Chinascope – Page 721

Xi Jinping: China Should Develop Its Own Version of Great Power Diplomacy

Xinhua published an article reporting on a talk that Xi Jinping gave at a conference that the central foreign affairs office recently held. Xi gave the direction that China must develop its own version of “great power diplomacy.” Xi said that the diplomacy work should involve constantly assessing and understanding the current trends and risks. The greatest opportunity China faces is to continue to develop itself with a focus on dealing with a number of risks and challenges. According to Xi, China must maintain and strengthen the leadership of the Party and firmly walk the socialistic path with Chinese characteristics. Xi said that China should not give up its own rights or its core interests. … It should also try to gain understanding and support from the international society about the China Dream. … Xi also instructed that, at the same time, China should work on increasing its soft power while telling a good story about China [portraying China in a positive light].

Source: Xinhua, November 29, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2014-11/29/c_1113457723.htm

Briefings | | December 1, 2014 | Government/Politics

Guangming Daily: Promote the Party’s Red Culture and Take Control of Ideological Work

Guangming Daily published an article written by Zhang Quanjing, the former deputy head of the Organization Department. The article illustrated the importance for the Party in promoting red culture and taking control of ideological work. The article stressed that ideological work was one of the reasons that the Soviet Union failed, leading to its collapse. In the article, the author emphasized that the Party members should be on guard so as that they remain firm in resisting the invasion of Western ideology that comes from the “international hostile forces.” Such ideology promotes a democratic constitution and democratic socialism with the goal of denying the existence of the Chinese Communist Party. In closing, the article emphasized that the Party members should increase the amount of study of theories while the Party should reinforce its rules among the members and punish those who try to smear the image of the Party.

Source: Guangming Daily, November 28, 2014
http://dangjian.gmw.cn/2014-11/28/content_13992309.htm

Briefings | | December 1, 2014 | Government/Politics

State Councilor: China May Fall into a Severe Depression

Xia Bin, a State Councilor with China’s State Council, recently made a speech in Shanghai in which he predicted that China’s growth will slow down over the next three years and China’s economy will fall into a severe depression.

Xia indicated that the authorities will try to ensure a 7.5 percent rate of growth in China’s GDP this year, but, based on statistical analysis, the growth will slow down this year, next year, and the year after that. The financial reform has not been put in place. However a large amount of funds for infrastructure has been raised, resulting in local government debts that have become a very serious social issue. Creditors hold sit-ins in front of local governments demanding payment.

Xia said he believes that the real estate boom has ended and that falling house prices have become an inevitable consequence. He predicted that, in the next two years, the growth rate may slide below 6 percent and China will be in a severe depression.

Xia said that companies and local governments have engaged in Ponzi schemes. They borrow money only to service bank interest rather than to make new investments. The high financing cost of money is not just the problem of banks; it is a problem for the entire system.

Source: East Money, November 26, 2014
http://finance.eastmoney.com/news/1371,20141126450232052_0.html

Briefings | | November 28, 2014 | Economy/Resources

Russian Media: China is Taking Advantage of Russia’s Reliance on China

Huanqiu reported that, according to a Russian media (New World website), Russia is enabling China to arm to the teeth. During the recent Russian defense minister’s visit to China several arms sales transactions took place. The visit completed the process of making China a Russian strategic military partner and provided China access to Russian level one important military technology. China now has received small quantities of advanced Russian military products for further research and development. These products are subject to export control in Russia. Many of the advanced munitions that China is interested in purchasing have been developed in recent years and can fundamentally change the balance of power around China, including in part of Russia. Even during the Sino-Russia honeymoon time under Stalin, the trust between the two countries was not as close as the level today.

Huanqiu further reported that according to the Russian media, Russia felt obliged to offer the technology because it has become trapped due to its long-term reliance on China. “In fact, the Eastern friend of Russia is taking advantage of a geopolitical pattern that is unfavorable to Russia and has been engaged in soft diplomatic blackmail.”

Source: Huanqiu, November 25, 2014

http://mil.huanqiu.com/observation/2014-11/5213970.html

Briefings | | November 28, 2014 | Defense/Military

China-U.S. Starting the Third World War May No Longer Be Just an Illusion

[Editor’s Note: Huanqiu (Global Times) published a commentary about a survey it had conducted in 2013 asking people in seven Chinese cities how they viewed the relationship between China and the U.S. More than half responded that the relationship was one of allies or friends. The commentary went on to explain that, to the contrary, the relationship was one of fake friendship because countless facts show that China and the U.S. are actually competitors and that, if effective measures are not taken, the relationship will worsen. It will become so adversarial that China must, therefore, prepare to fight a bitter and hard war. In fact, this adversarial relationship may mean that World War III is no longer an illusion.] [1]

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Reports | | November 26, 2014 | Report

Liu Yunshan on Internet Security

China plans to hold a “National Network Security Promotion Week” during the last week of November each year. Xinhua recently reported on the first one, which started on November 24 this year.

Liu Yunshan, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee, head of the Communist Party propaganda work, and deputy head of the Central Internet Security and Informatization Leading Group, made a statement at the opening ceremony. According to Xinhua, Liu said, “While enjoying the convenience of the Internet, [we] should be vigilant about network attacks, network scams, and network rights violations. Internet pornography, gambling, drugs, violence, and terror, as well as rumors on the Internet, have kept coming back despite our ban. It has severely threatened [our] national security and people’s interests.”

Liu pointed out, “[We] should let people know the policy and rules of [our] Internet management, let people know the code and conduct for Internet usage, and improve people’s legal awareness so that they follow the laws to set up Internet service and follow the laws when they use it. … [We should] improve people’s ability to resist harmful information on the Internet. [We] should promote a healthy Internet culture, promote socialist core values, and improve netizen’s moral self-discipline. This will let the Internet spread a good voice and positive energy and will make the Internet space clean.”

Source: Xinhua, November 24, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2014-11/24/c_1113383468.htm

Briefings | | November 26, 2014 | Information/Technology

Reuters: Several Student Leaders Arrested As Police Clear Occupy Central Site in Hong Kong

On November 26, 2014 when the Hong Kong Occupy Central Campaign entered its 60th day, riot police clashed with protesters as policemen were clearing the protest site. Several student leaders were arrested, including Joshua Wong Chi-fung, the founder of the Hong Kong student activist group called Scholarism and Lester Shum, the deputy secretary-general of the Hong Kong Federation of Students. From Tuesday November 25 to Wednesday November 26, during the clean-up operation, police arrested 116 protesters.

Source: Reuters, November 26, 2016
http://cn.reuters.com/article/cnBizNews/idCNL3S0TG1P820141126

Briefings | | November 26, 2014 | 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.