Chinascope – Page 83

Xinhua: Chinese and Russian Think Tanks Say AUKUS Is Promoting Nuclear Proliferation

China’s state-run Xinhua news reported on August 3rd that the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association and the Russian Center for Energy and Security Studies jointly released a research report in Vienna, Austria, titled “The Risks of AUKUS Nuclear Submarine Cooperation on Nuclear Non-Proliferation Mechanisms and Global Security.” The report claims that AUKUS, a trilateral security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, is intensifying the risk of nuclear proliferation. The report additionally says that AUKUS “poses a serious challenge to the international nuclear non-proliferation system and the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), severely threatening regional peace and stability.”

The report says that AUKUS cooperation “undermines international norms and creates negative impacts on various non-proliferation mechanisms, nuclear safety, and security, leading to increased arms competition and global insecurity.”

Li Song, the Chinese representative to the United Nations and other international organizations in Vienna, said that AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation should be handled through consultation and consensus among the member states of IAEA, the International Atomic Energy Agency. He said that China will continue to work towards promoting “open, inclusive, and sustainable” intergovernmental discussion processes at the IAEA.

Source: Xinhua, August 3, 2023
http://www.news.cn/world/2023-08/03/c_1129784778.htm

Briefings | | August 3, 2023 | Geo-Strategic Trend US-China Relations

Shanghai to Stop Accepting New Ride-Hailing Cars

{Editor’s Note: In China’s current economic downturn, people are struggling to find jobs. Many have chosen to work for a ride-hailing service (similar to Uber) or do food delivery (similar to Uber Eats). The flood of people entering such jobs means these industries are becoming fully saturated with labor.}

On July 21, the Shanghai Municipal Transportation Management Bureau issued a notice stating that it will suspend the processing of ride-hailing transportation certificates. Starting from September 20, 2023, no new ride-hailing transportation certificates will be issued. Currently, there are about 76,000 licensed ride-hailing vehicles in Shanghai in addition to about 50,000 taxis.

The move by Shanghai’s government makes Shanghai the third city, after Sanya (Hainan Province) and Changsha (Hunan Province), to halt issuance of new ride-hailing certificates this year. Other cities have issued warnings regarding the risks of the ride-hailing industry, stating that local ride-hailing capacity has reached or nearly reached saturation. These include Jinan (Shandong Province), Suining (Sichuan Province), Wenzhou (Zhejiang Province), Dongguan (Guangdong Province), Linyi (Shandong Province), Kunming (Yunan Province), and Shenzhen (Guangdong Province).

Source: Net Ease, July 22, 2023
https://www.163.com/dy/article/IA6JQ4840547RFBR.html?f=post2020_dy_recommends

Briefings | | August 3, 2023 | @CS Economy/Resources

At Least 155 Hospital Heads in China Investigated for Corruption This Year

Corruption is common throughout China. The healthcare sector has recently become a major focus of Beijing’s anti-corruption efforts, with at least 155 hospital presidents and communist party secretaries investigated this year, more than double the total for the previous year.

In May, 14 Chinese government ministries jointly published the “2023 Essentials for Correcting Irregularities in Pharmaceutical Procurement and Distribution and in the Medical Services,” aiming to address unethical practices within the healthcare industry. These practices include leaking bid prices, illegal benefits disguised as academic activities, and providing kickbacks to healthcare practitioners.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), July 30, 2023
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202307300120.aspx

Briefings | | August 3, 2023 | Economy/Resources

Taiwan Military Officers Under Investigation as Possible Spies for Beijing

Taiwan’s Central News Agency reported that a Taiwanese Army Colonel surnamed Xie is suspected of leaking national defense secrets to a designated intermediary in China. The Taiwan High Prosecutors’ Office recently ordered the investigation; Xie and others were questioned and their homes searched, leading to arrests for violating the Criminal Code’s provisions on offenses related to foreign states.

Colonel Xie was stationed at the 601st Special Forces Brigade in Longtan District, Taoyuan City. He is suspected of recruiting spies within the Taiwanese military. Xie’s brigade is one of the Army’s most powerful aerial firepower units, responsible for significant defense tasks in the northern region of Taiwan including the central Taipei area.

The ongoing investigation into Xie revealed that he may have developed an intelligence-gathering spy network comprising active-duty and retired Taiwanese military personnel. According to compiled data from court records and reports by Taiwan’s mainstream media, at least 21 active-duty or retired Taiwanese military officers with ranks of captain or higher have been convicted of engaging in espionage activities for China in the past decade.

