Chinascope – Page 663

Railway Cargo Volume Continues to Slide

On August 18, 2015, the China National Development and Reform Commission released statistics on railway cargo volume. Railway cargo volume is one of the three major economic indicators reportedly used by Li Keqiang, current Premier, to measure China’s economy. The other two indicators are electricity consumption and the loans that banks disburse.

According to the statistics, from January to July, railway cargo volume was down by 10.2 percent, year on year, with a total of 1.98 billion metric tons. The Railway Freight Ton-Kilometers (RFTK) decreased by 11.8 percent, totaling 1,396.5 billion ton-kilometers. In July alone, railway cargo volume declined by 10.9 percent and RFTK dropped by 14.4 percent, year on year. The China National Development and Reform Commission attributed the continued slide to the weak transport demand for coal, metallurgy, mine construction materials, and other major bulk materials.

Similarly, the statistics released in July showed that, in the first six months of 2015, railway cargo volume was down 10.1 percent, year on year, totaling 1.7 billion metric tons. The RFTK was down to 1,205 billion ton-kilometers, a reduction of 11.4 percent year on year.

Sources: China National Development and Reform Commission, August 18, 2015 and July 24, 2015 http://www.ndrc.gov.cn/jjxsfx/201508/t20150818_745402.html http://www.ndrc.gov.cn/jjxsfx/201507/t20150724_742728.html

Briefings | | August 20, 2015 | Economy/Resources

3,000 Tons of Toxic Chemicals Stored at Warehouse in Tianjin before Explosions

According to Caixin, a total of 3,000 tons of hazardous chemicals were stored in the warehouse in Tianjin where two deadly explosions occurred on August 12, 2015. Niu Yueguang, deputy director of the fire department of the Ministry of Public Security, said on China Central Television on August 17, 2015, that the chemicals included 700 tons of sodium cyanide, 800 tons of ammonium nitrate, and 500 tons of potassium nitrate.

Source: Caixin, August 17, 2015
http://china.caixin.com/2015-08-17/100840756.html

Briefings | | August 20, 2015 | Government/Politics

Chinese Government to “Safeguard the Air Quality” for WWII Commemoration

China’s commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II will take place on September 3. Two weeks before the event, high attention is being paid to the air quality around the Beijing area.

On August 17, a meeting involving Communist officials in Northern China was held to arrange the tasks of "safeguarding the air quality." The head of the Chinese Communist Party of Beijing City, Guo Jinlong; the Minister of Environmental Protection, Chen Jining; the Beijing Mayor, Wang Anshun; the Governor of Hebei Province, Zhang Qingwei, as well as the personnel-in-charge from Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Shandong, and Henan all attended the meeting.

At the meeting, Guo said that "safeguarding air quality for the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II is an important political task entrusted by the Party and the State Council." Chen said that "good air quality directly matters for the success of the activities; it also matters for the honor of the Capital."

Source: China Youth, August 18, 2015

http://news.youth.cn/gn/201508/t20150818_7017361.htm

Briefings | | August 19, 2015 | Government/Politics

Xinhua Questions U.S. Cooperation in China’s Anti-Graft Campaign

In response to the New York Times report on August 16 that the Obama administration ordered the Chinese law enforcement personnel who are in the country for the "Fox Hunt" operation to return home immediately, Xinhua News Agency published an op-ed questioning whether the U.S. is siding with the corrupt officials that Beijing is seeking.

Xinhua cited the 1997 China-US Joint Statement which led to the establishment of a joint liaison group for law enforcement cooperation, composed of representatives of the relevant agencies from both governments. Under this mechanism, a former Bank of China manager, Yu Zhendong, involved in embezzling and money laundering nearly US$500 million was extradited from the U.S. back to China in 2004.

Xinhua‘s op-ed added that in April 2015, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson met Chinese Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun in Beijing and they agreed to strengthen cooperation on law enforcement.

Xinhua‘s op-ed concluded, "While we do not expect the U.S.to go out of its way to help, we will not agree to any man-made barriers set up to impede anti-corruption cooperation.

Source: xinhuanet.com, August 17, 2015

http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2015-08/17/c_128136845.htm

Briefings | | August 19, 2015 | US-China Relations

China Daily: Is the United States Trying to Fight a “Cyber Cold War”?

Following The New York Times report that the U.S. may take action to retaliate against China for hacking the information of 20 million U.S. government employees, China Daily interviewed Chinese scholars on cyber security to discuss what it means to China.

Shen Yi, Deputy Director of the Cyberspace Governance Research Institute at Fudan University, thought that this incident was different from the previous Sino-U.S. "cyber disputes." It seems to be "very serious." He said that for the U.S. to upgrade the “accusation" to “threatening” may suggest that a Sino-U.S. cyberwar could be imminent.

Shen said, "The United States always wants to replicate the dialogue experience gained in arms sanctions, nuclear disarmament, and other issues with the Soviet Union during the Cold War, as well as with Russia after the Cold War. In doing so, it hopes to use pressure to force China to enter into negotiations passively and to accept the outcome of negotiations when the U.S. is completely in control of the topics." Shen suggested that China should take action and not let the rhythm of the United States be the controlling factor.

Although the Sino-U.S cyber security incidents have arrived at the “critical point” of an "imminent war," Shen Yi believed that, on the other hand, this is a good thing for the Chinese side. It forces China to move forward faster, better, and more effectively with the national strategy of cyber security.

Zuo Xiaodong, Vice President of the China Information Security Institute, also said that the escalation of cyber security incidents between the two countries is a serious and dangerous signal to China. The escalation suggests that China should strengthen the development of infrastructure in tracking, tracing, and reacting to foreign attacks. It is also very urgent.

Source: China Daily, August 3, 2015

http://china.chinadaily.com.cn/2015-08/03/content_21488123.htm

http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2015-08/03/c_128088613.htm

Briefings | | August 19, 2015 | US-China Relations

Tear Down This Wall!

The New York Times reported on July 31 that the U.S. has decided to retaliate against China for the theft of 20 million American’s personal data from the Office of Personnel Management. One option under consideration is breaching China’s Great Firewall, the government imposed network of Internet censorship designed to control the information available to people inside China.

Continue reading →

Perspectives | | August 18, 2015 | Opinion

Google’s New Internet Domain Name Got Blocked Instantly

Well-known Chinese news site Sina recently reported that, as soon as Google’s co-founder Larry Page announced the restructuring of the company, within 24 hours, the Chinese ‘Great Firewall” blocked the new parent company Alphabet’s internet domain name www.abc.xyz. China’s official news media issued widespread reports on the restructuring event and even described the new domain name as “unusual.” However the Chinese netizens won’t be able to access the new website, although it only has a letter from Larry Page and a link to its investor relationship. Google has suffered a poor relationship with the Chinese government for long time because Google refused to implement the censorship that the Chinese government required. In 2013, Google decided to leave the Chinese market citing the censorship issue and the fact that the company had been hacked. Starting in 2014, the Chinese government has been blocking Google Mail, Google Translation, and Google Maps, in addition to Google Search.

Source: Sina, August 12, 2015

http://finance.sina.com/bg/tech/udn/su/20150812/16271314690.html

Briefings | | August 18, 2015 | Information/Technology

Global Times: China and Russia Conduct Joint Naval Exercises in the Japanese Sea

Global Times reported on August 15 that the Chinese Naval fleet left the Qingdao Naval Base for Russia to participate in this year’s second China-Russia joint naval exercises in the Japanese Sea. The exercises involve 23 surface vessels, 2 submarines, 15 airplanes, and 8 helicopters. The Chinese fleet includes 7 surface vessels, 5 airplanes, and 6 helicopters. These are from the Chinese Naval North Sea, the East Sea, and the South Sea fleets. All of the Chinese vessels are active main warships. This year’s first China-Russia joint exercises took place in the Mediterranean Sea in May. The key exercises included joint anti-air, antisubmarine, and anti-warship exercises, as well as joint defense and joint disembarkation. The joint naval exercises are based on the China-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Relationship. The exercises are not aimed at any third party or in response to any regional situation.

Source: Global Times, August 15, 2015

http://mil.huanqiu.com/china/2015-08/7280662.html

Briefings | | August 18, 2015 | Defense/Military

Xinhua Commentary Series: Spotlight on the U.S. Presidential Election

Wu Guoguang: Xi Jinping’s Reversal of the Course, Will China’s Transition be Peaceful or Marked with Bloodshed?

Cheng Xiaonong: U.S.-China Strategic Relations Have Crystallized

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