Chinascope – Page 756

Global Times: Overly Exaggerating the Strength of the U.S. Is Not Good for China

In an article recently published in Global Times, Han Xudong, a professor at the National Defense University, stated that China has overly focused on the United States. Below is a partial translation of the article.

"Today, Chinese in every profession all pay close attention to the United States’ every move. With its increasing international influence, China is bound to meet head-on with the United States in many ways. To study and pay attention to the United States is quite necessary. However, overly exaggerating the issues of the United States, engaging in some meaningless matters, or exaggerating China’s own things will only be detrimental to China’s development."

"In fact, China’s ‘feverish’ focus on the U.S. originated during the Gulf War. In this war, the United States, for the first time, applied high-tech weapons to fight the first high-tech war. Subsequently, the Chinese territory started its own ‘Gulf War research fever,’ trying to ascertain how the United States won the Gulf War. Due to the use of precision weapons, China began to characterize the war as an information war. People began to overstate constantly the extent of informationization in the U.S. In fact, the level of information in the U.S. and the U.S. military is not as high as what the Chinese have imagined."　　　　

“Currently, as to the United States’ action in the Asia-Pacific region, people tend to use their preconceived notions of ‘rebalancing’ to analyze and interpret the U.S. Asia-Pacific strategy. Americans say that its Asia-Pacific strategy is a ‘rebalancing’ strategy. So far, the substance of this ‘rebalancing?’ is something for which the Americans have not given an official explanation. Nevertheless, the Chinese people continually try to interpret its meaning. The Chinese people are currently doing what the Americans should do. In fact, the U.S. Asia-Pacific strategy should be a much more profound and broader strategy than a ‘rebalancing’ strategy. Because the United States has preset China as a ‘global strategic adversary,’ the concept of a mere ‘rebalancing’ presents difficulties in covering the strategic initiatives in the Asia Pacific region that the U.S. might take.”

Source: Global Times, July 7, 2014

http://mil.huanqiu.com/observation/2014-07/5050149.html

http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2014-07/07/c_126719716.htm

Briefings | | July 10, 2014 | US-China Relations

State Media: Bank of China Engages in Money Laundering

The state’s media, China Central Television (CCTV), reported that the Bank of China, one of the four major state banks, engages in money laundering. In violation of government control of cross-border fund transfers, it transfers large amounts of cash abroad for clients who plan to emigrate overseas.

"’Regardless of where and how you get your money, we can help you get it out [of China].’ The staff from a Bank of China branch said that it does not matter how black or dishonorable the money is; the bank has a way to clean it and get it overseas safely.”

At a recent immigration expo in Beijing, an immigration agent explained that due to government control of fund transfers by individuals, one may be able to transfer up to $50,000 a year. In order to apply for investment immigration, one must transfer large amounts to accounts designated by foreign governments. To do that, one must go to the Bank of China. The Bank of China representative at the expo confirmed this information. “We help you convert such a large amount [of yuan] into foreign currencies and transfer it out in one transaction. That is the step we handle.” According to CCTV, the Bank of China charges its clients a 0.3 to 0.4 percent handling fee for these types of transfers.

Source: Xinhua, July 9, 2014

http://news.xinhuanet.com/2014-07/09/c_126731280.htm

Briefings | | July 10, 2014 | Economy/Resources

Qiushi: Enhancing Five Senses to Manage the Internet

According to a Qiushi article published on June 30, "The Internet has become the main channel for news, the distribution center for public feelings and opinions, the breeding ground for negative sources and the origination of public events, and the main battlefield for the media struggle." The article suggested that government officials should enhance their senses in five areas so they can better control the Internet.

First, they should enhance their political sense in order to enforce political stability and "positive energy" on the Internet. Second they should enhance their sense of responsibility so that the local propaganda and Internet information agency, which is the primary office in charge of the Internet, can really guard the Internet well. Third, they should enhance their legal sense so they can use legal approaches to manage the Internet and publish more laws and regulations on the Internet industry. Fourth, they should enhance their sense of innovation. This will enable them to use new technology and approaches to manage the internet. Thus they can combine "human censorship," "technical censorship," and "joint censorship (with Internet site owners)" in order to find [the relevant] issues on the Internet quickly and thoroughly. Finally, they should enhance their sense of the battlefield so they can build up an Internet force to maintain full control over the battlefront [of the Internet].

Source: Qiushi, June 30, 2014
http://www.qstheory.cn/laigao/2014-06/30/c_1111384830.htm

Briefings | | July 9, 2014 | Government/Politics

Chinese Media Releases Nuclear Missile Launching Photos, a Warning to US and Japan

On July 5th, 2014, People’s Daily and China Gate republished an article, along with photos from the military section of Huanqiu [Editor’s note: the original article cannot be found] titled “The Second Artillery Forces Launched Nuclear Missile on Road Mobile, a Strong Warning to the U.S. and Japan.” The photos showed a live field drill of the PLA Second Artillery Forces, with the operation of the Dongfeng 31 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launching device, on road mobile.

The article said, “The goal of the PLA Second Artillery Forces is very clear. … It demonstrates its capability of winning battles in regional conflicts and of stopping U.S. intervention. These missiles are aimed primarily at external forces.”

Source: People’s Daily and China Gate, July 05, 2014
http://sc.people.com.cn/n/2014/0705/c345167-21587146.html
http://www.wenxuecity.com/news/2014/07/05/3408952.html

Briefings | | July 9, 2014 | Defense/Military

China News: Microsoft Responded to the Rumor of an Office Ban

China News recently reported that there was a widespread rumor in the Chinese market that some Chinese government branches had stopped using Microsoft Office and switched to a domestic alternative. This was in light of the fact that recently, the Microsoft Windows 8 product had been officially banned in the government procurement system. Microsoft China responded to this rumor on July 1 by telling reporters seeking clarification that, “as of now,” the Microsoft Office product remains on the normal Chinese government procurement list. Microsoft did not receive any notification from the Chinese government regarding the removal of the Office product. However it won’t be a surprise if the government is beginning to phase out foreign information products in favor of domestic options, especially when information security is becoming more and more of a concern. According to the largest domestic office software competitor, Kingsoft, their company enjoyed a 47 percent increase in office software revenue last year, mainly due to government support as well as sales to large domestic companies and financial organizations.

Source: China News, July 1, 2014

http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2014/07-01/6335627.shtml

Briefings | | July 8, 2014 | Information/Technology

Xinhua: The Vietnamese Are Prepared for War

Xinhua recently reported on comments that Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party, made at a gathering of his voters on Vietnam’s relationship with China. When asked what Vietnam should do if forced into a war, Nguyen replied, “We should get ready for all possibilities.” At the same time, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung instructed the government to prepare for the “tough economic situation” that may result from the “challenging relationship with China.” Not long ago, Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang also stated that Vietnam would like to take legal actions against China. It is very clear now that all three of the top leaders in the Vietnamese political system have expressed their strong position in the conflict with China. The Vietnamese government has called for an independent economy and an international trade position. It also asked the people to have a “clear understanding of the position of the United States.”

Source: Xinhua, July 3, 2014

http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2014-07/03/c_126705376.htm

Briefings | | July 8, 2014 | Geo-Strategic Trend

BBC Chinese: Hong Kong’s July 1 Parade Mobilized Over Half a Million People

BBC Chinese reported on July 1 Hong Kong local time that, according to the organizer, this year, over 510,000 protesters participated in Hong Kong’s annual parade. The parade is held annually each July 1 to commemorate the anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover in 1997. Hong Kong had just completed an unofficial referendum on the issue of how the city’s chief executive should be elected. Over 780,000 legal residents cast their “votes,” which did not favor of the government’s plan for future elections. The July 1 parade set a record in terms of the number of participants. The pro-Beijing Hong Kong government holds that only the Nominating Committee, instead of the voters, can choose the candidates for the city’s chief executive [Specifically, it will only allow candidates who "love China."] The protesters, however, hold the position that the voters should be able to nominate candidates. In accordance with certain rules, the Nominating Committee would then confirm them. Hong Kong has a population of seven million people.

Source: BBC Chinese, July 1, 2014

http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2014/07/140701_hongkong_marching_july.shtml

Briefings | | July 8, 2014 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Underground Electronics Recycling Sites Annual Production Close to 100 Billion Yuan

Guangming Daily recently published an article on electronics recycling. According to the article, there is an underground electronics recycling chain that covers an area from Beijing and Hebei to Guangdong Province. Its high profitability propels an annual production that is close to 100 billion yuan (US$16 billion). Meanwhile, the officially registered recycling companies lack sufficient business and their recycling processing lines sit idle. Xiejia Village, which is located 6 kilometers (4 miles) north of Beijing, is the largest electronics recycling center in the Beijing area. From there, most of the electronic boards go to Guiyu County in Shantou City, Guangdong Province while home appliances containing plastic, aluminum, and copper go to Shi Jia Zhuang Village in Shi Jia Zhuang City, Hebei Province. According to the article, a manager from Huaxin Green Spring Environmental Development Company stated the reason that the underground recycling centers are more profitable than the officially registered recycling sites. He said their company makes almost zero profit after paying for the costs and the taxes on their profit. However the unregulated underground recycling sites often do not adopt proper environmental measures and they use a process that causes serious air, water, and soil pollution. According to statistics, between 50 million and 80 million electronic appliances and electronic productions are scrapped each year in China; the number is expected to exceed 160 million by 2015. The article stated that how the electronic waste can be recycled properly and how the recycling industry is managed have become major issues.

Source: Guangming Daily, July 4, 2014
http://tech.gmw.cn/2014-07/04/content_11837397.htm

Briefings | | July 7, 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.