Chinascope – Page 700

People’s Daily: U.S. Filed WTO Complaint against China’s Export Subsidies

People’s Daily recently reported that the United States just filed a WTO (World Trade Organization) case against China for subsidizing eight categories of export companies. These included textiles, clothing and shoes, metal materials, light industry and specialized chemical products, medicine, construction materials, and agricultural products. The Chinese government provided funding via the public service platform to companies located in 179 industrial parks. The U.S. filing claimed that the Chinese government provided $US one billion worth of subsidies in the period from 2010 to 2012. The public data released on the Chinese Ministry of Commerce official website supported some of the numbers. Before this new filing, there had been 24 WTO filings between the United States and China. The U.S. had initiated 15 of them. Some analysts pointed out that this latest conflict occurred at the very moment when President Obama was asking the U.S. Congress for the power to fast track international trade negotiations. However, the WTO investigation may discover that this type of “hidden subsidy” has been used widely by governments all over the world, including the U.S. government.

Source: People’s Daily, February 13, 2015

http://finance.people.com.cn/n/2015/0213/c1004-26560398.html

Briefings | | February 17, 2015 | US-China Relations

Beijing Experts Discussed How China Should Deal with U.S. Financial Dominance

On February 1 in Beijing, the Chongyang Financial Research Institute of Renmin University held a new book release conference and forum exploring the theme, "Financial Sanctions: the U.S.’s New Global Asymmetric Power."

The participants in the forum generally agreed that the U.S. financial hegemony is an exclusive weapon built on its comprehensive national strength. Using this weapon to provide sanctions against other countries is “a massively profitable business without any cost.” It is like "killing people without firing a shot." The difficult situation in Russia is a new example of the United States applying its financial hegemony. In modern society, financial sanctions have become the core of economic sanctions.

[The experts at the forum believed that] “Facing this situation, China, on the one hand, should not simply oppose the monetary system in which the United States is the center, as it is impossible to change the reality that the Federal Reserve is essentially the equivalent of the World Bank. Instead, China can actively get into the system and make it change the rules so the direction in which it moves is favorable to China. On the other hand, China should establish "infrastructure" in the financial sector and develop a cross-border payment transactions system capable of replacing the SWIFT code.

Source: China Review News, February 2, 2015

http://hk.crntt.com/doc/1036/0/2/8/103602851.html?coluid=151&kindid=11515&docid=103602851&mdate=0202110708

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

Qiushi: The Faculty Is the Key to Political Education in Universities

Qiushi published a commentary in support of tightening the ideological education of college students. The commentary expressed the belief that the faculty members are the key to providing an effective Marxist education in universities and colleges. The commentary stated that faculty members who engage in the following four types of behavior are not good college teachers.

The first was, “Openly attacking and defaming the Party’s leadership … discrediting socialism, and not having correct ideals and beliefs.” The second was “Complaining, venting grievances, sending out bad vibes to the students, and having no real skills.” Third was “Spreading Western values … praising the West, and having no sense of social responsibility.” Finally came, “Speaking against the Constitution and the law in the classroom and having no political bottom line, no legal bottom line, and no moral bottom line.”

Source: Qiushi, February 13, 2015

http://www.qstheory.cn/tjyd/2015-02/13/c_1114357291.htm

Briefings | | February 13, 2015 | Government/Politics

Huanqiu: Norway is Making Cold War Allegations

Huanqiu published a commentary on Norway’s expulsion of a Chinese student, asking whether Norway wants trade or human rights.

“A country at the far end of the Eurasian continent and close to the artic suddenly made “cold war style” noises against China. After Norway expelled a Chinese student using the pretext that he was a ‘national security threat,’ it listed Russia and China as ‘threats’ in its annual national security assessment report. The head of its national security department openly accused ‘China and Russia of engaging in espionage activities.’"

Cui Hongjian, Director of the European Department at the China Institute of International Studies, a State think tank, said, “The Norwegian government ought to think clearly. Do they want communications with China and the development of good economic and trade relations, or do they want to be shouting slogans about so-called ‘human rights and democracy.’" According to Huanqiu, the Chinese Embassy in Norway issued a statement stating that the Norwegian government’s remarks are irresponsible, “full of cold war rhetoric” and “without any basis.”

Source: Huanqiu, February 6, 2015 http://world.huanqiu.com/exclusive/2015-02/5610058.html

Briefings | | February 12, 2015 | Government/Politics

BBC Chinese: China Responded to Obama Welcoming Dalai Lama

BBC Chinese recently reported that President Obama welcomed the Dalai Lama at the National Prayer Breakfast and called him “a friend.” This was the first time the President and the Dalai Lama appeared jointly in public. Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Hong Lei responded at a press conference that China is against any country allowing the Dalai Lama to visit and is against anyone using the Tibetan Issue to interfere with China’s domestic matters. Hong said the Dalai Lama has long been using the name of religion to perform the function of splitting China. He urged the United States to “keep its promise” on the Tibetan Issue. The last time President Obama met with the Dalai Lama was on February 21, 2014, in the White House Map Room instead of the Oval Office. That meeting was a closed-door meeting with no media present.

Source: BBC Chinese, February 6, 2015

http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/world/2015/02/150206_beijing_obama_dalai

Briefings | | February 11, 2015 | US-China Relations

Xinhua: HSBC January Chinese Manufacturing PMI Read Low

Xinhua recently reported that HSBC released its January PMI final number for the Chinese manufacturing sector. The number 49.7 represents the second month in a row that the figure remained below 50. The sub-indicator of employment is 49.5. Many experts suggested that the government may have to adjust its policies, which means possible interest rate cuts in the first quarter or some other similar policies. Some read the new PMI number as a sign of an “unexpected low level of economic activities.” According to Qu Hongbin, HSBC Chief Economist of the Grand China Region, both new domestic orders and export orders are declining. The unemployment number reached a 15 month low. The manufacturing sector is still suffering from a low level of demand. Qu suggested that the government should relax both its currency and its financial policies. PMI is an indicator of financial activity reflecting purchasing managers’ acquisition of goods and services. A PMI number below 50 typically reflects a decline.

Source: Xinhua, February 2, 2015

http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2015-02/02/c_127448257.htm

Briefings | | February 11, 2015 | Economy/Resources

Yuan Guiren: Young Teachers and Students in College Are Hostile Forces’ Main Targets of Infiltration

Chinese Minister of Education Yuan Guiren published an article in the latest issue (3rd issue, 2015) of the Qiushi (Seeking Truth) magazine talking about propaganda and ideological education in colleges. The title of the article was, "Eye on the Larger Direction and the Larger Issues; In This New Situation, Put Enough Effort into Propaganda Work in Universities." Yuan pointed out that the hostile forces infiltrate and focus on dividing such groups as young teachers and students. In recent years, some countries have regarded China’s development and growth as a challenge to the model of their system and to their values. They have [therefore] stepped up their penetration with more subtle and diverse methods. [1]

On January 29, 2015, the Office of CPC Central Committee and the State Council held an Education Ministry forum on how to implement the direction "on further strengthening and improving the propaganda and ideological education in colleges in the new situation." At the forum, Yuan Guiren said that university teachers must adhere to the political bottom line, the legal bottom line, and the moral bottom line. Yuan pointed out that, for the implementation of the "direction," [we] must strengthen the management of universities’ ideological positions; strengthen the management of the use of original materials from Western countries; not allow the spread of Western values into our classroom materials; never allow remarks attacking and defaming the [Communist] Party’s leadership and discrediting socialism to appear in university classrooms; never allow speech that violates the Constitution and the laws to spread in university classrooms; and never allow teachers to complain, vent grievances in the classroom, or transfer negative emotions to the students. [2]

Sources: Guancha and Xinhua, February 2, 2015, and January 29, 2015

[1] http://m.guancha.cn/Education/2015_02_02_308299 http://www.moe.edu.cn/publicfiles/business/htmlfiles/moe/moe_176/201402/163736.html

[2] http://news.xinhuanet.com/edu/2015-01/29/c_1114183715.htm

Briefings | | February 6, 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.