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China’s Reaction to Trump’s Election Win

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

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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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VOA: UN Rapporteur Reported Chinese Government Interference

Voice of America (VOA) recently reported that Philip Alston, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, told Reuters, after his nine-day trip to China, that the Chinese government interfered with his work. He explained that he had informed the Chinese government about the people he planned to meet during his UN mission to China and that this is considered the normal working procedure. However, the Chinese government did not arrange meetings with any of these individuals. When he actually communicated with some of his contacts, they told him that they had been advised to take a vacation during the time of his visit. Alston said that he never faced such a situation in any other country. As a UN Rapporteur, he is supposed to be able to visit any place and meet with anybody in any of the UN member countries. In his report, Alston also mentioned the serious corruption in China.
Source: Voice of America, August 24, 2016
http://www.voachinese.com/a/news-un-rights-envoy-says-chinese-authorities-interfered-with-his-work-20160823/3476510.html
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Nationwide Study Shows Tens of Thousands of Children in Rural Areas Are Left-Behind

Xinhua published an article about a recent study of the children in rural areas who have been left behind. According to a notice from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Education and Public Security, from March through July, 2016, a nationwide study was conducted on the left-behind children in rural areas. The data is being consolidated and will be published soon. The definition of left-behind children in rural areas refers to children living in rural areas who are less than 16 years old and who have been left behind when either or both parents left to work in urban areas or when one of the parents left but the other one is incapable of caring for the child. Based just on the data from Jiangsu, Fujian and Hubei provinces, the population of left-behind children was 242,000, 105,176 and 11,000 respectively in those provinces. Some of them were reported to be living alone by themselves. The article stated that each year close to 50,000 children die in accidents. Most of these are left-behind children. In recent years the media has reported cases of sexual assault, drug overdose, and suicide. At least 24 provinces and cities have published policies to protect these children and to require that children below the age of 16 years cannot live alone.

Source: Xinhua, August 28, 2016
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2016-08/28/c_129258642.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

People’s Daily: SARFT to Set Limit on Excess Pay to Celebrities

On August 26, People’s Daily published an article reporting that the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) website posted a notice from the Party organization of the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SARFT). The notice stated that a television station is not allowed to set the purchase price of a television program based on the status of the celebrities it uses in the program or on how famous they are. It cannot spend excessive marketing funds on the actors in the leading roles. The notice stated that, in addition, the movie and television industry should focus on the ideological values of the work and should also improve the cost structure of the production. It should also set requirements to limit the amount of music entertainment programs such as reality shows and also to limit the appearance of celebrities and their children who participate in the reality shows.

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Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

White Paper Reveals Chinese Enterprises Unable to Make Their Social Security Insurance Payments

Xinhua published an article which reported that, according to the 2016 Chinese Enterprises White Paper, 74.89 percent of Chinese companies are not able to keep up with the payments on their employees’ social security insurance, while 20 percent of the companies are not even participating in the social security insurance program. The article pointed out, “It is a serious violation of employee’s rights.” “The statistics also revealed that the economic slowdown and the pressure to reduce costs have affected many of these companies."

Source: Xinhua, August 28, 2016
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2016-08/28/c_129258654.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Power Apple: Armed Troops Stationed in Hangzhou for the Upcoming G20 Summit

The 11th Summit of the Leaders from the Group of Twenty Countries (G20) will be held in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province in China in two weeks. At least two motorized armed police divisions with a variety of hand-picked offensive weapons and equipment have been stationed in Hangzhou including hundreds of armored vehicles, military vehicles, and patrol helicopters, all circumnavigating the city.

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Briefings | | |   Social Stability

People’s Daily: Examining the China-US Relationship beyond Washington Election Politics

People’s Daily recently published a commentary suggesting there are concrete drivers for the development of the China-US relationship, no matter who wins the U.S. presidency. The commentary started with stating that the candidates in the on-going U.S. presidential election season have taken many opportunities to comment on China and to express their tough attitude. However, the article also looked back at former “tough candidates” and compared their before and after behaviors. Jimmy Carter severely criticized the human rights situation in China but established a formal relationship with China. Bill Clinton accused George Bush of being “too lenient” with China, but President Clinton indeed gave China the most favored nation (MFN) status that President Bush had refused to give. The root cause of this kind of dramatic difference is that there are drivers behind the need to develop the China-US relationship regardless of who the sitting president is. For the best interests of the United States, any U.S. president will realize that a peaceful and cooperative relationship is better than the old-fashioned “Great Power Rivalry” philosophy. China became the largest trade partner of the U.S. last year, with a trade volume that reached US$560 billion.
Source: People’s Daily, August 21, 2016
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2016-08/19/nw.D110000renmrb_20160819_2-03.htm
Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Global Times: India is Deploying Brahmos Missiles along Its Border with China

Global Times recently reported that the Indian government has approved the Indian Army’s request to acquire around one hundred Brahmos missiles to deploy along the India-China border. The Brahmos missile is a supersonic cruise missile with superior capabilities for diving attacks. It is suitable for the mountainous terrain along the India-China border region. However, its effective cruise range and weight limit its usefulness in actual combat, especially with moving targets. It is obvious this Brahmos deployment plan is yet another fruit of the “balance and confrontation theory” behind the “China Threat” story. The tactical Brahmos missile, along with Russian fighter jets and unmanned surveillance aircraft, only reflect an unnecessary panic mode. The new weapons and the military superiority idea solely add to the antagonism at the border, resulting to a negative impact on the stability of the region.
Source: Global Times, August 21, 2016
http://mil.huanqiu.com/observation/2016-08/9337782.html
Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend