Chinascope – Page 677

Report Shows Four Major Unhealthy Trends in Central Enterprises

China News published an article on the report that the Central Leading Group for Inspection Work recently released. Since March of this year, the Central Leading Group has dispatched 13 inspection teams to report on 21 central enterprises. The article said that the findings indicated that the companies inspected exhibited four major unhealthy trends. The first involved the inappropriate use of funds for meals and entertainment, luxury display art work, conference centers, hotels, and exercise training facilities. The second was that favors were issued during promotions and any conflict of interest when using family members was ignored. Third was the corruption among company leaders when they used state owned assets for personal gain and when there were loopholes in state asset supervision. Fourth was the formation of interest groups using family members to take possession of state owned assets. The article also listed the names of the companies under each of the four categories. China Mobile was the only company, out of the 21 in the report, that was not on that list.

Source: China News, June 19, 2015
http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2015/06-19/7354184.shtml

Briefings | | June 22, 2015 | Government/Politics

Xinhua: Party Should Play Leadership Role in the Countryside

Xinhua published an article to reiterate that there should be no doubt about the leadership role that the Party organization plays in the countryside. The article said the lack of focus on the Party’s role has weakened the Party’s foundation in the countryside. It stated that, regardless of the types of organizations formed in the countryside, whether they are economic or civil organizations, they must be under the leadership of the Party. For any type of important tasks or issues, the decisions must follow the Party’s collective opinion. The article concluded that only when there is persistence in the Party’s leadership role can there be “unity among the people in the countryside.” Therefore the people should “form positive energy” during the reform in the countryside.

Source: Xinhua, June 21, 2015
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2015-06/21/c_127936677.htm

Briefings | | June 22, 2015 | Government/Politics

PLA Daily: Some Military Leaders Not Ready for Enemy’s Offensive Strategic Cyberattacks

PLA Daily Published an article discussing the Chinese military’s position regarding cyber security and related struggles. Below is an excerpt from the article:

Sovereignty on cyberspace highlights national sovereignty. Cyberspace is also the space for national security. If we do not occupy cyber territory, others will; if we don’t guard the space, we will lose that sovereignty. It will even become the front gate for the enemy forces to erode and disintegrate us.

The Internet has become the main battlefield for ideological struggles. … Whoever controls cyberspace will seize the commanding heights of the ideological struggle battlefield and will control the lifeblood of national security and development in the information era.

Internet resources are not virtual resources. It is physical resources that are related to national security. In the Internet age, a hostile country can also use advanced cyber technologies to appropriate a nation’s information, data, people, and other key hubs.

Cyber security has become an important part of China’s comprehensive security. We can say that without cyber security, there is no national security.

To cope with cyber security, strengthening "defense from the mind (heart)" should become a priority in addition to improving our technology. The Internet is "the biggest variable" that we face. It can also become a "headache" if not handled properly. Especially, online ideological work is related to the [Communist] banner, path, and national political security and is the core position we must fight and defend. One scholar said, "Having the controlling power over the Internet in the 21st century has the same defining significance as the power of controlling the seas in the 19th century and having air supremacy in the 20th century." Western anti-China forces have been intending to topple China using the Internet. Years ago, some Western politicians claimed that, "With the Internet, there is a way to deal with China." "When socialist countries fall into the arms of the West, it will start with the Internet."

On the Internet battlefield, whether we can keep the enemy outside of the door is directly related to the safety and security of our country’s ideology. This is an online media war without the knife and sword but with heavy murderous and killing intentions.

However, compared to the hostile force’s long dominance in the control of Internet media and their organized, targeted, planned, and systematic implementation of strategic offensive attacks, some of our military leaders have not yet learned "the swimming technique" in the Internet tide. They lack a clear understanding of the on-line media struggle and a consciousness of potential dangers; they lack the sense of responsibility that comes from fighting for the [Communist] Party, army, and nation in the online "territory."

In the face of this struggle, we cannot lose and cannot afford to lose. If we do not pay attention to cyber security and do not put on-line ideological work in the proper place with firm control, the enemy will take away our people; our army will be in danger of changing color. We can say that we face the most danger in this battlefield and that the key also lies in this battlefield.

Source: PLA Daily republished by Xinhua and People’s Daily, May 20, 2015

http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2015-05/20/c_127820829.htm

http://military.people.com.cn/n/2015/0520/c172467-27029494.html

Briefings | | June 19, 2015 | Defense/Military

U.S. Invites Japan to Patrol the South China Sea, Fulfilling Japan’s Wishes

People’s Daily published an article reporting on Chinese military experts’ comments about U.S. Pacific commander Harris’s statement which he made while meeting Japanese media in Tokyo. Harris stated that he welcomed and was anticipating the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force that would participate in patrolling the South China Sea. He pointed out that the "South China Sea is the high seas and not a territorial sea. He therefore welcomed Japan’s participation in this action."

Regarding the military expert’s comments, in an interview with CCTV, Major General Yin Zhuo pointed out that Harris’s statement demonstrates a lack of knowledge of history and of international law. The South China Sea is not the United States’ territorial waters and not a place where the United States can play anyway it wants. The U.S. takes the South China Sea to be a battlefield to contain China, especially the military containment of China. The U.S. encouraged Japan and Australia to have a joint cruise in the South China Sea. Its intention was simply to stir up the South China Sea issue and use the opportunity to gather these countries under its banner so as to contain China using military means.

Gao Zhugui, deputy director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies of the Central Party School pointed out that, a few days ago, U.S. Secretary of Defense Carter said that the South China Sea issue is not an issue between the United States and China. The United States does not hold any position in the South China Sea dispute over sovereignty. "Harris’s remarks just made the South China Sea issue into a problem between China and U.S. He is taking a big risk with Sino-U.S. relations."

Yin Zhuo said, “Harris’s statement is explicit in fulfilling the wishes of the Abe administration. Japan would like to go out to the Sea using the U.S. boat and the South Sea. Harris just paved the road and loaned Abe a boat."

Yin also noted that Harris’s invitation to Japan to patrol the South China Sea precisely reflects the United States’ mindset of anxiety. The United States wants to contain China in the Asia-Pacific region but is experiencing a lack of force. The United States needs help. Japan is a staunch political, diplomatic, and military ally of the United States. The United States can only count on Japan and therefore invites the Japanese to patrol the South China Sea as a pioneer.

Gao Zhugui said that the U.S. is attempting to turn Japan into its platform in the Asia Pacific region, sharing responsibilities with the United States. The United States, Japan, Australia, and other countries have gathered together on this platform to form a U.S.-led multilateral networking mechanism. This mechanism can be used not only in the South China Sea, but also in other regional issues. In the future, Japan will follow the United States to play a greater role in the Asia-Pacific as well as the wider regions.

Source: People’s Daily, June 17, 2015

http://military.people.com.cn/n/2015/0617/c1011-27166915.html

Briefings | | June 18, 2015 | Geo-Strategic Trend

People’s Daily: China Signed Free Trade Agreement with Australia

People’s Daily reported on June 17 that China and Australia signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), making Australia the largest economy that has an FTA with China. A few weeks back, China also signed a free trade agreement with South Korea. According to the new agreement, in 4 to 11 years, key imports from Australia such as dairy products (which have a current tariff of 20 percent), wines (current tariff 12~20 percent) and beef (current tariff 12~25 percent) will enjoy zero tariffs. Rice, wheat, wool, and cotton imported from Australia will also enjoy zero tariffs. Experts expect that the trade volume between the two nations may gain an additional increase of US$16 billion annually. The agreement will benefit China mainly in certain categories in manufacturing and industrial fields such as spinning, clothing, toys, and sports equipment. These benefits will be realized over the next decade.

Source: People’s Daily, June 17, 2015

http://world.people.com.cn/n/2015/0617/c157278-27172265.html

Briefings | | June 18, 2015 | Economy/Resources

Caixin: Fukuyama Gives Priority to the Rule of Law

In its June 1 issue, Caixin, a media group that features financial and business news in China, published an interview of Francis Fukuyama, author of the well-known book, The End of History and the Last Man (1992). In his book, Fukuyama claimed that liberal democracy was the last stop on history’s long road. On June 15, Caixin also published the interview on its English website.

In recent years and with the rise of economic powerhouses linked to political systems such as China’s that do not rely on the one-man-one vote model, memories of what many called democracy’s Cold War victory have dimmed. In Caixin’s recent interview in Beijing, Fukuyama said he remains committed to the premise that the modernizing human family is marching toward political systems that balance the rule of law, "state capacity," and democracy.

Fukuyama stated that it is possible for a strong state to succeed economically without democracy, but that democracy builds stability and legitimacy, which, in turn, supports growth and helps governments survive economic crises. "I think that, in the long run, transitioning to democracy makes the whole system stable and legitimate and therefore is good for growth." Fukuyama continued, "I think that’s why most rich countries in the world today are actually liberal democracies."

In answering the question on the relative importance of state capacity, the rule of law, and accountability in today’s China, Fukuyama gave priority to strengthening the rule of law. Discussing his interest in China, besides its size, and that it has never been integrated into the world system, Fukuyama observed, "There is so much in Chinese history about being a civilization that people aren’t aware of." It was the richness of that tradition that he found really fascinating.

Fukuyama also questioned the sustainability of China’s growth model, as well as the lower productivity of its state-owned enterprises compared to its private sector.

Sources:
Caixin Online, June 15, 2015

http://english.caixin.com/2015-06-15/100819331.html

Caixin Weekly, May 29, 2015
http://weekly.caixin.com/2015-05-29/100814472.html

Briefings | | June 17, 2015 | Government/Politics

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.”

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