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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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People’s Daily: China Opposes Tsai Ing-wen’s Visit to Japan

People’s Daily recently reported that Hong Lie, the spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, commented in a press conference on Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party’s chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen’s planned visit to Japan. Hong communicated that the Chinese government is seriously concerned and strongly opposes Tsai’s visit. He also called for Japan to stick to the “One China” principle. Hong asked the Japanese government to keep its promise of not providing anybody, using any excuse, room to spread the idea of an independent Taiwan. Tsai Ing-wen is currently running for President of the Republic of China in Taiwan. She was appointed Vice Premier under Premier Su Tseng-chang, who served until 2007.
Source: People’s Daily, September 25, 2015
http://world.people.com.cn/n/2015/0925/c1002-27636137.html
Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Global Times: President of the Philippines Laughed at China’s South China Sea Policies

Global Times recently reported that, during a TV interview, the Philippine President Aquino III publicly “laughed at” the Chinese South China Sea policies. Aquino commented that China proposed a “joint development” plan for the South China Sea resources while claiming sovereignty to all strategic regions. He called this “they are mine but we’ll share with you” plan “a joke.” In the interview, Aquino also refused one-on-one negotiations. He indicated that all other parties with sovereignty claims, such as Vietnam, should be present at the negotiations. In the meantime, Aquino highly praised the new national security bill Japan passed recently and reaffirmed the strategic partnership between Japan and the Philippines. Chinese analysts thought that China invited all parties to the joint-development plan with an open heart. However, the Philippines has been trying to further complicate the situation by refusing one-on-one negotiations. 
Source: Global Times, September 24, 2015
http://world.huanqiu.com/exclusive/2015-09/7558068.html
Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Xinhua: China Introduces Market Access Negative List System

Xinhua recently reported that the Chinese central government will introduce a negative list based market access management system. The negative list will be approved by the State Council and will clearly state prohibited or restricted industries, business fields, and markets for investments in China. All markets outside the negative list will have equal permission of entry for all parties. The design of the negative list considers basic principles such as the rule of law, national security, the progressive approach, the doctrine of necessity and the doctrine of publicity. The list is fully controlled at the central government level. Provincial governments may request adjustments but cannot maintain any such list of their own. Lower level governments are not allowed to manipulate the list. The new market access system will be piloted in some regions from 2015 to 2017. National implementation of the system is planned to start in 2018.
Source: Xinhua, September 21, 2015
http://news.xinhuanet.com/finance/2015-09/21/c_1116631412.htm
Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Minimum Wage Increased in 23 Regions

People’s Daily reported that, since the beginning of this year, at least 23 regions have raised their minimum wage. Among those cities, the monthly minimum wage in Shanghai and Shenzhen broke the 2,000 yuan (US$314) mark. While reports indicated that, in 2014, 19 regions had raised their minimum wage, the article said that the minimum wage in three provinces in Northeast of China has remained unchanged for over two years. According to the regulation published by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, minimum wages need to be adjusted at least once every two years.

Source: People’s Daily, September 25, 2015
http://leaders.people.com.cn/n/2015/0925/c58278-27632080.html

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Chinese Official Media Launched Propaganda Video to Show Foreigners Complimenting Xi Jinping

RFA reported that China’s official media, China Daily, published a three and half minute long video titled, "Who is Xi Dada" [in China, Xi Jinping is often called "Xi Dada" or "Big Daddy Xi"] on YouTube. The video consisted of compliments that foreign students studying in China gave to Xi Jinping. The article said that Xi’s visit to the U.S. faced many issues. Chinese authorities wished to use the video to glorify Xi’s image but the effort appears to have been in vain. The article said that, by the time RFA published the report, there were over 100,000 clicks on the video. However, the video also drew criticism and sarcasm. Some people called it the worst mentally retarded video ever. Some said that the video of Xi was published on a website that the Chinese people can’t even visit and that only People’s Daily can do things like this. RFA also quoted from the phone interviews it conducted. One comment said that the video is China’s propaganda to fool the foreigners because many protesters outside of China call Xi a dictator. Another comment said that China is concerned about Xi’s international image and that Xi has a very low acceptance rate. The article stated that the video is political propaganda but that it will not achieve the anticipated results.

Source: Radio Free Asia, September 25, 2015
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/junshiwaijiao/yl-09252015102746.html

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

VOA: Allowing Xi to Host Women’s Rights Meeting at the UN Brings Shame to the World

Voice of America (VOA) carried an article reporting on Xi Jinping’s joint hosting of a meeting at the United Nations on the subject of women’s rights. The article stated that, even though China continues to detain and harass women rights activists, Xi Jinping still went ahead and jointly hosted the meeting. Some human rights groups told VOA, "Allowing Xi Jinping to speak at the conference brings shame to the world." The article said that in Xi’s speech, he acknowledged that woman’s rights are human rights but he placed women’s rights after the rights for economic development. At the same time, the U.S. government launched a movement to call for the release of 20 women political activists. Three Chinese women’s rights activists were included in that number. According to the article, Samantha Power, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, stated that the pictures of those women were placed at the entrance of the summit so that the delegates attending the summit could see them.

Source: VOA, September 27, 2015
http://www.voachinese.com/content/un-women-summit-20150927/2981423.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Caixin PMI: Weak Demand for Manufacturing Continues

According to Caixin on September 23, the preliminary Caixin China manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) hit a six-and-a-half-year low of 47.0 in September. This was below the final PMI of 47.3 for August, which was the lowest since March 2009. The final PMI for September will be released on October 1, 2015. 

A PMI above 50 indicates an expansion in activity while one below 50 points to a contraction. 
It was mainly new orders and new export orders sub-indexes that led the decline in PMI in September, suggesting weak domestic and external demand. He Fan, the chief economist at the Caixin Think Tank, said, "The previous impact from external demand and prices is the main reason for the weakening of manufacturing.” 
Source: Caixin.com, September 23, 2015 
http://pmi.caixin.com/2015-09-23/100855332.html
Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Chinese Entrepreneur: Communism Has Deceived Me for over Ten Years!

Recently, a rare and heated public debate on the topic of “Communism” has been going on between the Chinese Communist Party’s official media and Chinese netizens (Internet users).

On September 21, 2015, the Chinese Communist Youth League Central Committee published an article titled “Confidently Hold High the Banner of Communism,” on its microblog and in its newspaper (China Youth Daily). The Youth League Central Committee (YLCC) also launched a microblog discussion on the topic, “We are the successors of communism.” Ren Zhiqiang, a well-known real estate developer in China, commented, “This slogan has deceived me for over ten years!” Many “50 Cents” began attacking Ren Zhiqiang verbally on the Internet ("50 Cents" are government hired Internet users who are paid to post pro-communist comments or pro-government comments; they are paid 50 Chinese cents for each post that is pro-communism).

On September 22, Ren Zhiqiang wrote a lengthy article elaborating on how ridiculous the concept of “a communist successor” is. 

On September 23, the Chinese Communist Youth League Central Committee propaganda minister published another article on its official microblog, openly criticizing Mr. Ren for being against communist ideals. On the same day, Hu Xijin, the editor of Huanqiu (the Chinese edition of Global Times), posted a self-produced video program, “Communism Has Not Disappointed Our Nation.” On the night of September 23, Ren Zhiqiang once again published another lengthy microblog, “Do not let the Chinese Communist Youth League Central Committee use ignorance to deceive the younger generation. Do not let (China’s) reform and opening policy return to the pre-reform period. I do not care if other people criticize me, but the Youth League Central Committee must not use ignorance to deceive society.”

More people started to post comments supporting Mr. Ren and ridiculing the YLCC propaganda minister and Huanqiu editor Hu Xijin. A heated debate on communism developed online between the Chinese authorities and ordinary Chinese, which is very rare in the history of the People’s Republic of China.

Sources: China Digital Times, September 23, 2015; China Youth Daily, September 21, 2015; Sina, September 24, 2015’ and Guancha.cn, September 23, 2015
https://chinadigitaltimes.net/chinese/2015/09/%E3%80%90%E7%AB%8B%E6%AD%A4%E5%AD%98%E7%

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http://zqb.cyol.com/html/2015-09/21/nw.D110000zgqnb_20150921_7-01.htm
http://news.sina.com.cn/o/2015-09-24/doc-ifxieynu2169743.shtml
http://www.guancha.cn/video/2015_09_23_335315.shtml
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics