Chinascope – Page 553

Epoch Times: China Increases Spying Activities Overseas

Epoch Times, an overseas Chinese media, published an article that summarized the spying activities of overseas Chinese as reported in the media of Japan, Germany, and the U.S. It quoted an article published on April 17 in Shukan Taishu magazine in Japan which claimed that there could be as many as 50,000 Chinese spies in Japan. The article stated that China has built a giant spy network in Japan using Chinese students, scholars, professional workers, waiters or waitresses, and massage therapists. According to the report, some female spies would marry members of the Japan Self-Defense Forces in order to collect information.

On April 17, Les Échos, (a newspaper that the article identifies as German) published an article stating that the Department of the Interior of Hessen Germany recently issued a warning that Chinese spies are active on Linked In and Facebook where they pretend to be scientists, government officials, consultants, or human resource representatives. They target German municipalities, army officials, diplomats, scientists, and college students. The warning also requested that any suspicious activities should be reported to the security agency in Germany immediately. It is reported that there are close to 600 Chinese companies and over 10,000 Chinese citizens working in Hessen.

Meanwhile Newsweek in the U.S. recently reported that the China’s security agency has constantly been recruiting American Chinese who work in defense, security agencies or highly sensitives industries to conduct spying activities. The recent trend shows that the recruitment has expanded to Americans. Typical examples include Glenn Duffie Shriver who tried to apply for a position with the CIA and Candace Claiborne who works for the Department of State. The Epoch Times article also mentioned that in a separate publication, it covers reports on how foreign security agencies monitor activities of Chinese student associations or overseas Chinese associations that have close ties with China, while arresting or deporting those who spy for China.

Source: Epoch Times, April 17, 2017
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/17/4/18/n9051300.htm

Briefings | | April 23, 2017 | Government/Politics

Is China Ready for “Korean War II”?

{Editor’s Note: As the situation on the Korean Peninsula escalates, moving ever closer toward a potential war, how should China respond in order to minimize the damage to its national interests? Continue reading →

Reports | | April 23, 2017 | Government/Politics US-China Relations

Chief Economist: China’s Housing Market Will Always Go Up Unless Supply and Demand Are Balanced

On April 15, Chen Dongqi, Chief Expert and former Vice President of the Macroeconomic Research Institute which is under the National Development and Reform Commission spoke at the 2017 Top Chinese Economists Forum. Chen said that the imbalance between the supply of and demand for land and money is the root cause of housing prices being pushed up.

Chen said, “If you do not solve the supply and demand issue, prices for housing will continue to go up. Of course, they will not go up every day, every month, or even every year, but overall they will steadily go up … stabilizing for some time and then rising again.”

Chen implied that the local government should increase the supply of land to balance the demand for housing. Regarding the supply and demand for money, he said that the money supply has increased by a wide margin since the beginning of the century. Most of the money has gone to the construction business including the housing market.

Chen also dismissed the idea of introducing a real estate property tax to curb the price of housing. He believes that, before the institutional mechanism of the real estate market improves fundamentally, tax increases may lead to a new boost in the price of housing.

Source: Caixin, April 16, 2017
http://economy.caixin.com/2017-04-16/101079053.html

Briefings | | April 21, 2017 | Economy/Resources

Shen Zhihua: North Korea Has Changed from an Ally to China’s Potential Enemy

On March 19, China’s famous Korean War historian Shen Zhihua gave a lecture at the Dalian Foreign Language University. Shen expressed in the lecture that China has screwed up its North Korean policy. He believes that North Korea is China’s potential enemy.

Shen Zhihua recommended that China should abandon the soured brotherhood myth (with North Korea), give up its support for North Korea, and turn to South Korea.

He believes that, judging from the current situation, North Korea is China’s potential enemy, whereas South Korea may be China’s friend. He also said that China and North Korea are not comrades anymore. Sino-Korean relations cannot be improved in the short term.

Shen stressed that intimate Sino-Korean relations are the product of the Cold War. After several decades of confrontation and the change in the international environment, this relationship has changed. Once the Korean Peninsula war breaks out because of the DPRK nuclear issue, China and South Korea will eventually bear the greatest consequences, although the United States and the DPRK are the responsible parties.

Shen Zhihua’s view sparked the anger of Chinese super-nationalists who accused him of betraying China’s ally with his attitude toward Pyongyang. China’s national news media did not cover his views and the related debates.

Shen said that, so far, his views have been tolerated, indicating that the government may be willing to tolerate greater criticism of North Korea, as well as a debate on Sino-DPRK relations. However, Shen Zhihua also admitted that a change in direction toward the DPRK may harbor risk.

It is noteworthy that, despite China’s implementation of the United Nations sanctions against the DPRK, China’s imports from North Korea in the first quarter increased by 10.8 percent year on year. In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a regular press conference that, although China will adhere to the sanctions resolution, outside of the sanctions framework, China also maintains a “normal relationship” with North Korea.

Source: Duowei News, April 19, 2017
http://global.dwnews.com/news/2017-04-19/59811385.html

Briefings | | April 20, 2017 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Local Government’s Emergency Notice Regarding North Korea Leaked on Internet

As the tension resulting from North Korea’s nuclear tests intensifies, a local Chinese government posted a recent emergency notice on the Internet.

The Environmental Protection Agency of Dalian City, Liaoning Province, issued the notice on April 14. It stated:

“To all offices in concern,

Amid the possible impact and damage to our country’s environmental security and public health from North Korea’s sudden nuclear or chemical incident, following an order from the top and according to “Liaoning Province’s Preparation Plan for Emergency Response to North Korea’s Nuclear Environment,” from today on, our city is entering an emergency response state; all related offices should organize well the emergency preparation work and start emergency on-duty shifts. All primary leaders of the related offices must maintain high political sensitivity during this emergency work. The number one lead should be on call on a 24 hour basis and keep the communication channel open so that the emergency response work can be started at the first moment when an emergency response order is given.”

Source: Epoch Times, April 16, 2017
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/17/4/16/n9044054.htm

Briefings | | April 19, 2017 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Chinese Scholar: The U.S. Is Likely to Use Force against North Korea in Three Situations

On April 13, the World Journal published an article citing comments on U.S. action in North Korea. Zhang Liankui, a professor at the Institute of International Strategic Studies of the Central Communist Party School, pointed out that, between now and the end of April, the U.S. is likely to use force to solve the North Korea problem. He listed three situations in which the U.S. might take action: one, North Korea conducts its sixth nuclear test; two, North Korea fires ballistic missiles; three, North Korea has an internal shakeout as a result of the U.S. pressure.

“In the first two situations, since the Carl Vinson aircraft carrier combat group is headed to the Korean peninsula, if North Korea conducts a nuclear test or fires a ballistic missile, Trump will look bad if the U.S. does not take action. The U.S. and South Korea will conduct a joint military exercise with live ammunition until the end of April, so it will be easy to carry out a real military action. After this period, it will not be as easy to re-mobilize the military.”

“Zhang pointed out that the U.S. has long prepared the military. Trump just needs an excuse. If Kim Jong-un misreads the situation and continues taking action, he could trigger a U.S. action to use force.”

April is a “high-risk period” since it has several important dates for North Korea. The next one is April 25th, the Army Day.

Yuan Zongze, Vice President of the China Institute of International Studies, said on April 12, “China does not want to see turmoil in Northeast Asia. Beijing’s bottom line is not to have war or turmoil at its door.”

Source: World Journal, April 13, 2017
http:// www.worldjournal.com/4923019/article-3種情況-美可能對北韓動武/

Briefings | | April 19, 2017 | Defense/Military 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.