Training classes to package ordinary Chinese people as “fake North Korean defectors” are popping up in China. European countries recognize the defectors as refugees and give them residency and subsidies. Some Chinese have targeted the policy as a “business” opportunity.
China’s Two-Child Policy Cannot Save China’s Milk Enterprises
According to Caijing.com, a website about China’s finance and economics sector, the sales of all China’s milk enterprises continued to decline rapidly in the first three quarters of 2015. Even the highly profitable baby formula industry entered the “cold winter” of sales. The major reason is that Chinese consumers prefer to buy milk produced overseas.
Over One-third of Irradiated Food in the World Produced in China
China has a 50 years history of food irradiation. Irradiation, a new sterilization preservation technology, has been widely used in China to preserve grain, vegetables, fruit, meat, spices, and Chinese herbal medicine. According to research that the Chinese Society of Nuclear Agricultural Sciences did, by 2005, China’s irradiated food production reached 145,000 tons, accounting for 36 percent of the total irradiated food in the world. However, few Chinese knew that the food they ate might have been irradiated.
Xinhua: China and Russia Planning Joint Military Exercise in South China Sea
Xinhua recently reported that Yang Yujun, the spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Defense, announced in a press conference that the Chinese Navy and the Russian Navy will have a joint military exercise in the South China Sea region in September. Yang emphasized that this is just a “routine exercise” agreed to previously and is to reinforce the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. He also emphasized that this exercise is not directed against any third party. However, observers suggested that, given the results of the recent South China Sea Arbitration case decided on July 12, this plan further strengthens the cooperation between China and Russia against the allied front that the United States is leading. The China-Russia joint naval exercises started in 2012. Last year there were two sessions – one in the Japanese Sea and the other in the Mediterranean Sea.
Source: Xinhua, July 29, 2016
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2016-07/29/c_129188720.htm
China Rejected the US-Japan-Australia Joint Announcement
Well-known Chinese news site Sina recently reported that the Foreign Ministers of Japan and Australia joined with the U.S. Secretary of State and issued an announcement in Laos while attending the Foreign Ministers’ Conference of East Asia Cooperation Series. The announcement mentioned the situation in the East China Sea and the South China Sea, especially the conflict in the South China Sea. In response, the Chinese spokesperson stated in a press conference that these three countries are known for using a double-standard on international law. They only use these laws to their advantage when there is an advantage to using such abuse. None of these three countries were directly involved in any sovereign rights dispute; China once again called for direct one-on-one peace talks between the countries with sovereignty claims. China also denounced the validity of the recent South China Sea case that the Philippines won [at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague].
Source: Sina, July 27, 2016
http://dailynews.sina.com/gb/chn/chnpolitics/phoenixtv/20160727/08197441240.html
Former Military Vice Chairman Guo Boxiong Sentenced to Life in Prison
Well-known Chinese news site Sohu recently reported on a military court’s announcement released via Xinhua, that former Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Guo Boxiong was sentenced to life in prison. Guo was accused of corruption. He was also deprived of all political rights and his Colonel General rank, which is the equivalent to that of a full general in the US Army. Guo is the second former Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, after Xu Caihou, to have been found guilty under the anti-corruption campaign that Chinese President Xi Jinping has been leading. Xi is also the Supreme Commander of the Chinese Military. The military court did not disclose the total amount of corruption money. He mainly collected the money through his children and relatives by promoting military officials or approving military related real estate development projects. According to Guo’s son, who was jailed last year, “My family promoted half of all Chinese military officials.” Former Chinese President Jiang Zemin had promoted both Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou very rapidly to the top military leadership team.
Source: Sohu, July 25, 2016
http://business.sohu.com/20160725/n460954156.shtml
RFA: Sichuan Cancer Village Protests Environmental Pollution from Landfill Waste Management Site
Radio Free Asia carried an article which reported that over one hundred villagers from the village of Jin Guiba in Sichuan Province went to the nearby municipal office in Langzhong City to demand that the city solve the water and environmental problems that a landfill waste management site located close to the village had caused. The pictures and the video taken at the scene showed that villagers held banners during the protest. The police used batons to beat the protesters. Some of the protesters claimed that the police used pepper spray and a number of villagers were injured.
RFA: Hebei Officials Blamed for Giving out Flood Relief Heroes Awards
Radio Free Asia published an article which reported that the municipal government of Hebei Province recently issued awards to the “2016 Most Beautiful Hebei People during Flood Relief.” Eleven people received an award for their "brave actions." According to the article, a number of village Party officials were included. After the news was published, the authorities from Hebei Province were strongly condemned for issuing the award while neglecting the real cause of the flood and those who died in the flood. The article quoted comments from one rights activist who said that the government officials are cold blooded. They discharged the flood waters at 1 a.m. in the morning without notifying the people and that is what resulted in so many deaths. Some people wrote that they should reflect on what happened and properly settle with those who suffered losses before issuing any awards. One villager told RFA that she still has not found her relative who disappeared during the flood. She said people have been trying to find their relatives themselves without any help from the village officials.
Source: Radio Free Asia, July 29, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/huanjing/yf1-07292016101453.html