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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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Hong Kong Media: The Central Party School Criticized Jiang Zemin’s Theory, “The Three Represents

On May 1, 2015, one of Hong Kong’s media, Cheng Ming Monthly magazine, published an article titled, “The Party School of the CCP Central Committee criticized the ‘Three Represents.’” The “Three Represents” is a political theory credited to Jiang Zemin, former General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party. However, Cheng Ming Monthly only published the title in its online table of contents. The article from the original print edition is not available online. According to Wikipedia, Three Represents is the official statement of the ideology, which stipulates that the Chinese Communist Party should be representative to advanced social productive forces, advanced culture, and the interests of the overwhelming majority.  

On May 5, 2015, NTDTV introduced some specifics about the Cheng Ming Monthly article. At a theoretical study session held at the Party School of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee (http://www.ccps.gov.cn/), participants openly criticized Jiang Zemin’s “Three Represents” theory. They stated, "The Three Represents is empty, vague and metaphysical; it opened the door for the capitalists to join the Party; it betrayed the Party’s Constitution; it violated and trampled the national constitutional system; and it undermined the Party’s organizational structure."

Sources: Chengming, May 1, 2015; NTDTV, May 5, 2015

http://www.chengmingmag.com/cm451/451toc/451toc.html
http://www.ntdtv.com/xtr/gb/2015/05/06/a1195246.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

PLA Daily: U.S. Military Further Strengthens Its Cyber Strategy

On April 23, U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter announced the new “cyberspace operations strategy” of the Defense Department, which was an upgraded version of the first edition published in July 2011. Shortly thereafter, China’s PLA Daily published a commentary authored by Lv Jinghua, a scholar at the Chinese Academy of Military Sciences. The commentary stated that the document was intended to designate the next five-year target for U.S. military strategy in cyberspace. The strategy pointed out the most noteworthy three keywords – deterrence, attack, alliance, which represent the direction of the U.S. military developments in cyber power. 

The PLA article questioned the document, “To achieve a deterrent effect, there should be a clear target. Is the United States’ ability to trace the origin really strong enough to distinguish who is the threat maker? Cyberspace is easy to attack and hard to defend, how can one build the perfect defense that the enemy has no way to attack? If the defense were to fail, then when should one launch retaliatory action? The international community has, so far, not reached a consensus on a code of conduct for cyber warfare, so what is the legal basis for the U.S. cyber troops to take action? Snowden’s disclosure has severely damaged trust in the United States for France, Germany, and its other traditional allies. To establish a network alliance requires sharing extremely sensitive information, such as cyberattack capabilities and plans. Will the mutual trust between the allies and the United States return to such a level?” 
The article concluded, “Cyberspace is a new area shared globally. Maintaining network security needs all parties to work together. If the United States only intends to achieve ‘absolute security’ and irresponsibly develops its cyber military force, the result can only be counterproductive, resulting in the proliferation of cyberspace malware, an intensification of the arms race, and a frequent occurrence of crises. What it brings instead is ‘an absolute unsafe’ condition. Such an outcome will be a serious violation of all people’s common will for the ‘peaceful use of cyberspace.’ It will not only harm people; it will not even be self-serving.” 
Source: PLA Daily, May 3, 2015 
http://www.81.cn/jmywyl/2015-05/03/content_6470452.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

China Limits Sources That Internet Media Companies Can Use

The Economic Weekly, a publication under People’s Daily reported that the Cyberspace Administration of China released a list of media from which Internet media companies may reprint news articles. 

According to the Economic Weekly, the list was assembled and released “in order to strengthen control over the sources of online news and to standardize and maintain order related to reprints.” Over 380 websites, TV and radio stations, newspapers, and journals are included in the list. The Communist Party, the central government, or local authorities run or control each and every one of them. No non-government media and no foreign media are included.  The understanding is implicit that these companies are the only sources of news that Internet media companies can reprint. No other sources of news may be used. 
Sources: 
Economic Weekly, May 5, 2015 
http://www.ceweekly.cn/2015/0505/110492.shtml 
Cyberspace Administration of China, May 5, 2015 
http://www.cac.gov.cn/2015-05/05/c_1115179188.htm
Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

China Review News: Pakistan-China Economic Corridor Will Unite Europe and Asia

A recent China Review News commentary addressed the issue of the Pakistan-China Economic Corridor (PCEC). It stated,"The economic corridor that China and Pakistan plan to build between them offers the first strategic sea port in China’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ plan. … China’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ plan and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank will rekindle the thousand-year old dream of uniting Europe and Asia together." 

The commentary said that the PCEC will connect China’s Kashgar to Pakistan’s Gwadar and will include roads, railways, and energy and commercial trade routes. Pakistan will serve as a bridge to connect China to Central and South Asia, forming an economic zone population of 3 billion people.

