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Wu Guoguang: Xi Jinping’s Reversal of the Course, Will China’s Transition be Peaceful or Marked with Bloodshed?

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Cheng Xiaonong: U.S.-China Strategic Relations Have Crystallized

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Xinhua Commentaries: “Exposing the Three Major Political Deficits of the U.S.”

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The CCP’s Performing Arts Troupes in the U.S.

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Central Inspection Team: Ministry of Public Safety Is Weak on Anti-Corruption

Singapore’s primary Chinese newspaper Lianhe Zaobao recently reported that, according to the Central Discipline Inspection Commission (CDIC) of the Chinese Communist Party, the Party’s Central Inspection Team concluded that the Ministry of Public Safety demonstrated weaknesses in the anti-corruption movement. The Ministry is required to adjust and to fix the issues. The Ministry is in charge of all of China’s police departments and was a key branch under the control of Zhou Yongkang, who was a former Party Politburo Standing Committee member and was imprisoned for bribery, abuse of power, and the intentional disclosure of state secrets. The CDIC Inspection Team also found the Ministry did not “strictly enforce the law in a fair and civilized manner.” In addition, the Team also discovered irregularities in human resource management and a “lack of political sensitivity” that led to further investigations. The Minister of Public Safety, Guo Shengkun, said he’ll take this opportunity to reform the Ministry.

Source: Lianhe Zaobao, October 18, 2016
http://www.zaobao.com.sg/realtime/china/story20161018-679299

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

China Times: Ninety Percent of Pension Fund Individual Accounts Are Empty

China Times, a national daily newspaper focusing on economic and financial news, recently reported that the Social Security and Insurance Administrative Center of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) released its 2015 Annual Report on Social Security and Insurance Developments. The Report showed that, last year, six provinces suffered a loss in pension funds and the money in individual accounts declined by one third. On a national level, by the end of 2015, the entire amount of Pension Fund Individual Accounts was valued at RMB 4,714.4 billion (around US$700 billion). However, the statistics in the Report indicated that only ten percent of that total was actually funded with available money. With a rapidly aging population, China’s pension funds face more and more funding issues, and there is a discussion underway to convert individual accounts to “nominal accounts.”

Source: China Times, October 14, 2016
http://www.chinatimes.cc/article/61390.html

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources Social Stability

BBC Chinese: Former General Proposed Reunification of Taiwan by Force

BBC Chinese recently reported that Wang Hongguang, former Deputy Commander of the Nanjing Military Region, wrote a strategy paper proposing that the Mainland military initiate preparations for an armed invasion for the reunification of Taiwan. Wang stated that, after she took office, newly elected Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen refused to mention the “One China Principle.” Instead, she repeatedly said things like, “Taiwan will not yield to China’s pressure.” According to China’s Anti-Secession Law, one of the conditions for an armed invasion is “the disappearance of the possibility of a peaceful reunification.” Wang declared that the Mainland will never “swallow the bitter fruit” of an independent Taiwan. However, analysts in Taiwan expressed their belief that it’s very unlikely the Mainland will conduct any meaningful military attacks any time soon, since China just started its military reforms at the beginning of the year, changing seven “military regions” to five “military theaters.” Major changes like this will require significant readjustments in organization, tactical strategy, and equipment. Given the size of the Mainland military, the adjustments will not be completed and the military will not be ready for war until after 2020.

Source: BBC Chinese, October 21, 2016
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/china/2016/10/161021_taiwan_china_military

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Geo-Strategic Trend

Xinhua: Sing Pao Chief Remains a “Fugitive”

In a recent article, Hong Kong-based Ta Kung Pao cited a dispatch from Xinhua, dated October 20, 2016, that the police still have a warrant out to arrest Gu Zhuoheng, the chief of Sing Pao Daily News. In the past several weeks, Hong Kong-based Sing Pao has been carrying front page commentaries harshly criticizing Beijing’s No. 3 leader, Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the standing committee of the National People’s Congress.

