On October 1, 2015, a speech that Zhou Xiaochuan, the Governor of the Bank of China, made back in April at an internal government seminar was released to the public. In his speech, Zhou said that China’s banking-system reform needed to go through a “remedial” class. Without strong reform measures, China’s banking system might not survive.
CRN: Think Tanks in China Lack Independence
China Review News published an article based on a book titled, Power Think Tanks (Daguozhiku), which was written by Wang Huiyao and Miao Lu.
17 Explosions Occurred in Rapid Succession Prior to China’s National Day
On Wednesday, September 30, 2015, 17 explosions rocked Liucheng County, Liuzhou City, Guangxi Province. At least 7 people died in the explosions. It was confirmed that 51 people were injured and 2 people are missing. BBC Chinese reported on the casualty information, which was based on a recent Liuzhou local Police Press Conference about the bombings. The Liuzhou public security bureau released the information that the explosions occurred in many locations including a town government building, a prison, a shopping mall, a railway station, a supermarket, a hospital, a dormitory of the animal husbandry bureau, a farmers market, and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The series of rapid blasts may have been caused by parcel bombs. So far, the police have found over 60 suspicious parcel packages.
According to Radio Free Asia (RFA), within about two hours on the afternoon of September 30, 2015, Beijing time, parcel explosions occurred in more than a dozen places. The explosions were caused by explosive devices wrapped inside express parcels. The Chinese authorities announced through Xinhua News Agency that this is a criminal case. The suspect is a 33-year-old man surnamed Wei who lives in Dapu town, Liucheng County.
An RFA reporter phoned the Liuzhou City government for information, the operator asked the reporter to call the Liucheng County propaganda office. However, the Liucheng County propaganda office refused to share any information. The Liucheng County Public Security Bureau also refused RFA’s interview request. When a hospital received RAF’s telephone query, the person who answered the phone was in a panic and hung up the phone immediately before the reporter could ask any questions.
Li Jianghan, a human rights activist, told RFA that he believes that the series of explosions must have been purposely arranged prior to China’s National Day (October 1st).
Sources: BBC Chinese & Radio Free Asia Chinese, September 30, 2015
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/china/2015/09/150930_china_explosions
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/explosion-09302015094459.html?encoding=simplified
CCDI: To Capture the Thieves, Capture the King of the Thieves First.
On September 29, 2015, the Chinese Communist Party Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) published an article titled “Four-Types of Strategy Does Not Mean Slowing Down the Anti-corruption Movement.” The article began with a well-known ancient poem in which it says, “To capture the thieves, capture the king of the thieves first.” After the quoted poem, the article continued, “When two fighting armies confront each other, choosing the correct strategy and tactics is important to defeat the enemy.”
According to the article, there are four types of strategy in terms of the anti-corruption campaign. “1) Every Party official participates frequently in regular criticism and self-criticism meetings within the Party; 2) A majority of the corrupt Party officials will be punished lightly within the Party; 3) A minority of corrupt Party officials who have seriously violated the Party’s discipline and state laws will be punished severely and their positions will be lowered, changed, or removed; 4) Very few Party officials will be charged for their crimes in terms of serious violations of the law and the Party’s discipline.”
The article said that the four-types of strategies serve as guidance for targeting the right group of Party officials using the appropriate discipline methods.
Source: Sohu, September 29, 2015
http://news.sohu.com/20150929/n422337295.shtml
Caixin: Li Ka-shing Responds to Commentaries on Divesting His Interests in China
On Tuesday, Hong Kong property tycoon Li Ka-shing responded publicly to those who expressed the viewpoint that he is moving his money out of China. Li said that there was no truth to these reports. He affirmed his confidence that the central government is committed to deepening reform and openness and that the mindset during the Cultural Revolution years will not revive.
On Sept. 12, the Liaowang Institute, which is linked to the official news agency Xinhua, published an editorial, "Don’t Let Li Ka-shing Make an Exit," which expressed great displeasure over Li’s moving his money out of China. The article reminded Li that his huge wealth, as head of the Hutchison Whampoa conglomerate, had come from his connections to powerful Chinese officials, not from a level playing field in a market economy. It went on to lecture Li that "as someone who had reaped profits, [you are] not in a position to simply walk away."
A statement that Li’s Cheung Kong Property Holdings Limited and CK Hutchison Holdings Limited released said, "Li understands that broader freedom of expression gives a voice to everyone, regrettably, even [to those who make] false accusations." The statement continued, "We did not respond earlier as the flurry of reports came at a time when President Xi Jinping was heading to the United States for a state visit. We did not want to take the spotlight off of that."
In response to the "withdrawal" reports, the statement said, "In the past 10 years, over 70 percent of the companies listed in Hong Kong, including Chinese mainland state-owned enterprises, have chosen to register using BVI vehicles. The reason for companies to choose this method is for greater flexibility."
The statement denied that there was any change in Li’s relationship with China’s leadership and added, "We are confident that the central government is committed to improving governance and to continuing on a path of economic reform. We do not think the mindset during the years of the Cultural Revolution will revive. Individual viewpoints in the Chinese media are not in line with China’s overall direction. Mr. Li greatly admires President Xi’s steady leadership."
Source: Caixin, September 29, 2015
http://companies.caixin.com/2015-09-29/100859580.html
VOA: Chinese Petitioners Stopped Xi’s Motorcade Outside Department of State
On September 25, 2015, petitioners from Beijing, Shanghai, and two central provinces, Hunan and Hubei, among other regions of China, briefly stopped Xi Jinping’s motorcade when Xi and his wife were heading toward the Department of State for lunch during Xi’s state visit to Washington.