"This corridor allows China to connect directly to the Arab Sea, giving China the shortest path to connect to Europe, Africa, and the Middle East." "The shipping of energy and cargo in and out of China will be shortened by 4,000 miles. It will take only 10 days, instead of 45 days [via the Malacca Strait], for China to ship its goods to the Middle East and Africa."

Pakistan also offers the best channel for China to connect to Islamic countries. It is China’s firmest ally. It is also the only Islamic country with a nuclear capability. Its military cooperation with China can stabilize the relationship between the two countries and reduce the risk of the "One Belt, One Road" zone.

Source: China Review News, May 3, 2015
http://hk.crntt.com/doc/1037/3/6/4/103736425.html

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Xinhua: Banks Saw Concentrated Outbreak of Nonperforming Loans

Xinhua recently reported on the first quarter financial reports that multiple major banks released on May 1. The report indicated that the net profit growth rates of the top five Chinese commercial banks all fell into the "realm of one percent.” As the Chinese macro economy slows, the whole banking industry has been dealing with many challenges. In the first quarter, the top five banks saw their nonperforming loans double on a year-over-year basis. According to senior experts at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), more and more overdue loans are in the process of becoming nonperforming loans. PwC recently published a new report which predicted that most banks would post end-of-year-reports for 2015 showing only single-digit growth and that some would even see negative growth. The total of the nonperforming loans is still rising. In the meantime, the risk resulting from the lower quality of credit based assets is continuing to growing.
Source: Xinhua, May 1, 2015
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2015-05/01/c_127755182.htm
Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

China News: ASEAN Leadership Summit Took a Stand on the South China Sea Issue

China News recently reported that Hong Lei, the Spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, held a press conference in which he commented on the position the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) took at its 26th Leadership Summit. ASEAN expressed its deep concern about China’s land reclamation activities, which may “undermine peace, security, and stability in the South China Sea.” The Summit Statement also “reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, and freedom of navigation both in the South China Sea” and in flights over it as well. The Statement urged the speedy conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. Hong said China is “gravely concerned” about ASEAN’s position and rejected ASEAN’s authority over this issue. Hong stated that the South China Sea issues are not issues between China and ASEAN. Instead, China has been directly working with the involved countries to resolve conflicts through bilateral negotiations. Hong called the Summit Statement an example of “a few countries’ taking the entire ASEAN hostage.”

Source: China News, April 28, 2015
http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2015/04-28/7240637.shtml

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Qiushi Theory on Ways to Strengthen Party Propaganda Work in Colleges and Universities

Qiushi Theory published an article on how to improve the Party’s propaganda work in colleges and universities. The article stated that strengthening ideology work in colleges and universities is a strategic project. It identified the following four areas as the key focus:

1) Strengthening the colleges and universities’ sense of responsibility for carrying out propaganda work. The colleges and universities should provide proper education and guidance to the students. It should become a solid foundation to spread the theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Colleges and universities should also be on guard against those that attack the Party and the system or spread distorted and irresponsible theories.

2) Improving the power of inspiration. Propaganda work must ensure that the students can benefit mentally and spiritually. Therefore, it should focus on solving the practical issues the students face and come up with plans to work with students who have different needs and are from different backgrounds.

3) Expanding the coverage of propaganda work. The propaganda network should facilitate the messages being heard through new media such as micro blogs, videos, and cell phones and on bulletin boards throughout the campus.

4) Building a strong energy field to attract students. Colleges and universities should launch different campus activities in order to create a positive environment to attract students. Meanwhile the faculty and staff should improve themselves and act as role models for the students.

Source: Qiushi Theory, April 29, 2015
http://www.qstheory.cn/zhuanqu/zywz/2015-04/29/c_1115123793.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

China Review News on Recommendations for the Future Development of China’s Think Tanks

China Review News carried an article addressing the issue of the growing interest in developing think tanks in China. The article was based on an interview that China Economic Times conducted of Professor Xue Lan, Dean of the School of Public Policy and Management at Tsinghua University. Xue addressed the current issues facing university think tanks. He made recommendations for the development of different types of think tanks in China and shared his view on what is needed to ensure that these think tanks remain independent. The following are Xue’s recommendations on the future development of government, university, and private think tanks.

Those policy research agencies working within the government rely on limited funding from the government. They have to find outside consulting projects to offset the shortfall in funding. Xue recommended that some of them should become policy research departments within the government. Some can gradually become independent, but the government should provide limited financial assistance before they become independent.

Those university think tanks that are public policy research firms can be transformed into first class think tanks. They can follow a model that is similar to those in foreign countries. They need to reconsider their relationship with the university, improve their research capabilities, and try to acquire donations from the public.

For private think thanks, since they have already gained years of experience, Xue recommended that the government provide tax or other incentives to help them grow to be the main driving force in the area of think tanks.

Source: China Review News Agency, April 18, 2015
http://hk.crntt.com/doc/1037/0/8/5/103708574.html?coluid=151&kindid=11515&docid=103708574&mdate=0418112317

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics