Chinascope – Page 740

Huanqiu: War and Sanctions Would Only Exacerbate the Crisis in Ukraine

WANG Haiyun, Vice President of the China Research Association of the History of Sino-Russian Relations, wrote an article commenting on the current Ukraine crisis. Huanqiu (Global Times) published the article and it was reposted on the Xinhua website. Wang stated that Russia will not bow to the pressure from the West and that the U.S. is the barrier that keeps China from offering help to resolve the crisis.

Wang said, “[To resolve the crisis] by means of war is a great temptation for the Ukrainian government, especially when it is a matter of national territorial integrity. Asking Poroshenko to give up [fighting] is really difficult. The Ukrainian government must understand that trying to solve the problem in the Eastern region by war is hopeless. … The United States is the dominant force in launching and supporting the war. … As long as the United States and NATO do not send troops directly, Ukraine does not have a chance to win the war. The U.S. and Russia are fighting a war with proxies. The most unfortunate [casualty] is the Ukraine. If the war continues, Ukraine will be a ‘stateless nation.’ Several times, Putin has proposed unconditional truce talks. European powers also want to make the negotiations happen as soon as possible. It is indeed time for Ukraine to make the major decision independently as to whether to have war or peace.”

Wang continued, “Sanctions cannot solve the Ukrainian crisis either. To use sanctions to pressure Russia into making concessions in disgrace on issues related to national core interests can only be wishful thinking. The U.S.-led Western powers repeatedly bring up the weapon of sanctions to a number of small countries, but when did anyone surrender because of sanctions?”

Wang suggested that “The United Nations, the OSCE and other international mechanisms should act now. China should also make a gesture as a ‘responsible power,’ conduct active diplomacy, and be sure to encourage the parties to sit down as soon as possible to carry out an equal dialogue. Currently, the biggest obstacle may be the United States. The United States must recognize that, if such fighting and sanctions continue, it will ultimately undermine its own strategic interests. To achieve both containing Russia and holding Europe under control is unrealistic. European powers should jump off as soon as possible from America’s ‘chariot,’ not continue to be kidnapped by the Americans, and not do the kinds of stupid things that will result in the self-destruction of their own home.”

Source: huanqiu, September 2, 2014

http://opinion.huanqiu.com/opinion_world/2014-09/5124824.html

http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2014-09/02/c_126944362.htm

Briefings | | September 4, 2014 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Hong Kong Magazine: Xi Jinping Has Survived Six Assassination Attempts

In its August 2014 edition, Hong Kong’s The Trend Magazine quoted a source identified as a top Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official as saying that Xi Jinping has, to date, survived six assassination attempts. These attempts took place in different cities when Xi was visiting them. Investigations revealed that all six incidents were the result of internal conflict. That is, it was CCP officials who had hired assassins to kill Xi.

From the time that Xi took the top CCP leadership post until July 2014, the CCP security organization has issued 16 security warnings for Xi. Among those, four warnings were in Beijing, including his visits to the Beijing Municipal government offices.

Source: World Journal Online, August 30, 2014
http://www.worldjournal.com/view/full_anews/25696442/articlem112

Briefings | | September 3, 2014 | Government/Politics

Economist: The Real Reason behind China’s High Housing Prices – Printing Too Much Money

On August 31, 2014, China Gate reprinted an article from a newspaper from Mainland China, Yangcheng Evening News (ycwb.com). The article explained the real reason behind the high prices of China’s real estate. The same news was then published in several other Chinese newspapers. According to Wu Jinglian, an economist and a researcher at the Development Research Center of the Chinese State Council, these high prices are the consequence of the fact that the government has been printing too much money. The amount of money that China has issued is at 200 percent of China’s GDP. Therefore, the fundamental strategy to solve the problem of high housing prices in China is to stop releasing so much money.

Source: China Gate, August 31, 2014
http://www.wenxuecity.com/news/2014/08/31/3560834.html
http://blog.ifeng.com/article/33939860.html
http://house.ifeng.com/news/view/detail_2014_08/31/38580591_0.shtml

Briefings | | September 3, 2014 | Economy/Resources

China Review News: Beijing Rules Out an Open Election in Hong Kong

The Standing Committee of the People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China recently announced its decision on the rules for “universal suffrage” for the election of the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in 2017. The NPC Standing Committee has decided to allow only two to three candidates to run in the race for the Hong Kong leader. These candidates will have to obtain the support of at least half of the nominating committee members to get on the ballot so as to make sure that only a Beijing supporter who “loves the country and loves Hong Kong” has the opportunity to win the election.

The announcement of such a tightly-controlled framework basically rules out an open election in Hong Kong. “After the announcement of this decision, ‘public nomination’ and ‘international standards’ will no longer be major contention points.”

Source: China Review News, September 1, 2014
http://hk.crntt.com/doc/1033/6/3/8/103363860.html?coluid=5&kindid=23&docid=103363860&mdate=0901002558

Briefings | | September 3, 2014 | Government/Politics

Xinhua: Media Should Take the Lead in Strengthening Mainstream Values

Xinhua recently published an article on a reporters’ forum that was held in Beijing on August 30. The focus of the forum was a discussion of what news reporters should produce in order to “promote the socialist core values.” The forum asked media workers to “study, promote and practice” the socialist core values by focusing on reporting the stories that reflect the development of these values. Some speakers delivered speeches explaining that socialism is the “soul of news reports” and journalism is all about pushing these values “religiously.” Some also called for an in-depth study on how to develop more methods to spread socialism effectively and even “artistically.” Another important point made in the forum was to pay careful attention to the direction in which the top political leadership is pointing. High ranking representatives from all major Chinese new agencies including Xinhua, People’s Daily, Guangming Daily, Economic Daily, Chinese Central Television (CCTV) and the Central National Radio attended the forum.

Source: Xinhua, August 30, 2014

http://news.xinhuanet.com/newmedia/2014-08/30/c_1112294454.htm

Briefings | | September 2, 2014 | Government/Politics

Global Times: China May Release New Computer Operating System

Global Times recently reported that a Chinese government funded research group is planning an October release of a new version of a domestically developed computer operating system. The new operating system aims to replace imported software made by Microsoft, Google, and Apple. The plan is to run it on desktop computers first and eventually expand its use to smart phones and other mobile devices. According to its road map, the new Chinese operating system is to replace old systems in about two years. Ever since the Snowden Prism incident, the computer security war between China and the U.S. has been intensifying. In May 2013, the Chinese government accused Google of trying to control the Chinese smartphone market via its Android operating system. In May 2014, the Chinese government banned Microsoft Windows 8 from the government procurement list. Currently Microsoft China is under a Chinese antitrust investigation. The Global Times report concluded that the Chinese software industry is facing a golden opportunity to take over the domestic market.

Source: Global Times, August 25, 2014

http://tech.huanqiu.com/it/2014-08/5116953.html

Briefings | | September 2, 2014 | Information/Technology

People’s Daily: China Accuses SAT of Brainwashing Chinese Youth

People’s Daily recently reported that the popular U.S. SAT exam is planning reforms for 2016. The SAT announced that the upcoming new exams will include materials from the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the United States Constitution. Chinese media have accused the exam of having the potential to brainwash the Chinese students who plan to study higher education in the United States. They worry that the kids will be faced directly with the American definition of such concepts as human rights. Some well-known Chinese social leaders have expressed the concern that the United States will “forcefully plant” the seeds of U.S. values in Chinese students taking the SAT exams. However some experts suggested that the U.S. schools use the SAT exams primary for U.S. students. It is understandable that they try to ensure a certain level of awareness of their own values. According to Xinhua, currently there are around 50,000 Chinese students taking the SAT exam every year.

[Editor’s note: According to the College Board, the current policy of China’s Ministry of Education prohibits the administration of foreign admission tests (such as the SAT and ACT) to mainland Chinese national students within mainland China. Chinese national students interested in taking the SAT are welcome to take it in SAT testing centers in Hong Kong, Macao or any other country such as Taiwan or Korea, among others. A Hong Kong testing center reported that, of 50,000 who took the test last year, 90 percent were from the mainland.]

Sources: People’s Daily, August 29, 2014

http://world.people.com.cn/n/2014/0829/c1002-25563054.html

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

He Qinglian: Economic Slowdown Not Because of Anti-Corruption Campaigns

On Voice of America, He Qinglian, a Chinese economist based in the U.S., refuted the recent opinions, voiced by many oversees, that the strong anti-corruption campaign has led to 0.6 to 1.5 percentage points in slower economic growth in China.

According to He, "The talk that anti-corruption campaigns lead to an economic slowdown is a superficial opinion. Such opinions disguise the fact that two major structural deficiencies in the Chinese economy are related to government behavior."

"China’s anti-corruption campaign has led to two consequences: first, a decline in local government’s investments; second, a reduction in final domestic consumption. Such a correlation is less likely to occur in other countries, but has, unfortunately, become a reality in China. The reason is also simple enough. In the past five years, the main source of investments has been the government, including the famous 4 trillion yuan stimulus package from the central government and 20 trillion yuan in local debt. Additionally, in the national final consumption, government consumption accounted for an extremely high proportion. This structural deficiency is China’s largest economic risk. The anti-corruption campaign just let the pustule rupture in advance. Without anti-corruption campaigns, that risk does not disappear. Rather, with the support of local investment and government consumption, the pustule continues to grow."

"The real reason for China’s economic slowdown is as follows:

"About the slowdown in economic growth in China this year, it resulted from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) notice as early as at the beginning of the year. There were two reasons. The first was the huge excess of capacity, while the economic structure needed adjustment and the growth of investment demand was inhibited. The second was the increase in the pressure of local government debt, which also restricted the expansion of government investment."

Source: Voice of America, August 28, 2014

http://http://www.voachinese.com/content/he-qinglian-20140828/2431754.html

Briefings | | August 29, 2014 | Economy/Resources

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.