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Taiwan President Lai Ching-te Announces “National Security Action Plan to Safeguard the Democratic Taiwan”

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The Red Coup – China’s Hostile Takeover of Free-World Education

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Chinese-Language Reports on the CCP’s September 3 Military Parade

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Chinese Think Tanker: Unraveling the Philippines–U.S. Coordinated “South China Sea Discourse Trap”

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Xinhua: China’s Own Commercial C909 Aircraft Launches First International Commercial Route

On July 1, China launched its first international commercial flight of the C909 aircraft, flight CA757, from Hohhot Baita International Airport (Inner Mongolia) to Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia). The route will offer seven flights per week.

Air China introduced the C909 5 years ago. Now its C909 fleet has grown to 35 aircraft, accumulating over 110,000 hours of safe flight and transporting more than 4.13 million passengers. The fleet operates out of three major hubs: Beijing, Chengdu, and Hohhot, currently flying over 30 routes with more than 100 scheduled flights per day.

The Hohhot to Ulaanbaatar route is also a significant step in supporting Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). At Air China’s media briefing on June 30, it was announced that, over the 12 years since the BRI was launched, Air China has opened 68 routes along the Belt and Road, covering 29 participating countries. In the upcoming 2025 summer-autumn season, Air China plans to add new routes, including Beijing–Cairo, Beijing–Tashkent (capital city of Uzbekistan), Urumqi–Tashkent, and Beijing–Almaty (Kazakhstan).

Source: Xinhua, July 1, 2025
http://www.xinhuanet.com/digital/20250701/345f71eb40404805b7b69b7c5caf83cb/c.html

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources Geo-Strategic Trend

RFI: Beijing Invites American Influencers on Free Trip to Paint Rosy Picture of China

China is inviting influential American social media influencers to join a ten-day, all-expenses-paid trip this July as part of the “China–Global Young Influencers Exchange Program.” The initiative targets young influencers with at least 300,000 followers to promote people-to-people exchanges and showcase the “real China” through collaborations with Chinese content creators.

The program follows Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s 2023 pledge to invite 50,000 American youths to China over five years, amid ongoing U.S.-China tensions. A College Daily post recruiting participants states that they should have an active social media presence on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and X, along with a love for Chinese culture and a “clean record.” Successful applicants will receive official invitations and special visa support.

The trip will cover Suzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Handan, and Beijing, including visits to Chinese tech hubs, companies like Xiaohongshu and BYD, cultural activities like tai chi, and live-streamed tours of the Great Wall. Content created during the trip will be promoted by Chinese state media.

Source: Radio France International, June 10, 2025
https://www.rfi.fr/cn/中国/20250610-中国邀请美国网红7月十天免费来访-以展示-真实的中国

Briefings | | |   @CS Government/Politics US-China Relations

China Implements New Anti-Money Laundering Rules for Precious Metals and Gems

The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) has announced new regulations requiring businesses to report cash transactions involving gold, diamonds, and other precious metals and gems when they reach or exceed 100,000 yuan ($14,000) per transaction or daily cumulative amount. The new anti-money laundering measures will take effect starting August 1.

The central bank released the “Administrative Measures for Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing for Precious Metals and Gems Industry Institutions” on July 2, aimed at preventing and deterring money laundering and related criminal activities.

Under the new framework, industry institutions must fulfill anti-money laundering obligations and conduct proper customer due diligence when handling cash transactions of 100,000 yuan ($14,000) or equivalent foreign currency for precious metals and gems. This includes adhering to “Know Your Customer” principles based on client characteristics, transaction nature, and money laundering risk assessments.

The regulations mandate that Chinese industry institutions submit large transaction reports to China’s Anti-Money Laundering Monitoring and Analysis Center within five working days of the transaction date. Customer identity information and transaction records must be preserved for at least 10 years.

Additionally, any suspicious transactions must be reported immediately regardless of transaction amount, ensuring comprehensive monitoring of potential money laundering activities in the precious metals and gems sector.

These measures represent China’s continued efforts to strengthen financial oversight and combat illicit financial flows through enhanced reporting requirements for high-value commodity transactions.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), July 2, 2025
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202507020239.aspx

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

General Motors Ranked Most Exposed U.S. Company to China Market Risks

Nikkei News reported that strategic risk consultancy Strategy Risks released its latest risk index, showing that General Motors (GM) is the most exposed U.S. company to risks from the Chinese market, amid escalating U.S.-China trade tensions.

