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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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Three Major Ideological Trends That Challenge Marxism with Chinese Socialistic Characteristics

On May 27, 2015, DWnews.com, a Chinese website headquartered in New York City, republished an article titled “Three Current Ideological Trends in China.” People’s Forum under People’s Daily had previously published this article last year on May 14, 2014. According to the article, three major ideological trends – Liberalism, Confucian Conservatism, and Dogmatic Marxism – have challenged and criticized Chinese Style Marxism (Marxism with Chinese socialistic characteristics). Those who promote Chinese Style Marxism have kept silent in the ideology arguments. The writer of the article attempted to teach the Chinese Marxists how to respond to the other three ideological trends.

According to the article, 1) Liberalism is based on the Westernized universal values of freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. Liberals believe that it was a “historical mistake” for China to have imported Marxism and Leninism. China should conduct a thorough reform and get rid of Marxism and use Westernized liberalism to replace it.  2) Confucian Conservatism is based on Confucianism. Confucians believe that Marxism has ruined the Chinese culture and Marxism is the culprit to blame for the moral decay in China. 3) Dogmatic Marxism is based on the theories in Marx, Lenin, and Mao’s books. Dogmatic Marxists promote having another, thorough revolution by mobilizing the masses from the bottom up so as to establish true faith in Marxism and Communism. The author of the article concluded that none of the three ideological trends are good.

Sources: People’s Daily and DWnews, May 14, 2014 and May 27, 2015
http://www.rmlt.com.cn/2014/0514/268403.shtml
http://opinion.dwnews.com/news/2015-05-27/59656517.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

PLA Major General’s Ten Questions to U.S. Defense Secretary Carter

In response to U.S. Defense Secretary Carter’s demand that China stop building islands in the South China Sea and his announcement that U.S. warships and planes will continue to patrol that area, the Global Times published an article with ten questions that Luo Yuan, a PLA Major General, would ask Carter.

1. Since war is the continuation of politics, has the South China Sea political game come to the point where the U.S. and China must now have a hard clash with each other? Since the U.S. suffers no fundamental damage to its core interests in the South China Sea, why does the U.S. want to sacrifice her own soldiers for another country?

2. If indeed there is a fight, is the U.S. absolutely sure that it will win?

3. Even if the U.S. wins an accidental fight, is it prepared for the escalation and a long-term war, if China does not want to accept the loss?

4. The battle between China and the U.S. will mean the world order needs to be rebalanced. Is the U.S. ready for that?

5. Is it beneficial to the U.S.’ national interest to change the Sino-U.S. relationship from cooperation to confrontation?

6. The economic interests of China and the U.S. have been tightly woven together. To hurt China is to hurt the U.S. Also, China has more economic cards than the U.S.

7. If there is a conflict between China and the U.S., the Chinese people will have a strong anti-U.S. sentiment.

8. Japan expanded its islands in the East Sea and some other countries changed the islands in the South China Sea. Why didn’t the U.S. ask them to stop?

9. The Asia-Pacific region is the world’s economic growth engine. If there is turmoil, is it a good thing for the world and for the U.S.?

10. On the U.S. strategic balance, which one is heavier – China or some small countries that only care about their own interests and fight for nonsense?

"The above [questions] are not threats, but kind reminders. They are the logical consequences of Carter’s hard words. The U.S. is a practical country. We hope it will think twice before taking any action."

Source: Global Times Online, June 1, 2015
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/opinion_world/2015-06/6559888.html

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Beijing to Step up Control over Foreign NGOs in China

Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported on Jun 2 that the “PRC’s Foreign NGO Administration Law (Second Draft)” public comment session will end on Jun 4. The most controversial part is that the PRC Ministry of Public Security will monitor the activities of foreign NGOs in China, whereas they used to work most closely with the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The draft says that foreign NGOs need to have a Chinese government entity as their “administrative authority.” The foreign NGOs will need to submit an activity list for the next year’s operations before Nov 30 of each year and their operation plans will need to be approved; those who do not comply with this requirement will be subject to criminal punishment, which will apply to the foreign NGOs as well as to their cooperating Chinese counterparts. The EU representative in Beijing as well as the European Chamber of Commerce in China both expressed “concern” over this draft law. RFA quotes Liu Qing, a Chinese human right activist based in the U.S. who said, “There will be almost no real (Chinese) NGO in China as these organizations need to have a government entity to ‘manage’ them. Usually there are two functions for an NGO – the first is to provide aid and help to people; the second is to monitor the government; the Chinese Communist Party won’t allow either one.”
Source: Radio Free Asia, June 2, 2015
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/nu-06022015122138.html
Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Global Times: How China Should Face the U.S. South China Sea Provocation

Global Times recently published an editorial explaining the strategy China should take in handling the recent U.S. intervention in China’s land reclamation activities in the South China Sea. The editorial suggested that the United States intends to promote the South China Sea situation into an international conflict and to declare the U.S.’ position of not recognizing China’s sovereignty over some islands. With strong military power in hand, the U.S. may be confident in controlling a regional issue. However China doesn’t want to go head-to-head with the U.S. and the U.S. may not be interested in taking this into a war with China. It seems the U.S. is focusing on creating trouble for China’s plan. If China can manage to complete the construction plan, the U.S. trouble-making may fail. The editorial recommended that the Chinese government ignore the U.S. intervention activities and see who will have the last laugh. 
Source: Global Times, May 22, 2015
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/editorial/2015-05/6497745.html
Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

People’s Daily: Be Vigilant for Financial Industry Overdevelopment

People’s Daily recently published an article discussing the relationship between the financial industry and the real economy. The article referred to an IMF statement that, if the financial industry holds too large a share of the economy, then the cost of a financial crisis will wipe out the contribution the financial industry has made to the economy. It seems advanced economies such as the U.S. and Japan are showing signs of overdeveloped financial industries. The article pointed out that the purpose of the financial industry is, in fact, to serve the real economy. Overdeveloping it may result in bubbles of overpriced assets, a lack of sufficient regulation, and wasted liquidity within the financial industry. The U.S. economy demonstrated all these issues in its development history; the world economy is still suffering the consequences of the last financial crisis. The article concluded that the rebalancing of the financial industry may take a long time to reach its end and the global capital market could still face another crisis in the near term.  
Source: People’s Daily, May 28, 2015
http://finance.people.com.cn/stock/n/2015/0528/c67815-27068489.html
Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Reuters Chinese: List of Key Recent Agreements China Signed with Foreign Countries

Reuters Chinese (Shanghai Branch) recently published an article summarizing the important agreements the Chinese government has concluded with other countries in recent years. Chile: RMB 22 billion (US$3.5 billion) in a currency exchange agreement; Peru: 5,300 kilometers in a railway project and various other cooperation projects in energy, mining, infrastructure building, quarantine, medicine and space industries; Columbia: multiple agreements on infrastructure building, the steel industry and the Buenaventura Port Economic Development Zone; Brazil: a Chinese order for 22 airplanes, a US$10 billion loan to Petro Brazil, and an ocean shipment agreement on iron ore; India: US$22 billion in cooperation agreements in energy, trade, and financial industries as well as building industrial parks; Belarus: a five-year potash supply agreement, RMB 7 billion (US$1.1billion) in currency exchange, and US$7 billion in loans; Russia: 32 cooperation projects worth US$25 billion (mainly in railway, energy and information security), plus a number of bank credits as well as loans. 
Source: Reuter Chinese, May 27, 2015
http://cn.reuters.com/article/2015/05/28/china-deals-idCNKBS0OD07E20150528?sp=true
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Ministry of Public Security to Start 24 hour Internet Surveillance Program

People’s Daily reported that, according to the Ministry of Public Security, a brand new Internet surveillance system has been established. Starting June 1, it is expected that Internet police in 50 cities and provinces will monitor online activity using a unique identification account to “safeguard internet security.” The article stated that internet surveillance, covering a full 24 hours, will help to discover “illegal and harmful” information; present “warnings and threats” to those conducting improper online speech and behavior; publish online instances of criminal activity; and accept online tips that report illegal behavior. The article also listed 50 cities and provinces in which the Internet police surveillance is expected to take place.

Source: People’s Daily, March 31, 2015
http://legal.people.com.cn/n/2015/0531/c42510-27082485.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics