Chinascope – Page 786

CRN: The U.S. May Encourage Japan’s Aggressiveness

China Review News (CRN) recently published a commentary analyzing Washington’s possible new strategy after the on-going conflict in Crimea. The commentator suggested that the United States is facing an inability to maintain both the new European frontline, which is threatened by the Russian moves, and the existing plan to “Return to the Pacific” at the same time. The U.S. defense budget simply cannot sustain two large overseas spending initiatives. The author expressed the belief that the U.S. core national interests are under attack due to the recent Crimea conflict because it impacts the confidence of all other new European allies from the former Soviet camp. If the “Return to Europe” strategy gains traction, the United States won’t be able to maintain its level of involvement in the Pacific region, which, the article concluded, will result in the U.S. encouraging Japan to play a much more important role.

Source: China Review News, March 20, 2014

http://hk.crntt.com/doc/1030/8/3/7/103083763.html?coluid=218&kindid=0&docid=103083763&mdate=0320111519

Briefings | | March 25, 2014 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Central Bank: Sixty Percent of the Residents Believe the Housing Prices “Unacceptably High”

In the first quarter of 2014, the People’s Bank of China conducted a survey of twenty thousand urban depositors in 50 cities. The results showed that 64.3 percent of the residents believe that current housing prices are "unacceptably high," 33 percent believe that current prices are "acceptable," while only 2.7 percent of the residents believe they are "satisfactory." Within the next three months, 15 percent of residents will be ready to buy a housing unit. This figure is 2.7 percent higher than the previous quarter and 0.2 percent higher than the same period last year.

The report showed that 55.8 percent of residents believe that the general price level is "unacceptably high." 32.6 percent of the population expected the price level to continue to climb, 48.5 percent expected the price level to remain "basically unchanged."

Source: Xinhua, March 22, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2014-03/22/c_119890856.htm

Briefings | | March 24, 2014 | Economy/Resources

Xinjiang: Crackdown on Terrorism and Religious Extremism

Recently, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region’s Public Security authorities held a video conference on cracking down on crimes of religious extremism.

Zhu Changjie, Vice-Chairman of the Xinjiang Autonomous Region, Chinese Communist Party secretary, and the head of the Public Security authorities, demanded a "profound understanding of importance and urgency of combatting crimes of religious extremism at all levels."

The Autonomous Region vowed it would strike hard on violent terrorist and religious extremist criminal activities, while at the same time focusing on prevention and reactions to emergencies.

Since February 10, Xinjiang’s public security has cracked several related cases, destroyed a number of gangs, and arrested a number of suspects.

Source: Guangming Daily, March 24, 2014
http://politics.gmw.cn/2014-03/24/content_10772936.htm

Briefings | | March 24, 2014 | Government/Politics

PLA Daily: Learn the Lessons from First Sino-Japanese War in 1894

People’s Liberation Army Daily recently published a series of commentaries about the 1894 Sino-Japanese War that took place 120 years ago, giving an unusually objective evaluation of the Japanese military reform at the end of 19th century. That interaction prompted the continuous bloody conflicts between the two neighboring countries. The commentaries called for the People’s Liberation Army commanders to study the humiliating defeat of the Qing Empire at the hands of the Japanese. Analysts believe that the move is to warn of the effect of corruption within the military.

The commentaries said that the discipline and dedication of the Japanese army enabled them to defeat the Qing Dynasty’s Pei-yang Fleet.

One article stated: "(The) Chinese navy’s equipment, including the warships’ tonnage and the fire power, were indeed no less than those of the Japanese navy. … Quite a number of officers and even commanding officers of the fleet fostered ridiculous arrogance. Foreign military professionals who were paid and invited at a high price to instruct the navy were often subjected to ridicule and mockery. That was in stark contrast to the spirit of tireless learning of the Japanese Navy."

Analysts say these articles aimed to reveal the following facts: a lot of challenges that the Qing Dynasty’s army faced are the same as those the PLA battles today: nepotism, factional strife, and corruption.

A military expert at the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law said, "If such phenomena continue, the PLA is bound to be defeated if a military conflict between China and Japan were to occur."

Tensions between China and Japan have deteriorated to the worst level since the end of the Cold War. Both sides repeatedly send planes and ships near the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.

One article on PLA Daily stated, "In a sense, the 1894 War has not ended."

One retired officer in Beijing said, "What our army is facing is clearly what the Qing government failed to deal with. This is exactly the reason why Chairman Xi Jinping urged the PLA senior officers to get rid of their stereotyped thinking."

The Pei-yang Fleet was a result of the Qing Dynasty "Self-Strengthening Movement." On the eve of the Sino-Japanese naval battle in 1894, the Pei-yang Fleet had about the same strength as the Japanese Navy in military hardware, but it was still defeated.

Source: Xinhua, March 24, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2014-03/24/c_119903160.htm

Briefings | | March 24, 2014 | Defense/Military

Huanqiu: U.S. May Be Forced to “Return” to Europe

Hong Kong Tianda Institute researcher Wu Junfei wrote a commentary article that Huanqiu published about how China should make use of the strategic opportunity of the U.S.-Russian conflict over the Ukraine. Below is an excerpt from the article:

The rapid evolution of the situation in Ukraine has given a heavy blow to Washington’s foreign policy. Since the Obama administration took office, the U.S. has changed from a strategic expansion to a strategic contraction due to the divisions among international powers and economic reality. Being unable to handle both East Asia and Europe simultaneously, the U.S. has loosened its restraint on Russia and has returned to Asia with major energy to deal with the impact of China’s rise.

After the Crimea voted to join Russia, although the U.S. and Russia may not directly go to war, Washington will have to revive the U.S. deterrence in Europe and adopt a tough policy on Russia. It will do so in order to rebuild the balance of power and avoid the quick collapse of its superpower status.

If the United States “returns to Europe” and is forced to institute a tough policy against Russia, China will have the opportunity to gain a brief period for diplomatic strategic opportunities. Facing the restructuring of the world strategy game, China should focus on dissolving Washington’s aggressive "returning to Asia" strategy in order to win more time for its peaceful rise. Therefore, China should, under the grand principle of neutrality, support Russia’s strategic offensive posture in Europe, forcing Washington to reduce its military presence in Asia, thus reducing the strategic pressure China faces in the western Pacific.　

After the Ukraine crisis, China had better stay on the sidelines watching United States and Russia fight against each other. If Washington is busy with other regional conflicts, it is a rare ideal situation for the rise of China. China can actively induce conflict, thus shifting the U.S.’s military delivery and attention on China. At the same time, China may provide a helping hand to Russia for its challenge to U.S. hegemony. This is the internal logic of the quasi-alliance between China and Russia. China’s handling of the Snowden event reflected Chinese decision-makers recognition of this strategy.

Source: Huanqiu, March 20, 2014

http://mil.huanqiu.com/observation/2014-03/4917631.html

Briefings | | March 21, 2014 | US-China Relations

Chinese Military to Display Inscriptions of Communist Leaders

Xinhua reported that, with the approval of Xi Jinping and the leadership of the Central Military Commission, the meeting rooms of the armed forces must display certain inscriptions of Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao, and Xi Jinping. “To display important inscriptions of leaders at the meeting rooms of Party committees and branches in the military is an important measure to strengthen the ideological and political development of our army. It has a very important significance for creating a strong political atmosphere and a distinctive ideological orientation; and for gathering the positive energy of loyalty to the Party, strengthening the country, and building up the military.”

Source: Xinhua, March 16, 2014

http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2014-03/16/c_119790986.htm

Briefings | | March 21, 2014 | Government/Politics

Wang Qishan: More Focused Inspections Deter Corruption

Wang Qishan, Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, announced at the kickoff of the 2014 inspections that, for the first time, these inspections will include a new category called “special inspections.” Since the 18th Congress of the Communist Party in November 2012, the central government has conducted two rounds of inspections that covered 11 provinces and cities, as well as nine departments of the central government.

Wang observed, “One cannot ignore the enormous contribution the inspection system made in the 2013 anti-corruption process. Whether killing flies or capturing tigers, routine inspections uncovered a lot of traces and signs of corruption, solved a lot of problems, won popular support and satisfied public opinion.”

In 2014, the central government will conduct routine inspections at 10 local governments including Beijing and Tianjin, and special inspections at China National Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corporation Group, Fudan University, and China’s Ministry of Science and Technology. The new special inspections are meant to be flexible and responsive, ad hoc and focused, and effective in deterring further corruption.

Source: People’s Daily, March 17, 2014

http://opinion.people.com.cn/n/2014/0317/c1003-24658442.html

Briefings | | March 21, 2014 | Government/Politics

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

Xinhua Commentaries: “Exposing the Three Major Political Deficits of the U.S.”