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Chinese Activist Gives Account of Persecution by CCP

In a recent Epoch Times forum, writer and activist Sheng Xue shared her experiences of being persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) while living in the U.S. After becoming involved with a local branch of the Democratic China Front, the CCP sent her pornographic images, labeled her a traitor, harassed her family members, and issued death threats. They posted her personal contact details online, falsely claiming she was a prostitute, leading to her receiving harassment calls.

From late 2012 to mid-2017, after becoming chair of the group, she faced a coordinated campaign of harassment. In 2015, after she helped three individuals escape to Canada, CCP spies manipulated one of the individuals whom she helped so as to gather information about her. The CCP also published defamatory books about her, including The Queen of the Pro-Democracy Movement: Sheng Xue’s Story, and launched daily attacks on her via Twitter and WeChat.

The constant harassment affected Sheng’s health, eventually leading to her hospitalization. She observed that the CCP has been targeting Falun Gong and Shen Yun in a similar manner, “employing a strategy of attacking from all angles to eliminate its opponents.”

Source: Epoch Times, December 28, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/24/12/28/n14400276.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

People’s Daily: Achievements of China’s “Going Abroad” Program in 2024

Chinese Communist Party (CCP) mouthpiece People’s Daily recently published an article highlighting what has happened under the Party’s “Going Abroad” strategy during 2024. Below are some key excerpts from the article.

“Manufacturers Going Global”, with increasing technical and quality standards for exports: In 2024, exports of China’s “new three” products – electric vehicles, lithium batteries, and photovoltaic products – continued to grow. Brands in China’s smart manufacturing sector that produce drones, robotic vacuums, and smart locks gained international recognition.

“Culture Going Global”: In Central Asia, the recently-launched Luban Workshop (vocational education) in Kyrgyzstan will train professionals for local industries such as energy, transportation, and infrastructure. In Southeast Asia, Chinese medical teams are sharing knowledge on acupuncture, massage, and traditional Chinese health practices. In Europe, the “China·Tang Dynasty – A Diverse and Open Era (7th to 10th Century)” exhibition showcased over 200 exquisite artifacts. In Africa, watching Chinese TV shows and short videos has become a daily habit for many viewers. On global gaming platforms, Black Myth: Wukong offers an immersive experience of China’s “Journey to the West” story to international players. Five years ago, China and the UAE launched the “100 Schools Chinese Language Project,” and now 171 schools in the UAE offer Chinese courses, with 71,000 students learning Chinese. At the Shaolin Temple Cultural Center in Zambia, Shaolin Kung Fu has brightened the childhoods of hundreds of African children.

“Ideology Going Global”: In 2024, at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing, China announced the implementation of ten major initiatives to advance modernization in Africa. At the BRICS summit in Kazan, China proposed strategies for high-quality development of “BRICS cooperation.” At the 19th G20 Summit, China announced eight actions to support global development. Currently, 82 countries have joined the “Friends of Global Development Initiative” group, and 119 countries and international organizations support the Global Security Initiative. At the 78th UN General Assembly, a resolution proposed by China to establish an International Day of Civilizational Dialogue was unanimously adopted.

Source: People’s Daily, December 31, 2024
http://world.people.com.cn/n1/2024/1231/c1002-40392645.html

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend Government/Politics

CCP Designates December 24th as Day of Commemoration for Battle of Chosin Reservoir, Replacing Christmas Eve

In December 2024, Chinese media, including the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) mouthpiece Xinhua News Agency, has asserted that December 24th should not be celebrated as Christmas Eve, but rather as the victory day of the Battle of Chosin Reservoir (长津湖战役). This battle marked the first major military confrontation between the Chinese army and U.S. and U.N. forces during the Korean War.

Netizens discovered that, following 2019, platforms including Baidu and other Chinese internet sites made alterations to the timeline of the battle, changing its end date from December 13, 1950, to December 24th. This revision provided Chinese media with a basis on which to “reclaim” Christmas Eve as a day for promotion of the CCP’s anti-U.S. narrative.

