In doing research for his new book, Consideration of (Post-Communist) China’s Constitution, Chinese lawyer Gao Zhisheng reported a conversation that enlightened him about how government cadres are not subject to the law. A retired vice president from the Xinjiang High Court told him, “In our country, once the leader reaches a position at a certain level, he no longer needs the law. His power can solve all problems. Only those who are helpless would take the route of a lawsuit.” Continue reading
Chinese Military Experts Discuss New U.S. Administration’s Intention to Repress China in the South China Sea and Diaoyu Islands
Chinese military expert Yin Zhuo said, in an interview with CCTV, that the United States is trying to use the South China Sea and the Diaoyu Islands issues as a means to crush China. New U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis’s visit to South Korea and his scheduled talks with Korea Foreign Minister Yoon Boon-sik and Defense Minister Han Min-chou are to discuss such issues as the deployment of the THAAD anti-missile system, the deployment of U.S. strategic weapons to the Korean Peninsula, and strengthening the deployment of the Asia-Pacific strategic weapons. The intention is to target China. Yin expressed the belief that the United States is forcing China to meet the United States’ requirements in such areas as the economy, the world order, and on other issues.
Military expert Du Wenlong pointed out that the new U.S. Defense Secretary’s choice of South Korea as his first destination in visiting a foreign country is an indication of the two countries’ intention to strengthen their military alliance.
Du said that, for China, there is no room for negotiations on territorial and sovereignty issues, not to mention using them as a bargaining chip. China should let the world see its determination and also its ability <to safeguard its territory>. At the same time, China should display its own advantages and its expertise in the modernization of its national defense and the development of its weaponry to deal well with threats and to contain opponents.
Source: People’s Daily, February 4, 2017
http://military.people.com.cn/n1/2017/0204/c1011-29056802.html
BBC Chinese: China Expelled 32 South Korean Missionaries
BBC Chinese recently reported that, according to South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials, China expelled 32 South Korean missionaries in January and arrested another South Korean citizen in February. It is not yet clear whether this had anything to do with the deployment of the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) missile defense system. The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs reminded its Christian organizations that their activities must follow foreign local laws. In February, China also detained a pastor who is an American citizen. China so far has no explanation of these activities. According to South Korean media, there are over one thousand South Korean missionaries in China and many of them have lent a helping hand to North Koreans to escape to China. In the meantime, Chinese authorities have banned or punished South Korean commercial activities in China (such as events in the entertainment business) as well as South Korean companies.
Source: BBC Chinese, February 11, 2017
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-38944081
Xinhua: Chinese Military in Beijing Began Full Cessation of Commercial Services
Xinhua recently reported that the Beijing Leadership Group for the Full Cessation of the Military’s Commercial Services held its initial kick-off meeting on February 8. This marked the official beginning of the complete halt of the military providing commercial services in the Beijing area. Cai Qi, Deputy Secretary of the Beijing Party Committee, who is also the Mayor of Beijing, heads the Leadership Group. At the meeting, Cai delivered a speech that clarified the scope of the Cessation, which includes both the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the Military Police. Cai emphasized that the order was based on the strategic decision that Chinese President Xi Jinping made so as to strengthen the Military’s discipline. The current policies allowed for-profit military services in the areas of communication, training, entertainment, sports, storage, science, health care, construction, real estate, and mechanical repairs. However, commercial military services have been identified as a key funding source for corruption.
Source: Xinhua, February 8, 2017
http://news.xinhuanet.com/local/2017-02/08/c_129471782.htm
China’s Foreign Exchange Reserve Level Dropped below US$3 Trillion
For the first time since February 2011, China’s foreign exchange reserve level dropped below US$3 trillion.
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China and North Korea Relations Warming Up Again?
Given the background of the U.S. and Korea working on the deployment of THAAD, relations between China and North Korea seem to be warming up.
During the 2017 <Chinese> New Year, on the 7th of <February>, the North Korea Foreign Ministry held a reception party for the Chinese Embassy officers in North Korea. Chinese Ambassador Li Jinjun and Embassy officials were invited to the reception.
At the party, representatives from both countries gave speeches. They stressed the friendship between China and North Korea that the leaders of past generations from both countries had cultivated and expressed the inclination to make concerted and continuous efforts to strengthen and develop friendly relations in the current complicated international situation.
On January 24, 2017, at the Chinese Embassy in North Korea, Chinese Ambassador Li Jinjun also held a reception party for the Chinese New Year. The North Korea Supreme People’s Assembly Standing Committee Vice Chairman Kim Yong-dae and more than 70 Korean leaders from different government departments of the Party, the administration, and the military attended the party. In their speeches, the two sides emphasized the value of China-North Korea friendship and the importance of strengthening cooperation.
At the event, the two sides stressed the importance and normalization of Sino-North Korea relations. Li Jinjun said that Sino-North Korea relations in 2017 still face challenges, but will usher in opportunities. Kim Yong-dae lauded the long history of the blood-born alliance and friendship between both countries.
Source: Duowei News, February 8, 2017
http://global.dwnews.com/news/2017-02-09/59798729.html
South Korea Stopped Issuing Visas to Chinese Lecturers at the Confucius Institute
According to information from the Justice Ministry of Korea, as of December of last year, the Seoul immigration Bureau suspended all E-2 visa extensions and the issuance of any new visas for Chinese lecturers at the Confucius Institute.
The Confucius Institute in South Korea started in 2004. For the past 13 years, it has never been a cause of controversy. The original E-2 visa issuance process is simple, and the E-2 visas are easy to obtain. Some observers pointed out that this is the South Korean government’s response to the clash involving China’s restriction on South Korea.
The Confucius Institute operates through a cooperation agreement between Korean and Chinese universities. The Chinese Ministry of Education selects the Chinese lecturers. The Chinese government pays their salaries.
The Chinese government funds the Confucius Institute. In terms of geographical distribution, there are 169 Confucius Institutes in Europe, 157 in the Americas, 110 in Asia, 46 in Africa and 18 in Oceania. After the United States (109) and Britain (29), South Korea (22) has the third largest number of Confucius Institutes.
Source: Korean Daily republished by Wenxuecity, February 7, 2017
http://www.wenxuecity.com/news/2017/02/07/6000183.html
IIF: 2016 Chinese Capital Outflow Reached US$725 Billion
Reuters Chinese recently reported that the Institute of International Finance (IIF) released its recent report on China’s capital outflow. According to numbers that the IIF provided, China’s 2016 outflow reached a record high of US$725 billion, which was a US$50 billion increase over 2015. The same number in 2014 was only US$160 billion. In the past two years, both Chinese businesses and individuals accelerated their process of sending money overseas, partially due to the expectation of the Chinese currency’s depreciation. High capital outflow caused a US$320 billion decrease in China’s foreign exchange reserve. In 2016, the Chinese currency RMB saw a record depreciation of 6.5 percent against the U.S. dollar. The IIF also suggested that China may see a higher capital outflow in 2017 if U.S. companies move their money back to the States, which they may do if the Trump administration delivers on its promise of tax relief on the flow-back dollars. The IIF estimated a US$206 billion capital outflow from developing economies, with most of this amount coming from China.
Source: Reuters Chinese, February 2, 2017
http://cn.reuters.com/article/china-capital-outflow-2016-iif-idCNKBS15I01H