The New York-based firm assessed 250 publicly listed American companies to evaluate their China-related risks. GM ranked first with a risk score of 69.8 out of 100, primarily due to its extensive partnerships with Chinese state-owned enterprises. According to GM’s website, the company operates 10 joint ventures in China, including major collaborations with state-owned SAIC Motor. GM also faces significant financial exposure and is among the most reliant on the Chinese market.

Cummins, an engine equipment manufacturer, ranked second, followed by aerospace company Honeywell, with risk scores of 62.9 and 60.7, respectively. Cummins’ ranking rose after the company established a natural gas vehicle assembly line in Xinjiang, where China has been accused of human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims.

Other companies highly vulnerable to U.S.-China tensions include Colgate-Palmolive, Philip Morris, and Tesla, due to their heavy reliance on Chinese exports of electric toothbrushes and lithium-ion batteries. Rounding out the top ten are retailer TJX Companies, Intel, FedEx, and Procter & Gamble.

Source: Epoch Times, June 24, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/6/24/n14537834.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources US-China Relations

Xinhua: CCP Membership Surpasses 100 Million, Grassroots Party Organizations Reach Full Coverage Nationwide

Xinhua News Agency was authorized to publish statistics on membership in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its suborganizations organizations.

As of December 31, 2024, the total CCP membership reached 100.271 million, a net increase of 1.1 million from the end of 2023. In 2024, the CCP recruited 2.1 million new members.

Currently, the CCP has 5.25 million grassroots organizations, including 306,000 grassroots Party committees, 330,000 general branches, and 4.6 million branches.

  • Local Party Committees:
    There are 3,200 local Party committees nationwide, including 31 provincial-level committees, 397 city (or prefecture) committees, and 2,772 county (or district, or banner) committees.
  • Urban Sub-districts, Townships, Communities, and Village Party Organizations:
    Across the country, Party organizations have been established in 9,160 urban sub-districts, 29,607 townships, 121,270 communities, and 486,326 villages, with a coverage rate exceeding 99.9 percent of China.
  • Party Organizations in Government Agencies, Public Institutions, Enterprises, and Social Organizations:
    There are 800,000 grassroots Party organizations in government agencies, 1.0 million in public institutions, 1.6 million in enterprises, and 183,000 in social organizations, essentially achieving full organizational coverage.

Source: Xinhua, June 30, 2025
http://www.xinhuanet.com/20250630/025d4c05c9294fc185fd70b5bb6af7e6/c.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

CCP Politburo Member Change: Xi’s Confidant Ma Xingrui Replaced By Chen Xiaojiang, Who Has Close Ties to Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao

On July 1, 2025, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) announced that Politburo member Ma Xingrui (马兴瑞) would step down as Party Secretary of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and be reassigned (but not announced). Chen Xiaojiang (陈小江), Executive Vice Minister of the CCP United Front Work Department, was appointed as the new Xinjiang Party Secretary.

Ma Xingrui, a key figure in China’s military-industrial sector, was promoted by Xi Jinping and is also a fellow native of Yuncheng City, Shandong Province, the hometown of Xi’s wife Peng Liyuan.

Chen Xiaojiang, born in June 1962, rose through the ranks in the Ministry of Water Resources. He served both the Deputy Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and Deputy Secretary of the CCP United Front Work Department before the new appointment.

There were two theories on Chen’s appointment.

1. Chen has deep ties to former CCP head Hu Jintao and former Premier Wen Jiabao.

From 1993 to 1998, Chen served as Editor-in-Chief, President, and Party Secretary of China Water Resources News, under Niu Maosheng (钮茂生), then Minister of Water Resources. Chen was promoted to Executive Deputy Secretary of the Ministry’s Party Committee shortly before Niu’s retirement in September 1998. Niu was Wen Jiabao’s assistant – he worked as Deputy Secretary of the Central State Organs Work Committee (中共中央国家机关工委) from 1990 to 1993 when Wen Jiabao served as Director of the CCP General Office.

From 1998 to 2007, Chen continued as Executive Deputy Secretary of the Ministry’s Party Committee under Minister Wang Shuchen (汪恕诚). Wang was a classmate of Hu Jintao and his wife Liu Yongqing at Tsinghua University, and they often attended class reunions together.