Source: Deutsche Welle, August 2, 2023
https://www.dw.com/zh/再爆共谍案台陆军中校涉嫌泄密被羁押/a-66416539

Briefings | | August 3, 2023 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Beijing City Passes Anti-Terrorism Measures

The Beijing Municipal People’s Congress Standing Committee has voted to pass implementation measures for the “People’s Republic of China Anti-Terrorism Law.” The measures will come into effect on January 1, 2024. The passed measures cover a wide range of activities in daily life, including renting a car, renting a homestay, buying gasoline, and sending a parcel.

For example, the passed measures require that people who rent a car must be identified and their information must be registered. Postal and express companies must also conduct security inspections of parcels and register parcels information. Gas stations must identify people who buy gasoline and record the amount of gasoline bought and the purpose for which it is used.

The measures also require that people who rent a homestay be identified and that people who take the Beijing subway must undergo security checks. Drone owners must register their drones with the government and must update their registration information if they sell, transfer, damage, scrap, or lose their drone or if it is stolen.

Under the new measures, Internet service providers must take measures to prevent the spread of information that contains terrorist or extremist content. If internet service providers find information that contains terrorist or extremist content, they must immediately stop transmitting it, save the relevant records, delete the relevant information from the web, and report the incident to the public security organs or relevant departments of the government. Internet service providers that provide information on the sale of goods or accommodation, instant delivery, or car rental must provide technical assistance to the public security organs and national security organs in accordance with the law to prevent and investigate terrorist activities.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), July 30, 2023
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202307300108.aspx

Briefings | | August 2, 2023 | Social Stability

University of Erlangen–Nuremberg Suspends Cooperation with China Scholarship Council

University of Erlangen–Nuremberg has become the first German university to suspend cooperation with the China Scholarship Council (CSC). The university cited concerns about the potential risk of espionage by Chinese students as the reason for the decision.

The CSC is a Chinese government agency that is responsible for providing scholarships to Chinese students who want to study abroad. The agency has been accused of using its scholarships to control Chinese students who study abroad.

In 2022, a report by the German newspaper Die Zeit found that the CSC was requiring Chinese students who studied in Germany to sign agreements that prohibited them from criticizing the Chinese government or participating in political activities. The report also found that the CSC was requiring Chinese students to maintain contact with the Chinese embassy in Germany and to return to China after completing their studies.

The CSC has denied allegations that it has engaged in censorship and control. The agency said that its scholarships are designed to help Chinese students gain the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the global economy.

The suspension of cooperation between University of Erlangen–Nuremberg and the CSC is a sign of the growing tensions between Germany and China. The two countries have been at odds over a number of issues, including trade, human rights, and the South China Sea. The suspension of cooperation is likely to have a significant impact on German-Chinese relations. The university is one of the most prestigious in Germany, and it is a major center for research and innovation.

Source: Deutsche Welle, July 29, 2023
https://p.dw.com/p/4UXSZ

Briefings | | August 2, 2023 | Geo-Strategic Trend

CCP Military Probes Procurement Fraud Over 6 Years, Possibly Targeting Dissidents

The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) military has been investigating arms procurement cases discovered during the past six years. The investigation is focused on irregularities such as lack of integrity and leaked secrets. Some people have questioned whether this anti-corruption campaign is being used as a tool for purging dissidents.

The Equipment Development Department (EDD) of the Central Military Commission (CMC) has issued a notice calling on the public to provide clues regarding irregularities and disciplinary violations in the Chinese military’s arms procurement process. The scope of the investigation includes conduct failures, formation of gangs or cliques, use of individual circumstances for personal gain, leakage of secrets, and supervisory failures.

As of 2019, the EDD has emphasized “strict regulation of the order of bidding and procurement management.” It also set up a supervision team for each equipment procurement project to oversee the bidding process, implemented audio and video recordings of the negotiation and inquiry sessions, and opened channels for the military’s bidders to report problems.

Some people have questioned whether the current anti-corruption campaign is a tool for purging dissidents. Commentators have pointed to the death of Wu Guohua, a former deputy commander of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Rocket Force, who died in Beijing on July 4 at the age of 66. His obituary was dated July 25, 21 days after his death.

There has been some speculation that Wu’s death may have been related to corruption and leakage of secrets involving several senior members of the PLA’s Rocket Force. Some have even speculated that Wu committed suicide. However, there have been no confirmed reports regarding Wu’s cause of death.

In addition, Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that Li Yuchao, commander of the Rocket Force, Liu Guangbin, deputy commander of the Rocket Force, and Zhang Zhenzhong, a former deputy commander of the Rocket Force and current deputy chief of the CMC’s Joint Staff Department, were removed from their posts in March and under investigation for corruption.

The CCP’s new anti-corruption drive has led to the ouster of several former and current senior commanders of the Rocket Force. The Rocket Force is the fourth-largest branch of China’s army, and is in charge of nuclear missiles and other highly-destructive weapons.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), July 30, 2023
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202307300084.aspx

Briefings | | August 2, 2023 | Defense/Military

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.