Chinascope – Page 724

Xinhua: One Out of Ten Water Sources Do Not Meet the Standard

Xinhua recently reported that the latest research results that the Ministry of Water Resources released showed that only 86 percent of the drinking water sources met the national water quality standards. The research was based on a sampling of 4,555 drinking water sources nationwide. Among these sources, lakes suffered the severest quality issues, with merely 65 percent meeting the national standard. Most of the low-quality underground sources are located north of the Yangtze River, while most of the above-ground ones are near the highly industrialized pollution areas. Some provincial governments have still not approved many of the water protection regulations. The main cause of this problem is the conflict of interest between the ones to be regulated and the beneficiaries (of the regulations), especially for the water sources that cross borders. Currently China’s per capita water resources are only a quarter of the global average. The northern part of China suffers a very severe water shortage.

Source: Xinhua, November 19, 2014

http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2014-11/19/c_1113313280.htm

Briefings | | December 2, 2014 | Economy/Resources

China Warns GOP May Block Climate Negotiation

Well known Chinese news site Sina recently reported that, soon after Chinese President Xi Jinping reached the agreement with U.S. President Obama on carbon dioxide reduction goals, the U.S. Republican Party immediately took a stand against Obama’s promises. China’s Chief Climate Negotiator Xie Zhenghua expressed his low confidence in the 2015 deal because it will be blocked due to “U.S. domestic politics” just like the Kyoto Protocol was. China used to be described as the troublemaker in climate negotiations. However now, with strong support from the new Chinese leadership, China is highly motivated by the need to solve its own severe pollution problems. The host of the 2015 Paris Negotiation expressed the belief that, this time, China has a much stronger willingness – the joint announcement of Xi and Obama changed things.

Source: Sina, November 26, 2014

http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2014-11-26/114631205409.shtml

Briefings | | December 2, 2014 | US-China Relations

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

China’s Reaction to Trump’s Election Win

Xinhua Commentary Series: Spotlight on the U.S. Presidential Election

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