From 2007 to 2018, Chen was under Minister Chen Lei (陈雷). In April 2008, Chen Xiaojiang became Director of the Ministry’s General Office, essentially serving as Chen Lei’s chief aide. Chen served under former Ministers Niu and Wang.

While holding his position in the Ministry of Water Resources, Chen Xiaojiang was assigned to Gansu Province from October 2001 to March 2004, where he successively served as Deputy Secretary-General and Director of the Gansu Provincial Government Office, acting as the chief aide to then-Governor Lu Hao (陆浩). Both Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao had spent key phases of their early political careers in Gansu Province.

2. The CCP needs to use a iron fist to control Xinjiang.

Exiled political analyst Yuan Hongbing pointed out that recent Middle East shifts post a potential threat to Beijing’s control of Xinjiang. The fall of Syria’s Assad regime, partly due to Uyghur-led rebel forces, has prompted these groups to plan their return to Xinjiang for more activities. They even adjusted their strategy to target the CCP’s security forces, avoiding civilian attacks.

Beijing initially appointed Ma Xingrui to focus on economic development to stabilize Xinjiang. Now, facing rising political and security threats, the CCP puts Chen there, for his hardline stance and experience in ethnic affairs and security work.

Sources:
1. Epoch Times, July 2, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/7/2/n14543198.htm
2. Epoch Times, July 3, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/7/3/n14543823.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

HK01: Canada Ordered Chinese Surveillance Giant Hikvision to Terminate Operations

Popular Hong Kong new online media HK01 Network recently reported that the Canadian government has ordered Chinese surveillance and telecommunications equipment manufacturer Hikvision to cease all operations in Canada. Canadian Industry Minister Melanie Joly said the order was based on national security considerations.

Melanie Joly indicated that following a national security review under the Investment Canada Act, the Canadian government ordered Hikvision Canada to shut down its business in Canada. The government has determined that Hikvision Canada’s continued operations in Canada will undermine Canada’s national security. In addition, the Canadian government has banned government departments, institutions and state-owned enterprises from purchasing or using Hikvision products. The Canadian government is further reviewing existing equipment to ensure that Hikvision products will not be used in the future. The decision was made after multiple rounds of review of information provided by Canadian security and intelligence agencies. In September 2024, the Canadian government started reviewing an application to impose sanctions on four Chinese surveillance equipment companies, including Hikvision.

In response, China said that the Canadian government’s order to shut down Hikvision Canada seriously damaged the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies and interfered with and disrupted normal economic and trade cooperation between China and Canada. China is strongly dissatisfied and firmly opposed to this.

Source: HK01, June 28, 2025
https://tinyurl.com/fch6zxhx
https://tinyurl.com/4xsuvush

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend Information/Technology

Sputnik News: Chinese and Ecuadorian Leaders Meet at Summer Davos Forum

On June 27, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where Noboa was attending the Summer Davos Forum. The meeting culminated in the signing of a cooperation plan between the two governments to jointly advance Belt and Road Initiative construction.

President Xi highlighted that 2024 marks the 45th anniversary of China-Ecuador diplomatic relations, noting the positive momentum in bilateral ties. He emphasized Ecuador’s integration into the Belt and Road Initiative family and the successful signing of a free trade agreement between the two nations. The countries have achieved fruitful cooperation in energy, mining, electricity, and infrastructure development.

Xi stressed the importance of continuing mutual support for each other’s core interests and major concerns, strengthening exchanges at all levels and sectors, and enhancing governance experience sharing. He called for implementing key cooperative projects to elevate bilateral trade to new heights and strengthening exchanges in education, culture, media, and youth sectors. He also emphasized following through on outcomes from the fourth China-CELAC Forum ministerial meeting.

President Noboa expressed admiration for China’s remarkable development achievements and praised the long-standing relationship built on mutual respect and mutual benefit. He acknowledged China’s significant support for Ecuador’s economic and social development, stating that Ecuador will never forget this assistance. Noboa expressed eagerness to deepen bilateral relations, strengthen economic and trade exchanges, and enhance cooperation in science, technology, culture, education, and youth affairs for the benefit of both peoples.

The meeting concluded with both leaders witnessing the signing of the cooperation plan for jointly advancing Belt and Road Initiative construction.

Source: Sputnik News, June 28, 2025
https://sputniknews.cn/20250628/1066186583.html

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend