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China’s Reaction to Trump’s Election Win

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

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Wu Guoguang: Xi Jinping’s Reversal of the Course, Will China’s Transition be Peaceful or Marked with Bloodshed?

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Cheng Xiaonong: U.S.-China Strategic Relations Have Crystallized

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China to Increase the Proportion of Navy and Air Force in the Military

In an interview with Beijing Morning News, Li Daguang, a military expert at National Defense University, announced that China will reduce the proportion of its ground forces and increase its navy and air force. China’s military will break the tradition of having a ground force-led military command mechanism and will establish separate command headquarters for the respective military entities. In combat operations, they will be under a joint command based on the direction of combat. 

The white paper, "The Diversified employment of China’s Armed Forces," published on April 16, 2013, disclosed the number of the Army mobile operational units, navy, and air force for the first time. The PLA Army mobile operational units include 18 combined corps, plus additional independent combined operational divisions (brigades), and have a total strength of 850,000. The size of the Navy is 235,000 and the Air Force 398,000. 

Source: Beijing Morning News and Xinhua, November 19, 2013 

http://www.morningpost.com.cn/szb/html/2013-11/19/content_257299.htm 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2013-11/19/c_118199380.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Qiushi: Market to Play Vital Role in Resource Allocation

On November 20, Qiushi published an article explaining the goals of economic reform as proposed during the Third Session of the 18th Congress of the Communist Party. 

According to Qiushi, China preliminarily established a socialist market economy in which a lot of problems remain unresolved. In particular, the relationship between the government and the market has not been ironed out. Due to many constraints, the market has, therefore, not played an effective role in allocating resources . 
“To move in the direction of reform of the socialist market economy, the key is to balance well the relationship between the government and the market. The [Third] Session has established the task of deepening economic reform by enabling the market to play a vital role in resource allocation. This is a major advance for our Party, both in theory and in practice. From a ‘fundamental role’ to a ‘vital role’, this change reflects the general rule that the market determines the allocation of resources. It certainly will play an extremely important role in China’s reform and opening up, and its economic and social development.” 
Source: Qiushi, November 20, 2013 
http://www.qstheory.cn/zywz/201311/t20131120_293236.htm
Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

The New National Security Committee Will Have More Power than Any Other Leadership Group

On November 19, 2013, China Review News published an article giving more specifics about the new National Security Committee, a “Small Security Cabinet” that will handle external and internal security threats comprehensively. Under the leadership of state president Xi Jinping, the National Security Committee will have more power than any other leadership group. It will include leaders from National Defense, Foreign Affairs, Public Security, the International Communication Office of the CCP Central Committee, and other ministries.

All kinds of crises, such as water, air, food, energy safety and more, are around the corner in China. Therefore, the National Security Committee will place a heavy focus on dealing with domestic social security issues and on any normal crises that may lead to abnormal crises.

Source: China Review News, November 19, 2013
http://www.zhgpl.com/doc/1028/7/4/9/102874945.html?coluid=151&kindid=0&docid=102874945&mdate=1119144524

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Cai Mingzhao: Present Good Information about China and Spread China’s Voice

[Editor’s Note: Cai Mingzhao, the Vice Minister of the Publicity Department of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee and Director of International Communications for the CCP Central Committee, wrote an article for People’s Daily Online on how to make better use of propaganda to promote China’s soft power. In the article Cai discussed how propaganda work can “present good information about China and spread China’s voice” overseas. The following is an excerpt from his article] [1]

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Reports | | |   Report

Xi Jinping Explained the CCP’s Central Committee’s Economic Reform Decisions

Xi Jinping, the chairman of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, wrote an article that Xinhua published on November 15, 2013. Actually, the article was Xi’s speech given at the Third Plenary session of the 18th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party that was held this month. The article further explained the CCP Central Committee’s decisions on deepening economic reform comprehensively. 

