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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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The CCP’s Performing Arts Troupes in the U.S.

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Xi Jinping Called for Resumption of the Six-Party Talks

Well-known Chinese news site Sina recently reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping called for resuming the halted Six-Party Talks, which included North and South Korea, China, Russia, Japan, and the United States. Xi made the suggestion when he met with South Korean President Park Geun-hye. Xi also said that China is against any activity that will intensify the situation on the Korean Peninsula. He emphasized that China sticks to the denuclearization of the Peninsula and to the process of using dialogue to resolve conflicts. All parties should make an effort to resume the Six-Party Talks. President Park Geun-hye’s office issued a statement advising that the situation on the Korean Peninsula remains tense.
Source: Sina, September 3, 2015
http://finance.sina.com.cn/money/forex/20150903/150723155741.shtml
Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

BBC Chinese: The U.S. Asked China to Release Human Rights Lawyer

BBC Chinese recently reported that the United States confirmed that the Chinese police arrested human rights lawyer Zhang Kai, along with two of his assistants, just before he was to meet with David Saperstein, the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. The U.S. government asked the Chinese authorities to release Zhang. Ambassador Saperstein described the arrest as “outrageous” since the Chinese government had encouraged his visit to China, suggesting to him that he “hear from people with different opinions.” Zhang Kai served as the lawyer representing Christians in Zhejiang Province, where crosses atop Christian churches were being removed. Zhang Kai also organized a lawyers’ group named “Defend the Cross.” The Police refused to allow the lawyers who support Zhang to meet with and to represent him, citing the sensitivity of the charge of “endangering national security.”
Source: BBC Chinese, September 2, 2015
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/china/2015/09/150902_us_china_church_lawyer
Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Chinese Expert Discuses the One Belt and One Road Initiative and Sino-U.S. Competition

China Review News reported on China’s think tank expert Wang Wen’s discussion of the first "Hundred People Forum on the One Belt One Road Initiative.” Wang is the Executive President of the Chongyang Institute of Finance at the People’s University of China (also known as Renmin University). The following is the report on Wang’s discussion.

Wang said that Sino-U.S. relations are gradually entering the first-ever global scale, three-dimensional competition of big countries. China’s diplomacy is entering a new normal state of “bracing up and pressing ahead (奮發有為).” The major projects and planning for the “One Belt and One Road" initiatives are gradually entering the implementation and promotion phase. China and the U.S. are in an unprecedented policy contact and interests collision worldwide at a number of different points, lines, and surfaces. How to avoid combat between China and the U.S. that is too intense and too close so the relationship does not deteriorate into a full scale competition is a test of both countries’ wisdom. 
Wang said that, in the U.S. view, China is the only rising power in history that is close to the level of the United States in national power. The U.S. is unable to broaden the gap. In contrast, the United States cannot make the determination to inhibit the development of China, and cannot find a way to deal with China’s rise. The U.S.’s "boxing" attitude against China in the military field often encounters the Chinese "Tai Chi" attitude as a response [in boxing the goal is to "knock out" the opponent; in Tai Chi one diffuses the opponent’s attack]. More than US$500 billion in economic and trade exchanges hold the mainstream American business and industrial community in check. Since the financial crisis, the U.S. has been less and less confident in its political system and has no clout to dictate to China about its system and social development path. However, no matter how much the two countries do not want to see the China and U.S. competition intensify, that China and the U.S. are competing at the global level has become a basic fact. 
Wang said that in 1500 years of history, there has always been an existing dominating power colliding simultaneously with an emerging power in all three areas of ideology, military security, and financial currency. China and the U.S. are gradually entering the first-ever global scale, three-dimensional competition of great powers. 
At present, some U.S. media and politicians frequently manifest a hardline attitude on the South China Sea, currency, cyber security, and ideology. For the sake of maintaining stability in Sino-U.S. relations, China must pay great attention to and cannot lose sight of a potential “black swan event” in the interaction of big countries. 
Source: China Review News, August 11, 2015 
http://hk.crntt.com/doc/1038/8/4/1/103884133.html?coluid=202&kindid=11695&docid=103884133&mdate=0811002819
Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Xi Jinping: China to Cut Military by 300,000

On September 3, at the military parade to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the World War II victory, Xi Jinping announced that China will cut its military by 300,000.  At a press conference thereafter, Yang Yujun, spokesperson for the China Ministry of National Defense, provided additional information about the decision. Yang said that the Chinese military consists of about 2.3 million and will be reduced to 2 million. The move will mainly target troops equipped with outdated armaments, administrative staff, and non-combatant personnel. The purpose is to optimize the structure of the Chinese forces. The disarmament will be carries out step by step and will be completed by end of 2017. 

Source: Xinhua, September 3, 2015 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2015-09/03/c_1116458395.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Li Keqiang: Global Volatility Puts Pressure on China’s Economy

On August 28, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang chaired a State Council special meeting on new developments in the global economic and financial field and their implications for China and China’s policy responses. It was the first time that he called for such a special meeting, indicating that China faces tough issues in the area of economic growth. 

Four vice premiers, three State Council members, the President of China’s central bank, the minister of finance, the head of the Development and Reform Commission, and the Chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission attended the meeting. 
Li said that recent world market volatility has created new uncertainties for the global economic recovery. The growing implications for China’s financial market as well as for imports and exports have placed new pressure on the Chinese economy. Financial stability affects the overall Chinese economy. Risk management needs to be improved and perfected to defend the bottom line of preventing regional or systemic risks. 
Source: The Central People’s Government of China, August 29, 2015 
http://www.gov.cn/guowuyuan/2015-08/29/content_2922012.htm
Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Severely Tightened Security in Beijing for September 3 Military Parade

On September 1, 2015, Hong Kong Economic Times published an article on the extreme tightening of the security in Beijing for the Military Parade on September 3, 2015. Roads have been closed; shops, supermarkets, and restaurants have been closed; about 9 hospitals near Tiananmen Square have also been closed. Chinese Internet users commented ironically, “Why don’t they just [openly] call it martial law?”

The use of many subway lines in Beijing has been suspended.

To secure a “Parade Blue Sky,” open-air barbecues have been banned resolutely. The highest level of emergency measures has been applied to six nearby cities in order to reduce emissions. In Henan, the use of over 60 percent of business vehicles has been suspended. The main roads are required to be cleaned at least 4 times a day.

Source: Hong Kong Economic Times, September 1, 2015
http://china.hket.com/article/678830/%E5%B0%81%E8%B7%AF%E5%B0%81%E8%88%96%E9%86%

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E4%B9%BE%E8%84%86%E6%88%92%E5%9A%B4%E7%AE%97%E4%BA%86
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Xinhua: What Does Japan Intend to Do with Its Continual Revival of Invasion Battleships?

Xinhua published a series of articles in its magazine Global Sphere commenting on Japan’s intention to resurrect its military. Below are some quotes from the articles. 

“Recently, Japan officially launched the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force’s newest quasi-carrier ‘Kaga.’ It has the same name as the main ship known as the ‘devil ship’ aircraft carrier ‘Kaga’ that invaded China. In 2013, Japan’s quasi-carrier ‘Izumo’ followed the name of the old warships that invaded China. The Abe government’s excuse is very simple, ‘This is only the name of the ancient nation.’ There are so many names of ancient nations. Why pick the name of the battleship that was used for aggression in World War II and more than once. Japan used this name [of the battleship] again, totally ignoring the feelings of World War II victims. It adds insult to injury for the World War II victims. It is to summon the spirit of militarism and create more obstacles to Sino-Japanese relations.” 
“Japan expert Yuan Yang from the Chinese Military Academy said that, many times, Japan has been like a bad child, constantly challenging the adults’ bottom line with petty actions. Adults do not care about him but feel somehow bothered. If we took him seriously, he would feel aggrieved. This approach seems to have become a strategy in Japan. Jin Canrong, Vice President of international relations at Renmin University of China, believes that the fact that Japan chose the 68th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima to launch the "quasi-carrier" into the water has a special meaning. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hopes to use the nation’s emotions towards the tragedy to support his militaristic ambitions of rearmament. Jin said that now the U.S. military is financially weak; it is reducing its military budget. The U.S. military deployment in the Asia-Pacific region must rely on Japan. This gives Abe the opportunity for the massive development of military power.” 
Source: Xinhua: Global Sphere issue 608, August 2015 
http://www.xinhuanet.com/world/jrch/608.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Qiushi: The Party Does Not Allow Any Special Party Members

On September 1, 2015，Qiushi Journal, a mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, published an article in its 17th journal of 2015 titled, “The Party Does Not Allow Any Special Party Members.” On the same day, the article was reprinted on the Pengpai website and the Sohu website.

According to the article, “Some leading cadres” just do whatever they want to do. They view themselves as “Special Party Members” and do not follow the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee’s rules and policies. In particular, some leading cadres completely ignore the Party’s rules and political rules because of their authoritative power and their high positions.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, warned the whole Party, “The Party will not allow any special Party members who are above the Party’s constitution and the Party’s organization.” “The fact that the CCP Central Committee has severely punished Zhou Yongkang, Bo Xilai, Guo Boxiong, Xu Caihou, Ling Jihua, and Su Rong [Editor’s note: All were members of the Jiang faction] demonstrates that tightening the Party’s discipline completely is not empty talk. The Party’s constitution is not a piece of blank paper. Within the Party, there must be no hiding place for corrupt officials and special Party members.” 

Source: Qiushi Journal (the original is not available online), September 1, 2015
http://m.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1370485
http://star.news.sohu.com/20150901/n420205302.shtml

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics