Chinascope – Page 535

BBC Chinese: Sri Lanka Turned Control of Port Hambantota over to China

BBC Chinese recently reported that the government of Sri Lanka reached and signed an agreement with China which will give China full control of the deep-sea port of Hambantota. Sri Lanka explained that, under the US$1.1 billion for 99 years agreement, China will only use the port for commercial purposes. The deal had been shelved for months due to the concern that China might use the port for military purposes. Port Hambantota sits at a critical spot that connects Asia and Europe on the Indian Ocean. According to the Sri Lanka government, the income collected can be used to pay off foreign debts. However, the plan requires moving thousands of villagers out of the region. The government promised new land for these people. Port Hambantota is an important part of China’s “The Belt and Road” grand plan. Multiple China’s trade arch-rivals, such as India and Japan, have been paying close attention to this latest development in the region.

Source: BBC Chinese, July 29, 2017
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/world-40762012

Briefings | | August 7, 2017 | Geo-Strategic Trend

China Threatens Military Action at Border Standoff in Doklam

On August 4, Haiwai Net, People’s Daily’s website targeting overseas readers, published a commentary which reiterated China’s position on the border conflict in Doklam. It warned that if India does not withdraw its troops, China will not rule out completely the option of taking military action. It stressed that for India to send troop across the border represents a very serious invasion. It alerted (India) that China will not back off from its position and will resort to all necessary measures to protect its legal rights. It warned that India should not insist on stirring up trouble for China as it will not benefit in any way from doing so.

Also on August 4, Huanqiu published an article in English. According to the Huanqiu article, from Thursday to Friday, two ministries and four institutions, including the Chinese foreign ministry, the defense ministry, the Chinese Embassy in India and People’s Daily, released statements or commentaries on the military standoff between China and India in Doklam, Tibet Autonomous Region. China urged India to pull back the trespassing troops to the Indian side of the boundary immediately and called on them to address the situation in a proper manner to restore peace and tranquility in the border region swiftly.

Ren Guoqiang, a spokesperson for the defense ministry said in a statement posted on its website late Thursday night that, “The series of remarks from the Chinese side within a 24-hour period send a signal to India that there is no way China will tolerate the Indian troops’ incursion into Chinese territory for too long.”

Hu Zhiyong, a research fellow at the Institute of International Relations of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences said, “If India refuses to withdraw, then within two weeks, China may conduct a small-scale military operation.”

Source:
1. Huanqiu (Global Times), August 4, 2017
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1059727.shtml
2. Haiwai Net, August 4, 2017
http://opinion.haiwainet.cn/n/2017/0804/c353596-31054539.html

Briefings | | August 6, 2017 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Minghui: Charges against Falun Gong Practitioners Dismissed due to “Changes in Legal and Judicial Interpretation”

Minghui, an overseas website that contains first person reports about the persecution against Falun Gong practitioners in China, recently published reports about court cases against Falun Gong practitioners that were, based on the court papers, dismissed due to “changes in the legal and judicial interpretation of the case.” Below is a brief summary of each case.

On August 23, 2015, Xue Yuying, a Falun Gong practitioner from Huangdao district of Qingdao City, Shandong Province was arrested for disseminating Falun Gong truth clarification material at the public market in the Town of Baoshan in Huangdao district. On April 22, 2016, the court held the first hearing on Xue’s case. Xue’s defense lawyer presented the argument at the hearing and demanded Xue’s immediate release, but the court did not make any decision on that day. On March 27, 2017, Xue was released on bail pending a second trial date. On the morning of July 20, 2017, Xue received a court paper from the People’s procuratorate of Huangdao district in Qingdao City, Shandong Province stating that her trial was dismissed due to a “change in the legal and judicial interpretation of the case.”

Zhang Zhe, Li Xiaojun, and Sun Yanping from Jiaozuo City of Henan Province were arrested in 2016 for filing criminal complaints against former leader Jiang Zemin for launching the persecution against Falun Gong practitioners. On July 28, 2017, all three of them were released and sent back home. They had been imprisoned for over one year and subjected to torture and inhuman treatment in prison. The court papers noted that their cases were dismissed due to a “change in the legal and judicial interpretation of the case.”

Cai Wei, a Falun Gong practitioner from Fushun City of Liaoning Province was taken into custody on September 23, 2016. Cai was released on bail four days later. On December 28, 2016, the first trial ended with verdict of a three year prison term and a 10,000 yuan fine for “obstruction of the law.” Cai disagreed and immediately filed an appeal. On March 22, 2017, the court issued a statement to withdraw the case against Cai, citing a “change in the legal and judicial interpretation of the case”.

According to the statistics that the Minghui website released, during the first six months of 2017, 54 Falun Gong practitioners from 21 provinces were released from prison and 97 trial cases were dismissed.

Source:
Minghui
https://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2017/4/12/辽宁抚顺市望花区检察院决定对蔡伟不起诉-345530p.html
https://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2017/7/25/青岛黄岛区检察院对薛玉英撤诉、不起诉-351630.html
https://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2017/8/3/检察院撤诉-河南省焦作市张喆等三人获释回家-352011p.html

Briefings | | August 6, 2017 | Government/Politics

China Tightened Control of Party Officials Making Public Speeches and Comments Online

Officials have tightened control of party officials who make public speeches and comments online. In June, the Ministry of Publicity, the Ministry of Organization and the Office of the Central Leading Group for Cyberspace Affairs issued a joint statement which required that the party officials must follow “political order while they are online.” They must “safeguard the authority of the central administration. … They are prohibited from publishing improper comments and political rumors. … They are not to visit illegal and anti-China websites.” Below are a few incidents reported recently in which party officials were fired for policy violations.

According to an article VOA published, on July 25, Shi Jiepeng, an associate professor with Beijing Normal University, was fired for “publishing false statements against main stream values on the Internet. This was unfit for a professor to do. It crossed the ideology red line, violated the political order and caused serious damage to the reputation of the university.”

An article in Singtao reported that Li Mohai, a professor from the Shandong Institute of Business and Technology and the party school of Zhifu District of Shandong Province was put on probation and dismissed from the party school for posting comments online criticizing a number of social problems on the Internet.

In January of this year a professor from Shandong University of Architecture and Engineering was fired for posting negative comments about Mao Zedong online.

Source:
1. Voice of America, August 4, 2017
https://www.voachinese.com/a/voanews-20170804-shi-jiepeng/3972326.html
2. Singtao, August 1, 2017
https://www.singtaousa.com/sf/9-中國/225447-批評極權+指責不公+遭到舉報++斥網友愛國奴相+黨校教授被停職/

Briefings | | August 6, 2017 | Government/Politics

People’s Daily: The Meaning of “Greetings, Chairman!”

Xi Jinping inspected the large-scale of military parade in Inner Mongolia on July 30, 2017, for the 90th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Xi changed the greeting between himself (the inspector) and the soldiers to Xi’s stating, “Greetings, comrades!” and the troops’ shouting back, “Greetings, Chairman!”

This is the second time that Xi used this greeting. The first time was when Xi inspected the military parade in Hong Kong on June 30 this year.

In the past, the greeting was, “Greetings, comrades” and the response was, “Greetings, leader!”

People’s Daily published an article on its overseas website Haiwai Net to comment on the significance of the change to, “Greetings, Chairman!”

“China National Radio’s military commentator Luu Xicheng commented that this reflected the system that the Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) is in charge. The troops’ shouting ‘Greetings, Chairman!’ highlighted the key identity of the CMC Chairman and demonstrated the entire army’s attitude and will to follow the Chairman’s orders.”

Zhai Xiaomin, Professor of the PLA’s International Relations Institute commented that the CMC Chairman occupies a significant position in the military structure. “The current military reform structure ensures the implementation of the system that the CMC Chairman is in charge.” “PLA is an army under the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) direction. ‘The (Communist) Party directs the gun.’ ‘Greetings, Chairman!’ shows the CCP’s principle of controlling the army from the political direction. It is a manifestation of the Party’s absolute control over the army.”

{Editor’s note: There are two CMCs in China. One is the state CMC and one is the CCP’s CMC. These two CMCs are just two name plates belonging to the same person. The CCP’s CMC is what most of the people refer to. Thus Professor Zhai thinks “Greetings, Chairman” has a political implication.

The Chinese term “主席” could mean either the Chairman of the CMC or the President of China. The People’s Daily article clarified that it meant the CMC Chairman.

Source: Haiwai Net, August 2, 2017
http://opinion.haiwainet.cn/n/2017/0802/c353596-31049372.html

Briefings | | August 5, 2017 | Defense/Military Government/Politics

Comments on China’s Military Parade

On July 30, 2017, China held a large-scale military parade at Zhurihe, Inner Mongolia for the 90th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Around 12,000 soldiers participated in the parade. They demonstrated over 600 sets of military equipment (including tanks and missiles) and flew over 100 airplanes.

The following are comments from some overseas Chinese media:

BBC:

The Communist Party showcased its military power. Part of it was to send a warning to India and to the U.S., but mainly, it was to secure Xi Jinping’s leadership position. In (the CCP’s) culture, power is secured by the gun. Whoever controls the military and the police becomes the top leader. This was Xi demonstrating his power; the goal was to warn his political opponents: He has a stable power base and he is the big boss. He can make the calls for official’s appointments at Communist Party’s 19th Party National Congress.

VOA:

From China Central Television’s (CCTV)’s video of the Zhurihe military base, people could see a simulation of the building of the President’s Palace of Taiwan in the background. China purposely didn’t hide it, so as to send a warning message to Taiwan.

Duowei:

Xi gave four requirements to the parade troops. First, “Adhere to the fundamental principle and system that the (Communist) Party has absolute control over the military. (The Military should) always listen to the Party and follow the Party.” Second, “Adhere to the goal of serving the people and always stand alongside the people.” Third, “Adhere to the fundamental standard of combat capability and focus on preparing for wars.” Fourth, “Adhere to building the army via political management, reform, technology, and the rule of law.”

“Adhering to the Communist Party’s absolute control over the military” is the political core intent of this military parade.

Epoch Times:

Five issues can be observed from the military parade:

1. This was the first time that the Communist Party held a military parade on the PLA’s anniversary.

2. This was the first time to focus on real combat. Soldiers wore camouflage instead of formal uniforms. They ran to their positions instead of walking in parade steps. Xi Jinping also wore camouflage.

3. Fan Changlong, the Vice Chairman of the CMC, called Xi Jinping the “Superior Leader” (领袖) and “Commander-in-Chief” (统帅). It showed that Xi has secure his position and in his power over the military.

4. This was a show of power in front of the upcoming Party’s 19th National Congress, during the in-fight between Xi Jinping and former leader Jiang Zemin and his faction.

5. It also served as warning to certain countries around China.

Sources:
1. BBC, July 31, 2017
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/press-review-40781062
2. VOA, July 31, 2017
https://www.voachinese.com/a/xi-military-20170731/3966404.html
3. Duowei, July 29, 2017
http://news.dwnews.com/china/news/2017-07-29/59827853.html
4. Epoch Times, July 30, 2017
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/17/7/30/n9479244.htm

Briefings | | August 5, 2017 | Defense/Military Government/Politics

YouTube: Student Debated with Teacher That Marxism Is Not Traditional China Culture

When a YouTube video was shown in a classroom, a Chinese student stood up to criticize Marxism as not being from China’s traditional culture.

The student said, “With a consciousness that a scholar must have, I want to tell the truth: We are not Chinese! Why? Because what is filled in our brains is the Soviet Union’s version of Marxism, but not the true traditional Chinese culture that talks about the unity of Heaven and man.”

Source: YouTube

Briefings | | August 2, 2017 | Government/Politics

CCDI Official: “Prince Qing” Hints about Someone Today

Beijing Daily published an article suggesting that an article published in 2015 on the website of the Communist Party’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) used a historical figure to refer to someone who is a corrupt high-ranking official today.

The two-year old article was “Problems with the Lifestyle of the Qing Dynasty’s ‘Naked Official’ Prince Qing.” It was published on the CCDI website on February 25, 2015. While the article criticized a corrupt official from the Qing Dynasty, it created a lot of discussion and many people surmised that it referred to some current or retired official in the present day. Caixin even mentioned the name of Zeng Qinghong, a former high-rank official and the right man of ex-Communist Party chief Jiang Zemin.

The newer article that Beijing Daily published discussed the 2015 article’s author Xi Hua (习骅). Xi is a high-ranking CCDI official, serving as the Deputy Chief of the Discipline Inspection Team at the State Auditing Administration. Xi is a famous writer at the CCDI and has published over 30 anti-corruption related articles on the CCDI website.

“Among those articles, the one that other media republished the most was, ‘Problems with the Lifestyle of the Qing Dynasty’s “Naked Official” Prince Qing.’”

“This is how Xi Hua sees his writing, ’On the surface I was telling a story, but actually I was commenting on current affairs.’ As more and more people read Xi’s articles, they are continually trying to find out which official (in today’s world) Xi was referring to in his writing. Regarding this situation, Xi said, ‘It shows that people are thinking. This was my original goal when I wrote (those stories).”

Beijing Daily’s article was published under its WeChat account Changan Street Zhishi (长安街知事). Changan Street Zhishi has focused on reporting current political affairs and has written many political observation articles.

Sources

1. Sina, July 22, 2017
http://news.sina.com.cn/c/nd/2017-07-22/doc-ifyihmmm8070290.shtml
2. Chinascope
http://chinascope.org/archives/3475

Caixin: Who Is the “Big Tiger” That the CCDI Talked About?

3. CCDI Website, February 25, 2015
http://www.ccdi.gov.cn/yw/201502/t20150215_51495.html

Briefings | | August 2, 2017 | Government/Politics

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.