposit Balance Saw a Sharp Decline in April

Well-known Chinese news site Tencent recently reported, based on data that the Chinese central bank recently released, that as of the end of April, the balance of the total deposits of China’s residents fell to RMB 67.4 trillion, which was 1.32 trillion less than the same number at the end of March. This is the largest single-month decline in history. It also represents a 2.1 trillion year-over-year decline. For many years, China has been considered a country with a high rate of savings. However, in 2017, the balance of resident’s deposits started to see a net reduction. In 2008, China’s household savings rate was 53.2 percent. In 2017, that rate dropped to 7.7 percent. In the first quarter of this year, all major domestic national banks saw negative growth for the balance of individual savings. In the same period of time, consumer spending did not show any significant growth. Statistics showed that people have been putting more and more money into investment funds and the real estate market. The savings decline can have a major impact on the economy. It may result in slower bank investments into the economy, an increased cost of borrowing, and more resources sucked into the real estate bubble.

Source: Tencent Financial News, May 18, 2018
https://finance.qq.com/a/20180518/006822.htm

Briefings | | May 28, 2018 | Economy/Resources

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.