Sources:
1. Radio Free Asia, December 25, 2024
https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/china-christmas-eve-battle-of-lake-changjin-nationalism-12252024112521.html
2.  Aboluo, December 29, 2024
https://www.aboluowang.com/2024/1229/2152143.html

Hot Topics | | |   @CS Defense/Military Government/Politics US-China Relations

PLA Daily Criticizes Xi Jinping’s Centralized Authority and Leadership Style

PLA Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), recently published four articles in succession, all directly “pointing to” (criticizing) Xi Jinping’s principle of “Centralized Authority” and the “Central Military Commission Chairmanship Responsibility System.”

The first article, published on December 4, is titled “Take the Lead in Upholding Party Principles,” with the subtitle “Consciously Set an Example in Upholding Democratic Centralism.”

The second article, published on December 9, is titled “Take the Lead in Upholding Collective Leadership.” It states: “The Party’s leadership is the collective leadership of the Party committee, not the leadership of one or two individuals. This means that within the leadership team of party organizations at all levels, regardless of who it is, collective leadership must be upheld. Major decisions must be made through collective discussion and decision-making… No individual can override the leadership collective.”

The third article, published on December 11, is titled “Take the Lead in Promoting Inner-Party Democracy.” It writes: “Democratic centralism starts with democracy, followed by centralism. Within the Party organization, the relationship between the secretary, deputy secretary, and committee members is equal, and everyone has equal rights to speak and vote when discussing and deciding issues… The secretary and deputy secretary should emphasize equal communication, so that committee members feel free to speak. Although the secretary is the ‘head of the team,’ they should never treat themselves as the ‘head of the family,’ turning the relationship with committee members into a hierarchical administrative one, or viewing the responsibility for daily party work as a higher authority over other members.”

The fourth article, published on December 16, is titled “Take the Lead in Safeguarding the Unity of the Leadership Team.” The article states: “When the secretary and deputy secretary are united like one person, the entire team will be united like a family. It is often said that the success of the leadership team depends on the first two leaders.” This phrasing is almost entirely a critique of Xi Jinping. As we know, Xi Jinping emphasizes struggle and hopes that members of the Central Military Commission and the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau will submit to him.

Source: Epoch Times, December 20, 2024
https://hk.epochtimes.com/news/2024-12-20/23720205

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Government/Politics

Chinese Professor on Taiwan Reunification: “Just Beat Them Up, and That’s Enough”

Recently, Fudan University Professor Shen Yi and Taiwanese youth Wang Bingzhong participated in a television interview. When the host asked how “reunification” [of Taiwan with Mainland China] would unfold, Professor Shen Yi said “We shouldn’t think too much about the people of Taiwan. Why? Because we don’t understand them.” He explained that this “lack of understanding” doesn’t mean we don’t know what they watch or talk about, but rather that our thinking is different from theirs. “We don’t share the same mindset as them in their environment. The mainland cannot understand Taiwan. The mainland has only been a semi-colony, whereas Taiwan has been a colony. A semi-colony cannot understand the mindset of colonized people.”

He continued, “What is the characteristic of a colony? You just beat them up, and that’s enough. You don’t need to think too much. Why do I say that? Because as long as they don’t want to die, they will figure it out themselves. They are very good at adapting, because those who are not good at adapting have all been eliminated. After generations of elimination, what remains are those who are good at adapting.”

Shen Yi’s statement, “We shouldn’t think too much about the people of Taiwan. Just beat them up, and they will figure it out,” immediately sparked outrage on the Island of Taiwan.

Source: Net Ease, December 17, 2024
https://www.163.com/dy/article/JJKCICL005563RIP.html

Briefings | | |   @CS Geo-Strategic Trend Government/Politics

UK House of Commons Passes Pro-Taiwan Motion on Taiwan’s International Status

On November 28, the United Kingdom’s (UK) House of Commons unanimously passed a motion on the “International Status of Taiwan,” asserting that United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 does not establish the People’s Republic of China’s sovereignty over Taiwan, nor does it address Taiwan’s status within the United Nations.

Catherine West, the UK’s Minister for the Indo-Pacific at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, responded on behalf of the government, stating that the UK believes Resolution 2758 only determined that the People’s Republic of China represents China in the UN, but did not resolve Taiwan’s status. Therefore, the resolution should not be invoked to exclude Taiwan from meaningful participation in the UN and other international systems. The UK opposes any attempts to reinterpret the resolution to rewrite history, as such actions do not align with the interests of the Taiwanese people, the UK, or the global community.

The UK House of Commons is the fifth foreign legislative body to pass such a resolution, following the parliaments of Australia, the Netherlands, Guatemala, and Canada. The European Parliament also passed a similar resolution.

Source: Website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan), November 29, 2024
https://www.mofa.gov.tw/News_Content.aspx?n=95&s=118722

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend Government/Politics

Beijing Official Reinterprets “Hong Kong People Governing Hong Kong” and Hong Kong Basic Law

Deng Xiaoping came up with the concept of “Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong” when China took Hong Kong back from Great Britain in 1997. The term refers to the fact that Hong Kong’s executive and legislative branches are composed of Hong Kong residents rather than officials from Mainland China. The central government (Beijing) would not directly interfere in Hong Kong’s daily affairs.

On November 24, Zhang Yong, Deputy Director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, offered a reinterpretation during a National Constitution Day lecture. Zhang stated: “It does not mean that Hong Kong, with its territory of over 1,000 square kilometers, can only be governed by Hong Kong people themselves. That is not the case – it is partially true but not entirely. Of course, the central government must also govern Hong Kong. Without the central government’s involvement, where would the Basic Law come from? Deng Xiaoping also said that not everyone is qualified to govern Hong Kong – it must be patriots who govern Hong Kong.”

Zhang further explained that the National People’s Congress, as the highest authority in the country, is responsible for determining the establishment and systems of Hong Kong. It has the authority to exercise any rights it deems necessary, or “open-ended rights.”

Political commentators note that Macau’s new executive election (appointment by Beijing) has switched to “Beijing officials governing Macau,” suggesting that in the future, “Beijing officials governing Hong Kong” might come, too.

At the same event, Wang Yushan, Deputy Director of the Hong Kong Basic Law Committee of the NPC Standing Committee, stated that the past claim that the Hong Kong Basic Law, but not China’s Constitution, governs Hong Kong is incorrect. He emphasized that the Basic Law’s legal authority is established by China’s Constitution. Political commentators view this as Beijing’s effort to override the Basic Law by China’s Constitution. China’s Constitution states that it adheres to the socialist path.

Source: Radio Free Asia, November 24, 2024
https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/htm/hk-autonomy-control-11242024103514.html

Briefings | | |   @CS Government/Politics

People’s Daily: Rising Global Influence of Chinese Pop Culture, From Online Literature to Gaming and Beauty Trends

People’s Daily reported that the growing popularity of Chinese pop culture into the global market has strengthened China’s cultural soft power.

The 2023 China Online Literature Blue Book released by the China Writers Association reveals that the overseas market for online Chinese literature exceeded 4 billion yuan in 2023, with nearly 200 million active users globally. Among them, 80% belong to Generation Z, and the audience spans most countries and regions worldwide.

Voice of America noted a new trend in China’s “short drama exports.” The report highlighted that Chinese mini-program short dramas emerged in 2021, and by 2022, they began exploring overseas markets. Between August 2022 and June 2024, over 100 short drama apps were active in international markets, accumulating 148 million downloads and generating $252 million in in-app purchase revenue.

At the end of August, the release of the Chinese game “Black Myth: Wukong” drew significant attention from foreign media, including The Economist and Bloomberg. The game sparked widespread discussion on its launch day, topping sales charts on multiple platforms such as Steam and WeGame across several countries. It also climbed to the top of Steam’s global bestseller list on the second day of its pre-sale.

An article on Pakistan’s Friday Times website also highlighted the popularity of Chinese cultural exports across Asia, particularly in Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Cambodia. Chinese TV dramas are frequently streamed and downloaded, Mandarin pop music continues to attract fans across the region, and Chinese fashion brands are gaining recognition. Cosmetics companies like Perfect Diary and Florasis, known for their use of natural and traditional Chinese ingredients, are becoming increasingly prominent in the global beauty industry.

Source: People’s Daily, November 4, 2024
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrbhwb/html/2024-11/04/content_26088834.htm

Briefings | | |   @CS Geo-Strategic Trend Government/Politics