  1. The comprehensive deepening of reform will focus on economic reform only. “We should take new steps to improve the socialist market economic system.” The Party and the government should play an active role in our socialist market economic system.
  2. Adhere to the dominant position of the state ownership. While the state-owned economy plays a leading role, the mixed-ownership economy is also important. State capital, collective capital, and private capital are allowed mix together in cross-shareholdings.
  3. While maintaining the stability of the existing financial structure of the central government and local governments, improve the revenue division between the central government and local governments.
  4. Encourage larger and professional agricultural cooperative enterprises. Add farmers who have settled in cities into urban housing and social security systems
  5. Promote consultative democracy in economic and social development areas under the Party’s leadership.
  6. Abolish the reeducation through labor system [the forced labor camp system]. Punish and redress criminal acts with a better legal system.
  7. Anti-corruption [will be] under the unified leadership of the Party.
  8. Further control the Internet with the improved leadership system.
  9. A new National Security Committee, which shall be under centralized and unified leadership, will safeguard the national sovereignty, security, and development interests externally and will maintain political security and social stability internally.
  10. Set up a national natural resources asset management system.
  11. Establish a Central Leading Group, which will be in charge of deepening the economic reform comprehensively, to ensure the smooth progress of the reform.

Source: Xinhua, November 15, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2013-11/15/c_118164294.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

BBC Chinese: IKEA Gave More Aid to the Philippines than China Did

BBC Chinese recently reported that China only provided minimal aid to the Philippines after that nation was hit hard by typhoon Haiyan. China’s commitment on aid totaled US$2 million. The United States promised US$20 million plus military missions involving an aircraft carrier fleet. Japan promised US$10 million in aid plus military help. Australia committed US$28 million. Even the popular furniture retailer IKEA donated US$2.7 million to the victims. China complained that China was hurt by the same typhoon as well. The Chinese government received mixed comments in the media. Singapore researcher Zhen Yongnian suggested that China is far behind the United States in terms of “soft power.” Some Chinese netizens even commented that the Chinese government was better to the Philippines than to its own people.
Source: BBC Chinese, November 14, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/world/2013/11/131114_china_philippines_aid_ikea.shtml
Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Xinhua: Chinese Foreign Aid Program Performs Outstandingly û Ahead of the U.S.

Xinhua recently reported that, in the recent disaster, China did not provide swift aid to the Philippines, while the U.S. military delivered immediate help in a very short period of time and on a large scale. However, the report suggested that this was an isolated case since the Chinese military does not yet have the capacity to provide such a level of aid and the Philippines might not welcome the Chinese military on their land anyway. The United States was just taking the opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to an ally that is important to the U.S. Asian strategy. China’s global aid program does not focus on natural disasters. Instead, the Chinese foreign aid program provides assistance to other nations’ development plans. China has been doing much better than the U.S. in areas such as offering low-interest or no-interest loans and building basic infrastructure in developing countries.
Source: Xinhua, November 14, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2013-11/14/c_125699206.htm
Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

CRN: Chinese Military Unmanned Aircraft Deployed Nationwide

China Review News (CRN) recently published a report commenting on remarks that a Chinese general made. The general suggested that China would continue to send unmanned aircraft to certain areas with the full confidence of self-protection. The comment was made in response to the Japanese threat of shooting down Chinese unmanned aircraft. The report went further into an investigation on China’s actual capabilities in the area of unmanned aircraft and found that the Chinese military has completed deploying fleets of unmanned aircraft to all seven military regions. These unmanned aircraft fleets are composed of different types of unmanned aircraft that play different roles such as intelligence gathering, command control, and precise attack. The Chinese unmanned aircraft can now carry out all-weather and long-range military missions. The report also mentioned that the Chinese military is aiming to reach the same advanced level that the U.S. unmanned aircraft enjoy. 
Source: China Review News, November 14, 2013
http://www.zhgpl.com/doc/1028/6/5/9/102865972.html?coluid=4&kindid=18&docid=102865972&mdate=1114172715
Briefings | | |   Defense/Military