Sing Pao, which is also known for its ties to Beijing, denied that Gu was a wanted man. It dismissed the attacks as being “some power’s” attempt at political revenge. Since late August, Sing Pao, with help from the central government’s Liaison Office in Hong Kong, has been criticizing Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying for escalating the confrontation. In early October, Sing Pao editorials named Jiang Zemin, former secretary general of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) as Zhang Dejiang’s backer.

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Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

UDN: Kim Jong-un Did Not Show Up for North Korean Party Anniversary

United Daily News (UDN), one of the primary Taiwanese news groups, recently reported that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un did not attend any of the traditional ceremonies that were held on October 10 for the 71st Anniversary of the North Korean Workers’ Party. None of the North Korean official news media reported Kim’s whereabouts for that day. In the past years, the nation typically had a Report Conference of the Central Party Assembly one day before the Anniversary Day. However, this year there has been no mention of it so far. Labor News, the official newspaper of the Workers’ Party, did report that, on the Anniversary Day, some high ranking officials presented flowers in Kim’s name at the Fairview Hill Sun Palace. North Korea just completed a nuclear test in September and between October 10 and October 15, South Korean is having a joint military exercise with the United States.

Source: United Daily News, October 11, 2016
http://udn.com/news/story/6809/2016618

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

CUHK Poll: Forty Percent of HK Residents Wish to Move Out

One of the most trusted Hong Kong polling organizations, HK Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), recently released the results of a scientific poll on emigration. The key finding of the survey was that around two-fifths (38.9 percent) of respondents indicated they would emigrate to other places if they got the chance. A further analysis to break down the tendency of emigration by age group or level of education indicated that younger people (aged 18-30: 57.0 percent) had a higher tendency to emigrate. More people with a college or above education (53.8 percent) indicated their intention to emigrate. The most preferred destinations, ranked by popularity, were Taiwan (16.3 percent), Australia (15.2 percent), and Canada (13.8 percent). The top motivating factors for emigration among those inclined to move were “dissatisfaction with the government and the high-ranking government officials” (11.0 percent), “overcrowded living conditions” (10.5 percent), “too much political disputing / social cleavage” (10.3 percent), and “slow economic growth or poor economic prospects” (10.3 percent).

Source: CUHK Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, October 11, 2016
http://www.cpr.cuhk.edu.hk/tc/press_detail.php?id=2364

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

BBC Chinese: Russia is to Sell India S-400 Missiles

BBC Chinese recently reported that officials from the Kremlin announced that Russia and India are about to reach a major agreement for India to obtain S-400 air defense missile systems. The S-400 is the most advanced air defense system Russia has. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are expected to sign the deal at the BRICS Leadership Summit held in India. Currently the S-400 air missile defense system is being deployed in Syria, where Russia is supporting the Assad government. The two countries are also planning to discuss wider topics, especially trade relations. More agreements may be signed in the future. During the Cold War, Russia and India used to be close allies. Since 2000, they have had routine annual leadership talks.

Source: BBC Chinese, October 14, 2016
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/world/2016/10/161014_india_russia_missile

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

China to Join Global Automatic Exchange of Information Effort in 2018

According to news.china.com, the Ministry of Taxation recently issued a notice that stated that, starting in September 2018, China will join one hundred countries to collect banking information on non-resident individuals or enterprises and will exchange the information with the tax authorities in the account holders’ country of residence. In return China will gain banking information on Chinese residents who hold bank accounts in foreign countries.  The effort is part of a global standard on the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI). The purpose of the program, which was launched in July 2014, is to reduce the possibility for tax evasion. According to the article, the Ministry of Taxation will come up with its own regulations based on the U.S. Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. Financial Institutions are required to change their work process and to complete a system upgrade to conform to the new requirements. According to the article, starting in 2017, individuals and businesses will be required to fill out their residence of taxation information when they open a new bank account.

Source:  news.China.com, October 17, 2016                                                                                                         http://news.china.com.cn/world/2016-10/17/content_39501405.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources