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

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BBC Chinese: RSF Called for EU Sanctions against Chinese Media

BBC Chinese recently reported that Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned Chinese Central Television (CCTV) for broadcasting the “forced confession” of Swedish human rights activist Peter Dahlin, who the Chinese authorities arrested because he supported the human rights lawyers in China. Other Chinese media channels also widely reported the “confession” Dahlin made while under detention. Xinhua also reported that Dahlin participated in “social hotspot events” in order to flame mass social incidents. RSF officials expressed their anger that the Chinese media “spread messages with no news value” and suggested Xinhua and CCTV were spreading “lies” because they were fully aware that the “confession” was made under high pressure. RSF officially called for the European Union to issue sanctions against the Chinese national media. 
Source: BBC Chinese, January 21, 2016
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/china/2016/01/160121_rsf_sanction_china_media
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

AmCham China Released 2016 Business Climate Survey

The American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in China recently released its official annual report of its survey results on the Chinese business climate. The report showed that most of the American companies in China felt their popularity had declined. Only 64 percent of the surveyed member companies reported a profit in 2015, which is the lowest point in five years. Nearly half of the industrial and resource oriented companies reported a decline in profits. Many member companies complained that the regulatory environment remained a challenge. The same laws and rules have been applied differently from time to time and from region to region. Transparency, predictability, and the fairness of the regulations are issues that the companies surveyed value very highly. On the positive side, corruption is no longer among the top five biggest challenges of doing business in China. Around a quarter of the companies admitted that they moved some of their manufacturing capacity out of China. 
Source: AmCham China Official Website, January 20, 2016
http://www.amchamchina.org/about/press-center/amcham-statement/2016BCSCNNEW
Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Wang Xiangsui: The U.S. Wants to Be the “World Policeman” with Little Liability, Cost, or Criticism

Following U.S. President Barack Obama’s last State of the Union Address, Xinhua interviewed Wang Xiangsui, a Professor at the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Director of the Center for Strategic Studies. Wang thought that the content of Obama’s speech was hollow. Some of the achievements Obama listed could not stand up to detailed scrutiny. America’s China policy will mostly maintain the status quo. Below are some excerpts from the interview: 

Xinhua: On the diplomatic front, Obama listed the "return to Asia," the TPP," the Iran nuclear deal, and the normalization of the United States and Cuba’s relations as part of his performance report. The U.S. media commented that these diplomatic projects may end up being aborted projects. What’s your opinion on these issues? 
Wang Xiangsui: Obama’s list of these diplomatic achievements is very hollow. The reason is that, in the end, whether they are his diplomatic legacy or are remaining issues is still worthy of further discussion. Among his list of those deeds, he has not necessarily achieved any tangible results. For example, on the issue of "returning to Asia," is it an achievement or, ultimately, will is still be a problem? In the past, the Asia-Pacific was only one of the global areas where the U.S. had interests. After its strategic move eastward, it became apparent that whatever global imperial power the United States has is shrinking. Therefore, it is too early to conclude right now whether the "Asia-Pacific rebalancing" will be an example of the success of this strategy. Even whether this strategy is a right one for the United States is debatable. 
The same is also true for the TPP. In October 2015, the governments of the United States and 11 other countries signed the TPP agreement. For it to be implemented, the agreement still needs for all of their Congrsses to passed it. Even if all these countries do give a green light to the TPP agreement, whether the TPP will fulfill its expected role is still unknown. The era in which the United States had the final say over the rules of the Asia-Pacific region is already long gone. It is also unrealistic for the TPP countries to completely exclude outsiders. 
Xinhua: Obama proposed four major problems for the U.S. to solve. One of these is how to protect U.S. security and lead the world but, at the same time, also avoid being the "world’s policeman." How do you see it? Does it mean the United States will reduce its efforts in international affairs? 
Wang Xiangsui: The Iraq war was a turning point. America’s national strength and its intervention style in international affairs do not support the U.S. in continuing to intervene everywhere as the "world’s policeman." 

What the United States wants is to be the "world’s policeman," but with relatively limited liability, relatively low capital costs, and very little criticism. For example, it might create more "police branches" on a global scale, with "regional police" to play a bigger role. This also reflects, from another angle, that American power is in gradual decline and it is no longer suitable for it to take as much direct intervention in the world as it did in the past. 

Source: Xinhua, January 15, 2016 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2016-01/15/c_128629495.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Xi Jinping: There Should Be Limits to the Party’s Power

On January 21, 2016, the Central Commission on Discipline Inspection of the Chinese Communist Party (CCDI) published additional excerpts from Xi Jinping’s speeches on issues related to Party disciplinary issues. 

In a speech dated May 9, 2014, Xi made the follow remarks: “We should improve the exercise of the Party’s power and its oversight mechanisms. The scope of that power should correspond to (our) responsibility.  We resolutely oppose privileges and should prevent the abuse of power. The ruling Party has enormous power over the use of resources. There should be a power list, showing what power can be exercised and what cannot, what is the official scope of power and what is its personal scope. These must be separate. One cannot conduct official business to further private gain.” 
On January 13, 2015, Xi said, “The system has been tightened up again and again. The supervision mechanism that monitors cadres’ work and lives has basically been established. The next step is to enforce the mechanism strictly.” Xi also stated, “We should deepen the reform of the discipline inspection system and strengthen supervision within the Party. A major cause of the corruption problem is that a number of institutional mechanisms are flawed. We must promote our work through reform and enhance the innovation of our system.” 
Source: The Central Commission on Discipline Inspection of the Chinese Communist Party website, January 21, 2016 
http://www.ccdi.gov.cn/yw/201601/t20160121_73245.html
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

The PLA Conducted Large Scale Landing Exercises along the Southeast Coast

Well-known Chinese news site Sina recently reported that the 31st Group Army of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), headquartered in Xiamen, Fujian Province, conducted large scale landing exercises with live ammunition. The exercises were reported on Mainland national TV four days after Taiwan’s presidential election. The 31st Group Army mobilized long-range rockets, howitzers troops, amphibious tanks and helicopter landing forces. One of the primary missions of the 31st Group Army is clearly defined as “reuniting China by landing onto the main island of Taiwan.” The Group Army was deployed as elite troops in the closest front line in the Taiwan Strait. The latest exercises were conducted as a joint operation under the conditions of information age warfare. A variety of new combat forces were integrated into the combat coordination system.
Source: Sina, January 21, 2016
http://mil.news.sina.com.cn/china/2016-01-21/doc-ifxnrahr8636130.shtml
Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Xinhua: China Faces Serious Shortage of Pediatricians

China faces a shortage of pediatricians. With the launch of the new two-child policy which is replacing the one-child policy, Chinese parents are wondering where they will find pediatricians for their children. 

In 2012, there were only 0.43 pediatric specialists for each 1,000 children in China, or only 96, 000 pediatricians for the 220 million Chinese children who were less than 14 years old. By comparison, in the United States, the ratio is 1.46 pediatricians for every 1,000 children. Because of the shortage of pediatricians, many Chinese hospitals have had to shut down their pediatric departments. As China has just replaced its one-child policy with the two-child policy, the expected dramatic increase in births will make the pediatrician shortage even more severe. 
Because they have longer working hours and a higher work load, pediatricians encounter more medical disputes with parents. In addition, pediatricians earn less income compared to doctors in other fields because children need smaller doses of medication. [Editor’s note: The Chinese regime encourages doctors and hospitals to sell extra prescriptive drugs to patients. Whether the patients need so much medication or not, the doctors in China prescribe an abundance of expensive drugs for them. It is a secret rule in China, which is, nevertheless, fairly well known to “Use drugs to get income for doctors.”] 

Source: Xinhua, January 16, 2016 
http://www.sn.xinhuanet.com/society/2016-01/16/c_1117796882.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

People’s Daily: Beijing Public Security Bureau Openly Recruits Internet Police Volunteers

People’s Daily and Beijing Youth Daily published an article on January 14, 2016, titled “Internet Police Volunteers Reported over 15,000 Online Clues (for Police Investigations). The Main Force Consists of Young People Born in 1980s and 1990s.” According to the article, the Beijing Public Security Bureau started to recruit "Internet Police Volunteers” in 2014. By December of 2015, he Beijing Police had recruited over 3,000 people as members of its team of “Internet Police Volunteers.” The team has submitted over 15,000 reports on “clues leading to potential criminals.” Based on the reported clues, the official "Beijing Internet Police" gave “educational warnings” to 8,400 Internet users, released over 1,400 warning tips through Chinese micro blogs and the Chinese Internet messenger (WeChat) and uncovered 210 “criminal activities and public security cases.”

The recruited “internet police volunteers” are from all over China. 80 percent of them are young people born in the 1980s and 1990s. These “volunteers” who work regularly at scientific research institutes and security companies, also actively carry out “safety inspections” on over 45,000 websites that are in the records of the Internet Security Headquarters. They use their professional technological skills and inspection equipment in their work. The article on People’s Daily and Beijing Youth Daily on January 14, 2016, calls for more people to join the “Internet Police Volunteers” team by sending an email to a listed email address.

Sources: People’s Daily and Beijing Youth Daily, January 14, 2016
http://it.people.com.cn/n1/2016/0114/c1009-28050676.html
http://epaper.ynet.com/html/2016-01/14/content_177158.htm?div=-1

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

People’s Daily: Beijing Public Security Bureau Openly Recruits Internet Police Volunteers

On January 14, 2016, People’s Daily and Beijing Youth Daily published an article titled, “Internet Police Volunteers Reported over 15,000 Online Clues (for Police to Investigate). The Main Force Consists of Young People Born in the 1980s and 1990s.” According to the article, the Beijing Public Security Bureau started to recruit "Internet Police Volunteers” in 2014. By December of 2015, the Beijing Police had recruited over 3,000 people as members of its team of “Internet Police Volunteers.” The team has submitted over 15,000 reports on “clues leading to potential criminals.” Based on the reported clues, the official "Beijing Internet Police" gave “educational warnings” to 8,400 Internet users, released over 1,400 warning tips through Chinese microblogs and the Chinese Internet messenger (WeChat) and uncovered 210 “criminal activities and public security cases.” 

The recruited “internet police volunteers” are from all over China. 80 percent of them are young people born in the 1980s and 1990s. These “volunteers” who work regularly at scientific research institutes and security companies, also actively carry out “safety inspections” on over 45,000 websites that are in the records of the Internet Security Headquarters. They use their professional technological skills and inspection equipment in their work. The article on People’s Daily and Beijing Youth Daily on January 14, 2016, calls for more people to join the “Internet Police Volunteers” team by sending an email to a listed email address. 
 Sources: People’s Daily and Beijing Youth Daily, January 14, 2016 
http://it.people.com.cn/n1/2016/0114/c1009-28050676.html http://epaper.ynet.com/html/2016-01/14/content_177158.htm?div=-1
Briefings | | |   Social Stability