Chinascope – Page 694

People’s Daily: China Is Building Its Second Aircraft Carrier

People’s Daily recently reported that multiple senior Army generals confirmed a fully China-made aircraft carrier is about to be completed soon. The new aircraft carrier will be much more advanced than the current aircraft carrier named Liaoning, which was only partially made in China. Navy General Ding Haizhong stated that the Chinese Navy will get into exercises with the new ship as soon as it is delivered. The catapult technology used onboard the new carrier is considered very competitive even with the U.S. aircraft carriers. Navy Admiral Liu Xiaojiang said the construction process is very sophisticated, so it may not be delivered in 2015. When asked how many aircraft carriers the Chinese Navy needs, Liu Xiaojiang, expressing his opinion, said, “The more, the better.” Some experts speculated that the total number planned was six carriers. Liu emphasized that staffing the aircraft carriers with enough qualified pilots is very challenging. China is currently far behind in achieving this goal. He expressed the belief that these ships will take at least two to three years before they can sail far into the oceans.

Source: People’s Daily, March 9, 2015

http://renwu.people.com.cn/n/2015/0309/c357069-26661470.html

Briefings | | March 17, 2015 | Defense/Military

Xinhua: Over 90.1 percent of the Cities Failed Air Quality Inspection

According to an article in Xinhua, one year ago at the beginning of 2014, air pollution and the measures to improve air quality were included in close to 90 percent of the government reports at the provincial level. At that time, 15 provinces signed an agreement to fix their air and smog issues. However, according to the article, a year later, in the “2014 National Economic and Social Development Report“ that the Ministry of Statistics published, out of 161 cities that were inspected for air quality, only 9.9 percent passed; 90.1 percent failed; and only a small fraction of the cities submitted explanations. It stated that the reason for the poor results was due to ownership at the local level and a lack of attention to this issue.

Source: Xinhua, March 15, 2015
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2015-03/15/c_1114644672.htm

Briefings | | March 16, 2015 | Economy/Resources

Xinhua: Hong Kong is Expected to Solve its Own Problems and Reduce Internal Conflicts

Xinhua recently reported that, during the recent Liang Hui or National People’s Congress and People’s Political Consultative Conference the topics surrounding Hong Kong seemed to be a main focus. According to the article, Hong Kong is expected to solve its own problems and reduce internal conflicts while focusing its attention on economic development. "It should also properly handle its relationship with the central administration and the nation" the article stated. According to the article, there was also some discussion among the representatives from Hong Kong on improving Hong Kong teenagers’ understanding of domestic affairs, the basic law, and the "one country, two systems" policy and on properly handling the conflicts between residents from the mainland and Hong Kong.

Source: Xinhua, March 15, 2015
http://news.xinhuanet.com/gangao/2015-03/15/c_127582022.htm

Briefings | | March 16, 2015 | Government/Politics

2014 Consumer Electronics Industry Customer Service Blue Book Published

Xinhua reported that on, March 12, the China Electronics Chamber of Commerce, the China Consumer Journal, Xinhua, and Horizon Research Consultancy Group jointly published the 2014 Consumer Electronics Industry Customer Service Blue Book. The blue book collected consumer feedback on five major core electronic products, which include cell phones, computers, television sets, refrigerators, and air conditioners. The article said that this is the first report of its kind in China that focuses on consumers’ feedback on customer service. According to the results, the overall customer satisfaction score was only 68.1. The cell phone industry scored the lowest at 64.8. The area receiving the most complaints was repair services. Major consumer concerns included the manufacturers not accepting responsibility, delays in providing service, or inability to fulfill commitments.

Source: Xinhua, March 12, 2015
http://forum.home.news.cn/detail/136043202/1.html

Briefings | | March 16, 2015 | Economy/Resources

Study Times: US Asia-Pacific Rebalancing Strategy and Its Challenge to China

Study Times, a major journal that examines CCP policy, published an article analyzing the policy the U.S. applies in its Asia-Pacific rebalancing strategy. The article was republished in other major state-run media such as Qiushi and People’s Daily.

The article stated, “Since coming to power in 2009, the Obama administration has tried to apply new thinking and adjustments to the reality that the United States faces in considering its international status and global strategy. Regarding its China policy, the Obama administration changed from the ‘strategic reassurance’ used in 2009 to the ‘hedge on both sides’ used after 2010. He has paid more attention to containing China. The implementation of this policy shift serves to strengthen operations in the Asia Pacific region and actively promote the so-called ‘Asia-Pacific rebalancing’ strategy. In the current situation, the two parties in the United States differ in their policies on many domestic and international issues but seem to share a consensus on promoting the Asia-Pacific rebalancing strategy.”

The article expressed the belief that, because many circumstances influence this strategy, its outlook is uncertain. These circumstances include the following: 1) the financial situation of the U.S.; 2) the security situation in other regions in the world; 3) the attitude of Asian countries; and 4) the level of China’s development. Among these factors, China’s development status and its diplomatic abilities should be the major ones affecting the "Asia-Pacific rebalancing" strategy. China should have sufficient understanding and confidence.

The article stated that the U.S. Asia-Pacific strategy adjustments to China place significant external pressure on China, embodied in the following factors. 1) The U.S. Military pressure on China has increased. 2) China’s surrounding environment has becomes more complicated. 3) China’s influence in the Asia-Pacific region faces challenges. 4) China will face more severe challenges in ideology [the infiltration of Western values].　

Source: Study Times, February 9, 2015

http://www.qstheory.cn/international/2015-02/09/c_1114300613.htm http://www.studytimes.cn/shtml/xxsb/20150209/9313.shtml

Briefings | | March 13, 2015 | US-China Relations

Supreme People’s Court: Crime Is on the Rise

On March 12, 2015, at the Third Session of the twelfth National People’s Congress, Zhou Qiang, President of the Supreme People’s Court, provided the Supreme People’s Court Report.

The report indicated that, in 2014, the Supreme People’s Court accepted 11,210 cases and concluded 9,882 of them, representing an increase of 1.8 percent and 1.7 percent respectively, over the figures for 2013. Local courts at all levels accepted a total of 15.651 million cases and concluded 13.797 million, an increase of 10.1 percent and 6.6 percent, respectively. For serious criminal offenses, the courts concluded 1.023 million cases and sentenced 1.184 million persons, an increase of 7.2 percent and 2.2 percent, respectively. For criminal offenses involving terrorism and violence, the courts concluded 558 cases involving incitement to secession and violent terrorist attacks, and sentenced 712 persons, an increase of 14.8 percent and 13.3 percent, respectively. For homicide, robbery, kidnapping, and other serious criminal offenses, the courts concluded 248,000 cases and sentenced 304,000 persons. For drug-related crimes, the courts concluded 107,000 cases and sentenced 110,000 persons.

Source: Xinhua, March 13, 2013

http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2015lh/2015-03/13/c_1114622794.htm

Briefings | | March 13, 2015 | Government/Politics

Xinhua Commentary: The [U.S.] Handicaps Its Own “Coalition against Terrorism” and Ties Its Own Hands

Xinhua International recently wrote a commentary article on U.S. anti-terrorist policies. The translation of an excerpt from the article follows:

“U.S. President Barack Obama proposed an international anti-terrorism summit, which will be held in Washington on February 18. The participants will discuss how to combat violent extremism around the world. The so-called international anti-terrorism summit is, in reality, a meeting of the union members that the United States organized and has been leading since last September. Its purpose is to oppose extremist organizations, such as ‘the Islamic State.’"

“Since the ‘9.11 incident,’ around the world, the United States has been acting as a ‘Big Brother’ of counter-terrorism. The then President George W. Bush, in the name of anti-terrorism, organized the anti-terrorism coalition, with their loyal allies as the core, and launched two wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. In reshaping the geopolitical map and implementing its ‘Greater Middle East Initiative,’ the U.S. war on terror has produced the ‘horror freaks [embryos]’ that have taken root in the Middle East, spreading the terrorism troubles to the world.”

“Over the past 13 years (since 9.11, which was in 2001), terrorist activities have continued worldwide, unabated. The new challenges that the global community faces in the fight against terrorism, such as the rapidly emerging ‘Islamic State,’ are directly related to the U.S. Middle East policy.”

“Compared to Bush’s anti-terror coalition, Obama’s newly established ‘anti-terrorism coalition’ appears to have gained wide ‘support.’ … However, hiding behind the fact is that this anti-terrorism coalition is not inclusive. The United States has excluded Russia, Iran, and Syria, who could play a role in the fight against the ‘Islamic State’ problem.”

“Therefore, the representativeness of the new anti-terrorist coalition has been questioned. Out of consideration for its geopolitical and global strategy, the U.S. limits the eligibility for the anti-terrorism coalition, shutting out the countries it does not like.”

“Another paradox is that, as the U.S. counter-terrorism operations are getting deeper, the terrorist threat to international security has been increasing rather than decreasing. After more than five months, the new anti-terrorism coalition has yet to come up with a clear strategic action plan in the fight against the ‘Islamic State.’ Purely on the basis of moral support or ‘giving money support,’ the aggregation may get into a fragile alliance that includes collective action problems.’"

“Terrorism is the common enemy of the world; all countries face it. To limit who is eligible to join the ‘coalition against terrorism’ results in, in fact, them tying their own hands and feet themselves. … If they blindly think about the use of force, or even have other selfish interests in the name of fighting terrorism, they will not get out the vicious cycle of ‘the more you strike, the more the terror.’”

Source: Xinhua, February 17, 2017

http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2015-02/17/c_1114400560.htm

Briefings | | March 12, 2015 | US-China Relations

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.