Chinascope – Page 49

People’s Daily: Chinese Manufacturing PMI Declined in February

People’s Daily recently reported that, according to data jointly released by the Chinese National Bureau of Statistics and the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing, China’s February manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI) was 49.1 percent, down 0.1 percentage points from the previous month.

“The manufacturing industry was in the traditional off-season in February. In addition, the easing of COVID-19 controls means that more employees are returning home for the holidays than in previous years. This has greatly affected the production and operation of [Chinese] companies. The overall activity of the manufacturing industry has declined.”

The production sub-index of the PMI was 49.8 percent, down 1.5 percent from the previous month, reflecting a deceleration of corporate production activities; the new orders sub-index was 49.0 percent, remaining the same as in January. The PMI of large enterprises remained above the critical point, at 50.4 percent, the same reading as the previous month. The PMI for medium-sized enterprises was 49.1 percent, an increase of 0.2 points from the previous month. The small business PMI was 46.4 percent, a decrease of 0.8 percentage points from January. The high-tech manufacturing PMI was 50.8 percent, down 0.3 percentage points from January. The PMIs for equipment manufacturing and producers of consumer goods were 49.5 percent and 50.0 percent, respectively, down 0.6 and 0.1 percentage points from the previous month.

Source: People’s Daily, March 2, 2024
http://finance.people.com.cn/n1/2024/0302/c1004-40187337.html

Briefings | | March 12, 2024 | Economy/Resources

Miles Yu Refutes Wang Yi’s “Four Questions” Blasting the US

On March 7, 2024, at the press conference of the Second Plenary Session of China’s 14th National People’s Congress, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi raised four questions challenging the United States. On March 9, 2024, Miles Yu, former Chief China Adviser to the U.S. State Department, refuted Wang Yi’s questions point by point.

Wang’s Question #1: “If the United States always says one thing and does another, where is the credibility of [its being] a great power?”

Yu: There is credibility because the U.S. follows international norms, while the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is self-absorbed and delusional. The CCP’s credibility has long been lost. It has become isolated internationally, turning into a source of risk and conflict. Domestically, everyone is thinking of escaping out of China or lying flat (not doing work anymore). There is no credibility for the CCP.

Wang’s Question #2: “If the United States becomes nervous and anxious at the mention of ‘China,’ where is the confidence of [its being] a great power?”

Yu: The American people, the Chinese people, and the whole world are pleased to hear the word “China,” but they become nervous and anxious when they hear “CCP,” because the CCP is an enemy of freedom. “Why does the CCP become nervous and anxious at the mention of the ‘United States,’ which represents freedom and democracy? Where is the confidence of your glorious party?” Yu countered.

Wang’s Question #3: “If the United States only seeks its own prosperity and does not allow other countries to develop legitimately, then where is international justice?”

Yu: The development of the CCP is not legitimate and goes against international justice.

Wang’s Question #4: “If the United States insists on monopolizing the high-end of the value chain and only allows China to remain at the low end, then what of fair competition?”

Yu: The CCP uses the mechanism of international fair competition to undermine the principle of fair competition, endangering the global free trade system. Not only is the United States vigilant, but the entire global market economy system is also actively working to prevent the CCP’s anti-market behavior and policies.

Source: Epoch Times, March 9, 2024
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/24/3/9/n14198330.htm

Briefings | | March 12, 2024 | @CS US-China Relations

Xi Jinping: Improve Military Strategic Capabilities In Emerging Fields

Xinhua News Agency published a report following a speech by Xi Jinping on March 7 addressing the need for “comprehensive enhancement of the military strategic capabilities in emerging fields.” The speech was given during the Second Plenary Session of China’s 14th National People’s Congress at a meeting with a delegation of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the Armed Police Force.

Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of focusing on the “construction of military strategic capabilities,” including plans for strategy and implementation, in emerging fields. “[China should] coordinate the preparations to conduct maritime military struggles, safeguard [Beijing’s] maritime rights, interests, and economic development, and enhance maritime strategic capabilities. [China should] optimize the layout of aerospace and advance China’s aerospace system. [China should] construct a defense system for cyberspace and enhance the country’s ability to safeguard network security. [China should] intensify efforts to coordinate major projects in intelligent science and technology.” Xi also stressed the need for innovation and self-reliance.

The Xinhua report mentioned that Zhang Youxia, Vice Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Military Commission, presided over the meeting. He Wei-dong, another Vice Chairman, along with Liu Zhenli and Zhang Shengmin, members of the Central Military Commission, attended the meeting. The article did not mention the name of Miao Hua, who is also a member of the Central Military Commission.

Source: Xinhua, March 7, 2024
https://h.xinhuaxmt.com/vh512/share/11922399

Briefings | | March 12, 2024 | Defense/Military

Net Ease: China’s Water Cannon Injures Filipino Admiral, Renders Filipino Ship Inoperable

Chinese Internet portal NetEase has published a commentary claiming victory following an incident on March 5 when China’s maritime police used high-pressure water cannons against a Filipino boat, causing injuries to several Filipino crew members and damaging the ship. The Filipino boat was on a resupply mission for Filipino troops stationed at the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, a submerged reef in the South China Sea that is claimed by several countries including China and the Philippines.

The Associated Press reported that the Chinese water cannons shattered the windshield glass of the Filipino boat’s cockpit, resulting in four injuries. The NetEase article bragged that Filipino Admiral Alberto Carlos, who was aboard the resupply boat, was among those injured in the incident, adding that Adm. Carlos is Commander of the Philippines’ West Theater and calling him a “big fish” (i.e. an important person in the Philippines’ military).

From the NetEase article: “The Chinese Coast Guard ship fired a high-pressure water cannon at the supply ship where Carlos was, instantly shattering the glass in the cockpit of the Philippine supply ship. The situation in the Philippine ship’s cabin was chaotic. Four Filipino personnel were bleeding and injured, including Adm. Carlos. Subsequently, Chinese water cannons swept across the superstructure of the Philippine ship, destroying external equipment including communication antennas, causing serious damage to the Philippine ship.”

According to the NetEase article, a U.S. Morpheus-class littoral combat ship was in nearby waters during the incident. “The U.S. ship tried to enter the Second Thomas Shoal to assist the Philippine ship. However, not far from the Littoral Combat Ship, a PLA Navy warship and a carrier-based helicopter were on patrol, and so the U.S. ship dared not to act rashly.” The article also commented that, although the U.S. has signed a Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines, the Biden administration dared not take real actions to help the Philippines; it only offered lip service.

There have been several previous incidents involving clashes between the Chinese Coast Guard and the Philippine military, including another incident with a water cannon in August 2023 and an incident in February 2023 when the Chinese maritime police used a laser against a Philippine boat, temporarily blinding one Philippine soldier.

It is not clear whether the NetEase article is just an individually-authored piece or if it was written at the behest of orders from the CCP. The article appears to be written by an individual journalist, but the Chinese Communist Party has a long-standing practice of writing articles and then letting its fans (members of the “fifty-cent” party) publish the articles in their name, packaging the articles as “public opinion.”

Sources:

NetEase, March 9, 2024
https://m.163.com/dy/article/ISQ2OUKI05561T48.html

Associated Press, March 6, 2024
https://apnews.com/article/south-china-sea-philippines-disputed-second-thomas-shoal-5fec2d298151891d79cc077ff02f3a74

Briefings | | March 12, 2024 | Defense/Military Geo-Strategic Trend

CNA: Chinese Overseas Democracy Activists Hold Conference on Blueprints for Democratic China

Taiwan’s Centra News Agency report that Chinese overseas democracy activists Wei Jingsheng, Wang Dan, Wang Juntao, and others convened the “First Overseas Chinese National Consensus Conference” in Washington, D.C. to discuss blueprints for a democratic China following a future collapse of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The two-day conference on March 2 and 3, and on March 4 the group released a “Declaration of the First National Consensus Conference on China’s Democratic Movement.” The declaration enumerated a 10-point consensus on future democratic processes.

The declaration stated: “At this critical moment, people concerned about China’s democratization should seriously study the Chinese situation and the experiences and lessons of various countries in the world and propose plans and approaches for rebuilding a constitutional political system in China.” The declaration emphasized that “overthrowing the tyranny of the CCP” and “establishing a free, equal, just, and harmonious civil society” must be the first step towards democratic nation-building in China.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), March 5, 2024
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202403050211.aspx

Briefings | | March 8, 2024 | @CS Government/Politics

China Among Largest Foreign Direct Investors in Indonesia’s New Capital City

In 2019 Indonesian President Joko Widodo ratified a motion to move Indonesia’s capital city from Jakarta to the new planned city of Nusantara, which is currently under construction and is to be inaugurated in 2024. China has become one of the biggest foreign investors in this new “smart city,” focusing mainly on infrastructure and industrial projects. The Nusantara Capital Administration has held investment forums and conferences in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, to attract China’s money. Widodo said in October 2023 that in two years Beijing would bypass Singapore to become the country that contributes most to Indonesia in terms of foreign direct investment.

Research published by the University of Kentucky in 2021 showed that China had already invested in “smart cities” in Southeast Asia countries such as Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Myanmar.

Source: Voice of America, March 6, 2024
https://www.voachinese.com/a/china-to-invest-in-indonesia-new-capital-20240305/7514971.html

Briefings | | March 8, 2024 | Economy/Resources Geo-Strategic Trend Government/Politics

China Unveils Plan to Bolster Industrial Data Security Capabilities Amid Security Concerns

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has released a new plan aimed at enhancing data security capabilities in China’s industrial sector over the period 2024-2026. The plan emphasizes the importance of ensuring data security as crucial for national security and economic development. It calls for promoting the application of technologies like secure multi-party computation, anti-ransomware, data traceability, and commercial cryptography in the industrial field.

Specific measures include selecting a batch of general data security technologies and products with broad application value across industries; developing data security solutions tailored for different industries, scenarios, and small-to-medium enterprises; and creating typical data security use cases to promote across regions. The MIIT plan aims to train over 30,000 people and cultivate more than 5,000 data security talents by the end of 2026. It targets having over 45,000 enterprises implement classified data protection, covering at least the top 10% of large industrial firms (by annual revenue) in each province.

This push for data security comes amid Chinese government efforts to accelerate its replacement of foreign software and hardware with domestic alternatives as a response to recent years’ national security concerns.

Beijing has also been making efforts to strengthen its oversight of user data for reasons related to national security. One manifestation of this is in a $1.2 billion file levied on Chinese company Didi in 2022 over data security violations. Another is in plans announced by China’s Ministry of State Security in December 2023 regarding inspections targeting security risks related to handling of geographic data. The Ministry of State Security alleged that “certain foreign organizations” have made attempts at intelligence theft via mapping software.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), February 26, 2024
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202402260267.aspx

Briefings | | March 7, 2024 | Information/Technology

China’s Reaction to Trump’s Election Win

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

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