Switzerland

• Switzerland expects to expand trade with China: federal councilor (Xinhua)

Foreign Policy

• First details emerge of China's spy claims against Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor (SCMP)
• Improved China-U.S. ties needed for climate change cooperation: Chinese FM (Xinhua)
• Washington cannot define China-US climate cooperation (GT)
• Stop arms sales to 'non-state actors', China urges UN treaty partners, in likely rebuke of US (SCMP)
• South China Sea: Beijing's foreign ships move 'may go the same way as ADIZ' (SCMP)
• How China and the US could talk to the Taliban together (SCMP)
• Chinese FM holds phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State (Xinhua)
• Xi says China willing to walk together with Cuba in building socialism (Xinhua)

Domestic Policy

• Don't expect an easy life and be ready to struggle, Chinese President Xi Jinping warns officials (SCMP)
• Nation's antitrust efforts aim to create fair market (China Daily)
• PLA Air Force becomes strategic, to display latest weapons, achievements at airshow (GT)
• China's Generation N: the young nationalists who have Beijing's back (SCMP)
• Common prosperity key trait of socialism (China Daily)
• China's Youngest Provincial Capital Chief Shows Growing Regional Role of Female Officials (Caixin)

Beijing

• Beijing eases students' pressure for 1.4 million in compulsory education (GT)

Xinjiang

• Exclusive from Xinjiang: Police and family members tell how and why heroic officers fought terrorists until sacrifice (GT)
• Xinjiang official denounces UK for smearing the region while ignoring its own human rights violations (GT)

Hongkong

• Hong Kong gets central backing to join RCEP (China Daily)
• 'Stand With HK': A criminal conspiracy finally exposed (China Daily)
• Why so much democratic advice from Hong Kong's non-democrats? (HKFP)

Taiwan

• Japan's substantial military budget expansion caters to US request, to meet with China's retaliation once involving Taiwan island (GT)

Economy

• China's economic recovery continues to stall as factory activity contracts for first time since April 2020 (SCMP)
• China's high-quality development push fuels steady global recovery (Xinhua)

DPRK

• China, DPRK vow to enhance traditional friendly relations (Xinhua)

Mongolia

• Mongolia reports record high daily new COVID-19 cases (Montsame)
• Works for trial transport of coking coal to India to be accelerated (Montsame)
• L.Oyun-Erdene: A new century of Mongolian-Russian cooperation begins (Montsame)

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Switzerland expects to expand trade with China: federal councilor (Xinhua)
2021-09-02
Swiss Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter told Xinhua during the Swiss Economic Forum (SEF) that she was optimistic on the trade outlook between Switzerland and China. "I think that trade between Switzerland and China has rebounded again ... This is a good sign," Keller-Sutter told Xinhua in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the SEF, one of Switzerland's leading annual economic conferences taking place in the tourist resort town of Interlaken this week. Under this year's theme "New Horizons," hundreds of leaders from business, academia, politics and the media discussed the opportunities and challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. "It is also possible to travel again and so Chinese people are very welcome in Switzerland especially also in this region of the Berner Oberland, which is very popular also among Chinese people" she emphasized. China was the third biggest market for Swiss tourism in 2019. Chinese tourists spent 101,000 overnight stays in the country that year, a number that had dropped to 12,000 in 2020, according to official figures from Switzerland Tourism. Since 2010, China has been Switzerland's biggest trading partner in Asia and its third largest globally after the European Union and the United States. The two countries signed a free trade agreement (FTA) that entered into force on July 1, 2014. Keller-Sutter said she hoped bilateral trade could be further boosted and expanded across different industries. "Although we have a free trade agreement, it would be very helpful and fruitful for Switzerland if we had more access with innovative products on the Chinese market," she said. Switzerland's United Federal Assembly elected Keller-Sutter as federal councillor on Dec. 5, 2018. As of Jan. 1, 2019, she has been the head of the Federal Department of Justice and Police. ^ top ^

First details emerge of China's spy claims against Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor (SCMP)
2021-09-03
Canada's foreign ministry says it is "deeply troubled" by a lack of transparency surrounding the Chinese espionage cases against Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, after the first details of the allegations against the men emerged in state media. A report in the English-language Global Times newspaper late Wednesday said that Spavor, who was convicted of espionage by a mainland court this year, took photos and videos of secret military equipment and sent them to fellow detainee Kovrig. It offered the first details of the accusations against the two Canadians, including that they are alleged to have worked together. Global Affairs Canada responded to the report with a statement on Thursday that said China had denied Canadian officials access to the men's trial and any evidence against them. "Canada has been clear from the beginning. The detentions of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig are arbitrary and we continue to call on China for their immediate release," the statement said. The Global Times report said that Spavor was a "key informant" of Kovrig "and provided him with information over a long period". The claims were attributed to "a source close to the matter". The Global Times is a Chinese government mouthpiece that is published by People's Daily. Canada's government has previously characterised the arrests of Kovrig and Spavor as hostage diplomacy, and a retaliatory measure against the arrest of Huawei Technologies executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver. Global Affairs Canada alluded to this in its statement, saying that Canada continued to "denounce China's use of these cases as political leverage". "We continue to raise the cases of Mr Kovrig and Mr Spavor with Chinese officials at every opportunity and to explore all avenues to secure their immediate release … We remain engaged with our allies to end arbitrary arrests, detentions and sentencings in state-to-state relations and to uphold respect for the rule of law in support of citizens around the world," the ministry said. Meng was arrested at Vancouver's airport on December 1, 2018, triggering outrage from China's government and sending relations between Beijing and Ottawa plummeting. Kovrig and Spavor were arrested in China a few days later. They were put on trial for espionage this year. Spavor was convicted and jailed for 11 years by a Dandong court and ordered deported, although it in unclear whether this would take place only after he had served his sentence. The outcome of Kovrig's trial, conducted in Beijing in a matter of hours behind closed doors on March 22, has not been announced. Kovrig is a former Canadian diplomat who worked for the International Crisis Group think tank. Spavor is a businessman who developed ties with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The Global Times report said Spavor photographed and filmed Chinese military equipment on multiple occasions and illegally sent the images to Kovrig, as well as other people outside China. "The photos and videos have been identified as second-tier state secrets," said the report. It said Kovrig had entered China "under the guise of a businessman and false pretext of commerce" in 2017 and 2018. "In Beijing, Shanghai, Jilin and other places, through his associates, Kovrig gathered a large amount of undisclosed information related to China's national security, on which he wrote analytical reports," Global Times wrote. The report also said Kovrig and Spavor were in good health. China has previously said the arrests of the two Canadians were not connected to Meng's case. Meng, who is Huawei's chief financial officer and the eldest daughter of company founder Ren Zhengfei, is accused of bank fraud by the United States, and has been battling an extradition request in the Supreme Court of British Columbia since her arrest. A date for the judge's ruling in the matter will be announced on October 21. Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes will either order Meng to be released or approve her extradition, after which Canada's justice minister will decide whether to surrender her to the US to face trial. But legal experts believe appeals are likely regardless of how Holmes rules. China's ambassador to Canada, Cong Peiwu, called Meng last week on the eve of the 1,000th day since her arrest. He said the Canadian government should face its "serious mistake" and make the "correct decision" to release her as soon as possible, according to a statement released by the embassy. ^ top ^

Improved China-U.S. ties needed for climate change cooperation: Chinese FM (Xinhua)
2021-09-02
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday met with the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry via video link upon invitation, urging the U.S. side to work with China and take active steps to bring ties back on track. China-U.S. cooperation on climate change serves interests of both sides and the world, and enjoys broad development prospect, but such cooperation cannot sustain without an improved bilateral relationship, Wang said. For China and the United States, as two major countries in the world, cooperation is the only right choice and the keen expectation of the international community, Wang told Kerry, who is in Tianjin for the China-U.S. negotiations on climate change. Wang said the two countries had carried out fruitful dialogue and cooperation bilaterally and on major international and regional issues including climate change, delivering tangible benefits to the two countries and two peoples. The past achievements indicated that the two countries should respect each other and seek common ground while shelving differences so as to reach win-win results, he said. However, major strategic miscalculation by the United States has resulted in the sudden deterioration of bilateral relations in recent years, Wang said, adding the ball now is in the U.S. court. He urged the U.S. side to stop viewing China as a threat and rival, cease containing and suppressing China all over the world, and take concrete steps to improve ties. Wang also said the United States should conduct coordination and cooperation on bilateral, regional and global levels, in accordance with the principle of mutual respect and equality for win-win results. Wang pointed out that the U.S. side had described climate change cooperation as an "oasis" of China-U.S. relationship. However, if the oasis is all surrounded by deserts, then sooner or later the "oasis" will be desertified. Kerry said since U.S.-China cooperation is of vital importance for responding to the pressing challenge of climate change, the United States is willing to work with China to enhance dialogue, jointly improve ambitions, demonstrate leadership, and set an example for meeting the Paris Agreement goals. This will also create opportunities for addressing difficulties facing U.S.-China relations, Kerry said.  ^ top ^

Washington cannot define China-US climate cooperation (GT)
2021-09-02
US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry is on his second visit to China this year, hoping to promote China-US cooperation on the climate issue. As the climate issue is a common concern of all mankind, Beijing and Washington jointly promoting the full implementation of the Paris Agreement benefits not only the two countries, but also the entire world. However, US expectations - separating the cooperation on climate issue from the entire China-US ties, giving such joint work a special hype in disregard of the overwhelming complexity of other aspects of the bilateral relationship, making the Joe Biden administration look righteous and reasonable through the lens of climate cooperation, helping the administration win more points politically - seem quite absurd. The overall US policy toward China has been so wicked. It has imposed a whole-of-government and wide-scale crackdown on China. Then the US suddenly put on a friendly face on the climate issue, inviting China to cooperate with it as if nothing has ever happened. The US wishes to ask China to make new concessions that go beyond the latter's own promises to coordinate US leadership. As Chinese people often ask, "What on earth are you talking about?" The US strategic containment against China has severely divided the world and threatened China's long-term security. Objectively speaking, the US has destroyed the foundation for the world to do something great together. The COVID-19 pandemic is surging across the world but countries are acting in their own ways. This is the result of political antagonism in today's world. The US is, on the one hand, making the utmost effort to divide the world, while on the other, building a drawbridge over the huge gap among the major powers. The rope of the drawbridge is held in Washington's hand. The US lowers the drawbridge when it needs it, and raises it up when it doesn't need it any more. It shows Washington's unscrupulous desire to control the world. Is there any reason for China to let the US get whatever it wants? China and the US can work together on the climate issue and carry out necessary cooperation. But it is obviously hard for the entire Chinese society to accept placing such cooperation in the arrogant logic of the US' China policy of "competition, cooperation, and confrontation," or letting the US arbitrarily define the political implications of China-US cooperation on the climate issue. The US lacks both morality and justice to do so, and it lacks a compelling force to ask China to offer what the US wants. Cooperation must be mutually beneficial. This is both the principle of sticking to the facts and a strategic morality. If the US continues its comprehensive containment of China, and keeps pushing the hostility between the two countries, it will create constant pollution in the space for bilateral cooperation. This is common sense and conventional wisdom. Many of the US policies toward China are zero-sum, leaving the world a strong impression that the US would not be satisfied until it suffocates China's development. Under such circumstances, Chinese society's willingness to cooperate with the US can hardly be immune to the impact of vigilance against the US. Washington should not have thought that showing a little willingness toward cooperation in its comprehensive containment of Beijing is "mercy" to China. If they really think that way, they will find no grateful Chinese. When it comes to climate, China believes that cooperation is necessary, as stated earlier. But if the cooperation has other extended meanings aimed at boosting Washington's political gains, such cooperation must be considered in the big picture of China-US ties. As China is a powerful major country, it has unique influence in many international affairs around the globe. No matter in which field the US hopes to cooperate with China and at the same time promote the US benefits, such joint work must be linked with the entire China-US relationship. China wants to improve its ties with the US, but China will not do everything to please the US. The major power relationship between China and the US should be on an equal footing and follow the basic principle of mutual respect. If the US ever attempts to treat China forcefully in this logic - asking China to keep putting up good shows, ones that are thought good enough to satisfy the US, then the US returns the favor by relaxing tensions - it is totally wrong. This is not the way the Chinese people like to deal with other countries, and we do not want such "improvement" in China-US relations at all. ^ top ^

Stop arms sales to 'non-state actors', China urges UN treaty partners, in likely rebuke of US (SCMP)
2021-09-01
China has called for increased vigilance against illicit arms transfers and – in an apparent reference to the US – urged all parties to a global arms trade treaty to stop selling weapons to "non-state actors". "We support the international community to take all necessary measures to regulate the international arms trade and to combat the illicit transfer of conventional arms," Li Song, China's ambassador for disarmament affairs, told the United Nations' Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) conference in Geneva, marking China's first participation as a formal party to the pact. Li did not name any specific incident, but the timing of the meeting could provide clues. Afghanistan is currently experiencing a turbulent power reshuffle, with the Taliban seizing control of the country following the complete withdrawal of US and Nato troops. The insurgent group has reportedly taken possession of a considerable amount of American weapons and equipment from Afghan government forces, sparking worries that these may end up falling into the hands of terrorist groups with close ties to the Taliban, such as al-Qaeda. Beijing has long feared that post-US turmoil would turn Afghanistan into a hub of terrorism. It has voiced worries that the upheaval would spill over and affect Beijing's heavy investments in Central Asia as well as its counterterrorism efforts in Xinjiang, the far-western Chinese region bordering war-torn Afghanistan. Saudi Prince Turki Al-Faisal, former head of the kingdom's intelligence services, blamed the US for its mismanagement. "I don't know which word to use, whether incompetence, carelessness, bad management – it was all a combination of those things," he was quoted by CNBC as saying on Saturday. The Biden administration has lately scrubbed online detailed reports of military equipment and training provided by the US to Afghan government forces, ostensibly to protect Afghan allies from Taliban retribution. However, some policy commentators have pointed out that those reports did not identify recipient information and some other official reports that do include such information are still publicly available. "Geopolitical tensions are escalating, regional conflicts and turbulence fall and rise, terrorism, extremism and organised transnational crimes are yet to be eradicated, and the risks of illicit trade and diversion of conventional arms are on the increase," Chinese ambassador Li told the Geneva meeting on Monday. He also registered China's protest against countries selling weaponry to non-state actors – without explicitly naming the US or Taiwan. "Some country, in particular, abuses the arms trade as a political tool and flagrantly interferes in the internal affairs of other countries through means including arms sales to non-state actors, which undermines international and regional peace and stability," Li said. Last month, the Biden administration announced its first arms sale of about US$750 million to Taiwan. Beijing regards the self-ruled island as a renegade province and its "reunification" with the mainland as China's core national interest. Under former president Donald Trump, who withdrew the US from the ATT in 2019, Washington sold significantly more weapons than before to Taiwan – further intensifying US-China tensions. "Some country, out of its own interest, constantly breaks its commitments through relaxing its arms export control policies and even revoking its signature to the ATT, which undermines multilateral efforts in regulating conventional arms trade by the international community," Li said. The ATT, which took effect in 2014, aims to regulate international trade in conventional weapons for the sake of promoting international and regional peace. China joined the multilateral group last year. The US was the world's largest exporter of major arms between 2016 and 2020, followed by China in fifth place, accounting for 37 per cent and 5.2 per cent, respectively, of such transfers. China was also the fifth largest importer of major arms during the period, with Russia its main supplier, according to a Stockholm International Peace Research Institute report released in March. ^ top ^

South China Sea: Beijing's foreign ships move 'may go the same way as ADIZ' (SCMP)
2021-09-01
China's regulation requiring notification from foreign vessels entering its claimed territorial waters is unlikely to be obeyed by countries challenging those claims, as happened when it declared an Air Defence Identification Zone on the East China Sea, observers said. The Maritime Safety Administration said that, taking effect on Wednesday, foreign vessels entering China's territorial seas must report ship and cargo information. The administration did not spell out how the requirement would be enforced, but said it would apply the law if vessels failed to comply. Collin Koh, a research fellow from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, said major players including the United States would not follow the regulation. Such an outcome would echo China's declaration of an ADIZ in the East China Sea in 2013, which provoked a backlash from nations including Japan and the US. An ADIZ involves identifying, locating and controlling aircraft for security purposes, as first enforced by the US in 1950, but is not defined by any international treaty and is not treated as a nation's territorial airspace. Announcing its zone in 2013, China said foreign aircraft, even in international airspace, should identify themselves to Chinese authorities, yet it has done little to enforce it in recent years. "I'm not sure how enforceable this new law is – which as I recall is what happened after China declared the ADIZ," Koh said. "At best, some parties or countries may try to comply. "However, the biggest and most consequential actors are unlikely to comply, especially the US, which will view it as yet another example of China's creeping attempt at maritime jurisdiction. We can expect other extra-regional powers to disregard it, too." Shi Yinhong, an international relations expert with Renmin University in Beijing, agreed that enforcement would be challenging. "Any country that has territorial waters disputes with China in the South China and East China seas, and Western countries like the US and Britain that reject most of China's territorial claims, will not abide by the regulation," Shi said. Chinese diplomatic and legal observers also said enforcement would be difficult, but Yu Mincai, an international law expert with Renmin University, said the rule could strengthen navigation security and environmental protection. "It is necessary for foreign vessels to report in our territorial seas in the case of possible military exercises, so that we can ask them to leave to avoid accidental incidents, which is good for both sides," Yu said. An international law expert with China's Wuhan University, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the new regulation was a legal gesture by Beijing to "advocate and consolidate our claims", especially in contested waters in the East China and South China seas. "For the disputed waters, there needs to be a means for a claimant country to consolidate its claims, such as domestic legislation being in place to exercise effective jurisdiction," he said. The South China Sea has become one of many flashpoints in the testy relationship between China and the US, with Washington becoming more assertive in challenging Beijing's claims in the resource-rich waters. Tensions have also escalated between Beijing and other claimants including Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines. An international tribunal in 2016 found most of China's claims in the disputed South China Sea to have no legal basis – a verdict China said it would ignore. Koh said the new regulation was designed to reinforce China's position regarding territorial seas and would increase the risk of provoking a dispute with another claimant. "It wouldn't be just about the 12 nautical miles of territorial sea [that every country is entitled to claim] around China's coastline – it's also about China's excessive straight baselines being drawn along its mainland coast," he said. "It would involve Beijing exercising a law where it shouldn't under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea." ^ top ^

How China and the US could talk to the Taliban together (SCMP)
2021-08-31
China and the US could work together to support the Taliban and deter extremism in the militant group but differences over Xinjiang are a stumbling block, according to Chinese observers. The Taliban took over the Afghan capital Kabul two weeks ago but is confronting an economic crisis that could spiral into a humanitarian disaster as international donors cut off foreign aid – a key contributor to the economy. The International Monetary Fund has blocked over US$370 million in assistance due to "a lack of clarity within the international community" over the recognition of the Taliban regime and the United States has frozen around US$7 billion of Afghanistan's reserves. Zhu Yongbiao, a professor of international relations at Lanzhou University, said the US and China could work together to stop pessimism within the Taliban about integrating into the international community descending into extremism. "To achieve such a goal, China and the US should help Afghanistan based on conditions on the ground, and shouldn't seek to impose harsh sanctions on the Taliban blindly according to the Western standards," Zhu said. "We should look more at whether the Taliban is truly willing to change." He added that a prerequisite for China and the US to help the Taliban cut ties with terror groups was the US changing its attitude towards the East Turkestan Islamic Movement. Beijing blames ETIM for terror attacks in Xinjiang, an area in far western China that borders Afghanistan. The group was founded by Uygur jihadists in 1993 and designated a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in 2002. But late last year, it was taken off the US list in response to alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang. China protested against the decision and has called on the US to change its mind, saying it would help remove obstacles to cooperation between China and the US in Afghanistan and in the global fight against terror. China has repeatedly accused the US of "double standards" on terrorism, a message underlined in a call between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday. But the US and China had started talking about Afghanistan, and dialogue was better than confrontation, Wang was quoted by the Chinese foreign ministry as saying. With a series of deadly suicide bombings in Kabul in recent days, it was necessary for all parties to engage and actively guide the Taliban, Wang said, adding that the US should give economic and humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. Beijing is concerned that the chaos in Afghanistan will lead to security risks in Xinjiang. It hosted a delegation from the Taliban in late July, describing the group as an important political force in the nation. Beijing has also spoken out against sanctions on Afghanistan, saying further pressure would not ease the crisis. But it has stopped short of endorsing the Taliban as the country's legitimate government. Gu Dingguo, a research fellow at East China Normal University specialising in studies of China's neighbours, said China would continue to oppose the US position on ETIM and Xinjiang but there was potential for cooperation. "China can agree to work with the US to provide humanitarian and economic assistance to Afghanistan, but China believes the US is the reason for the chaos, and needs to bear most of such assistance," Gu said. Srikanth Kondapalli, a professor of Chinese studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, said the US-China strategic competition meant cooperation on issues such as infrastructure projects to rebuild Afghanistan was off limits but it was possible for the two nations to coordinate on anti-terrorism. "If Afghanistan becomes a haven of international terrorism once again, it is likely that the US and China would open a channel of communication," Kondapalli said. "The cooperation would be what they did post-911 – intelligence-sharing, and in this case helping regional states coming together to counter [Islamic State] and [Isis-K]." ^ top ^

Chinese FM holds phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State (Xinhua)
2021-08-30
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday, exchanging views on the situation in Afghanistan and China-U.S. ties. During the conversation, Blinken said that at a critical moment when the U.S. military withdrawal and evacuation from Afghanistan is nearing the end, Washington believes that the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) should speak in a clear and unified voice to show that the international community expects the Taliban to ensure the safe evacuation of foreign citizens and the Afghan people's access to humanitarian assistance, and to guarantee that Afghan territory cannot become a hotbed of terrorist attacks or a safe haven for terrorism. Wang said that the situation in Afghanistan has undergone fundamental changes, and it is necessary for all parties to make contact with the Taliban and guide it actively.
The United States, in particular, needs to work with the international community to provide Afghanistan with urgently-needed economic, livelihood and humanitarian assistance, help the new Afghan political structure maintain normal operation of government institutions, maintain social security and stability, curb currency depreciation and inflation, and embark on the journey of peaceful reconstruction at an early date, he said. Facts have proved again that the Afghanistan war never achieved the goal of eliminating terrorist forces in Afghanistan, Wang said, adding that the hasty withdrawal of the U.S. and NATO troops is likely to offer an opportunity to various terrorist groups in Afghanistan to resurge. Wang urged the United States, on the premise of respecting Afghanistan's sovereignty and independence, to take concrete actions to help Afghanistan combat terrorism and violence, instead of practicing double standards or fighting terrorism selectively. The U.S. side clearly knows the causes of the current chaotic situation in Afghanistan, Wang noted, adding that any action to be taken by the UNSC should contribute to easing tensions instead of intensifying them, and contribute to a smooth transition of the situation in Afghanistan rather than a return to turmoil. Blinken expressed his understanding of and respect for China's concerns on the Afghanistan issue. On China-U.S. relations, Wang noted that the two countries have recently conducted communication on such issues as the situation in Afghanistan and climate change. Dialogue is better than confrontation, and cooperation is better than conflict, Wang said, adding that the Chinese side will consider how to engage with the United States based on its attitude towards China. If the U.S. side also hopes to bring bilateral relations back on the right track, it should stop blindly smearing and attacking China, and stop undermining China's sovereignty, security and development interests, Wang said. The U.S. side should take seriously the two lists China has put forward to the United States during the talks in Tianjin, as well as the three basic demands as bottom lines that China firmly upholds, Wang said. Wang noted that China resolutely opposes the so-called investigation report on COVID-19 origins produced by the U.S. intelligence community recently. Politicizing origins tracing is a political burden left by the former U.S. government, Wang said, adding that the sooner the U.S. side unloads this burden, the easier it will get out of the current predicament. China once again urges the United States to stop politicizing the COVID-19 origins tracing, stop putting pressure on the WHO, and stop interfering with and undermining the international community's solidarity against the pandemic and the global scientific cooperation on origins tracing, Wang said. Blinken said the United States has no intention of blaming any country for the origins tracing of COVID-19. As major countries, both the United States and China have responsibility to provide all necessary information, thoroughly investigate the origins of the virus and avoid the recurrence of a pandemic. The United States is willing to stay in touch with China in this regard. ^ top ^

Xi says China willing to walk together with Cuba in building socialism (Xinhua)
2021-08-30
Chinese President Xi Jinping said Monday that China is willing to walk together with Cuba in building socialism and be good partners in pursuing common development in a phone conversation with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel. Xi also said China is willing to join hands with Cuba in being good exemplars of anti-COVID-19 fight and good comrades in strategic coordination. In their talks, Diaz-Canel conveyed Comrade Raul Castro's sincere greetings to Xi, and briefed Xi on the recent domestic situation in Cuba. Xi asked Diaz-Canel to convey his cordial greetings to Comrade Raul Castro. Xi pointed out that under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of Cuba, Cuban comrades have forcefully defended their revolutionary achievements with no fear for the powerful and unyielding struggle. Historically speaking, the socialist cause has never been smooth, and the communists have always strived for survival, development and victory through struggles, he said. China, Xi said, always believes that the right to choose one nation's own path of social development should be respected, and that unilateral sanctions against other countries or external interference in other countries' internal affairs should be opposed. China has always supported Cuba in taking the development road in line with its national conditions and building prosperous and sustainable socialism, and backed the country's just fight to safeguard the security of its national sovereignty and oppose interference of the powerful, he added. China will continue to provide assistance and support within its capacity to Cuba in fighting against the pandemic and improving people's wellbeing, Xi said, expressing his belief that Cuba will make new progress in its socialist cause. Xi stressed that under the careful cultivation and vigorous promotion of successive generations of leaders of the two parties and countries, China-Cuba relations have grown even stronger as time goes by, becoming a model of solidarity and cooperation between developing countries. No matter how the situation changes, China's policy of sticking to long-term friendship with Cuba will not change, and its willingness to deepen cooperation in various fields with Cuba will not change, Xi said. China, Xi said, is ready to intensify high-level exchanges with Cuba, strengthen exchanges and mutual learning in governance of party and state, deepen anti-pandemic cooperation, promote practical cooperation and push for even greater development in bilateral relations. The two sides should intensify their strategic coordination on international and multilateral occasions to safeguard the common interests of developing countries, Xi said, adding that China will continue to uphold fairness and justice for Cuba in both speeches and deeds on the world stage. For his part, Diaz-Canel said he appreciates China's precious long-term support for Cuba, including providing Cuba with anti-epidemic supplies, which has shown the brotherly friendship between the two countries. Cuba firmly follows the socialist path and is willing to strengthen inter-party exchanges and communication with China, as well as practical cooperation in various fields, and to jointly promote the cause of socialism and the development of Cuba-China relations, Diaz-Canel said. Cuba stands ready to work with China to deepen multilateral coordination, and jointly oppose hegemonism, power politics, and the politicization and stigmatization of the epidemic, he said. He said Cuba firmly adheres to the one-China policy and opposes interference in China's internal affairs, and will continue to unswervingly support China's positions on issues of core interests such as those related to Taiwan and Xinjiang. The Cuban side, he added, is willing to play a positive role in promoting relations between Latin America and China. ^ top ^

Don't expect an easy life and be ready to struggle, Chinese President Xi Jinping warns officials (SCMP)
2021-09-02
Chinese officials have been warned by President Xi Jinping to "discard their illusions" about having an easy life and "dare to struggle" to protect the country's sovereignty and security. "The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has entered a key phase, and risks and challenges we face are conspicuously increasing," Xi said, according to state news agency Xinhua. "It's unrealistic to always expect easy days and not want to struggle." He told an event on Wednesday to mark the new semester at the Central Party School, where cadres are trained, that: "We must not yield an inch on issues of principle, and defend national sovereignty, security and development interests with an unprecedented quality of mind." His remarks to hundreds of mid-level cadres from around the country did not elaborate on the need to struggle but were made amid growing tension with the United States on a range of fronts, including geopolitics, the economy and technology. Beijing has reacted strongly to what it sees as provocations that touch on its core interests, including staging military drills near Taiwan last month in response to US expressions of support for the island. The growing international criticism of Beijing's policies in Xinjiang, where it is accused of the use of mass detention and forced labour, have seen it exchanging sanctions with Washington, London and Brussels – freezing a trade deal with the European Union that had taken seven years to negotiate. Senior Chinese officials and generals have signalled they expect the competition with the US to deepen, despite recent visits by senior White House officials such as deputy secretary of state Wendy Sherman and special climate envoy John Kerry. The party school curtain raiser has been used by Xi in the past to set the tone for training sessions for hundreds of cadres from across the country. In the past two years, he has called on officials to "struggle" against threats to China's development. The tone of his remarks have been consistent with Beijing's messaging since last year, said Shi Yinhong, an international relations professor with Renmin University in Beijing. "China's stance has been tough since the outbreak of Covid in the US last year and the tensions that followed," he said. "Standing firm on China's position in the competition with the US is never only the job of the foreign affairs departments, but something the entire country is mobilised to do," he said. Shi added that the same tone is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. Xi has previously highlighted the need to struggle to ensure China's rise. At the same event in 2019, he warned that this would continue until the centenary of the founding of the People's Republic in 2049. On Wednesday the Chinese leader urged all officials to stand firm on matters of principle, saying: "People who play the nice guy think only of themselves but not the public." He added that failing to fight for matters of principle was letting down the people and may even be a crime. Xi also told the cadres to toe the party line and said they should feel proud to be sent to work in remote parts of the country and tackle problems at the grass roots level. ^ top ^

Nation's antitrust efforts aim to create fair market (China Daily)
2021-09-01
China's latest conference on deepening overall reform demonstrated once more that the country's antitrust efforts are not aimed at regulating certain individual players, but at creating a fair market for all kinds of entities from home and abroad, industry experts said on Tuesday. They made the comments after President Xi Jinping called at a high-level meeting on Monday for stronger anti-monopoly efforts and enhanced enforcement of fair competition policies to create more growth room for smaller companies and better protect consumer rights. "The country's recent antitrust efforts again proved that the main aim is to drive different players to maintain fair market order and drive market innovations, which is equal for all market entities," said Zhong Gang, executive director of the Competition Law Research Institute at East China University of Political Science and Law. "It also showed that China is unswervingly driving a business environment that is international, market-oriented and legalized," said Zhong. Noting that recent regulations have focused on platform-based companies, Liu Xu, a research fellow at the National Strategy Institute of Tsinghua University, told China Daily that the nation's market regulators have maintained a generous and inclusive attitude toward the booming internet industry over the past 13 years. "In terms of publicly filed cases related to market dominance and undeclared operator concentration, the total number of anti-monopoly enforcement cases in traditional industries far exceeded that of the internet industry during the period," Liu said. At a meeting of the Central Committee for Deepening Overall Reform on Monday, President Xi underlined efforts to foster a level playing field, create broad development space for all types of market entities, and better protect the rights and interests of consumers, in accordance with the strategic vision of fostering a new development paradigm and promoting high-quality development and common prosperity. The meeting said that China has stepped up anti-monopoly supervision, investigation and punishment of relevant platform-based enterprises that have engaged in monopolistic and anti-competitive behavior, and that this prevents the disorderly expansion of capital and drives the steady improvement of fair competition. The State Administration for Market Regulation, China's top market regulator, proposed amendments to the country's e-commerce law on Tuesday, saying that licenses should be revoked if platform-based companies fail to take necessary measures against vendors who infringe on intellectual property rights. "The very reason that recent regulations are focused on platform-based companies is that the concentration of some large internet platform companies has already affected the innovative vitality of the whole industry and the development of small and medium-sized enterprises," Zhong said. Since last year, a string of Chinese internet heavyweights, including Alibaba Group Holding, Tencent, JD and Suning.com, have been investigated, fined or face fines for alleged monopolistic behavior. Han Wenxiu, an official with the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs, emphasized at a recent news conference that it was clear that recent regulations on platform-based companies are aimed at those who violate laws and regulations, rather than any private enterprise or foreign capital. The country's antitrust measures treat all market entities equally, whether they are State-owned enterprises, private enterprises, foreign-funded enterprises or mixed-ownership enterprises, Han said. On Monday, the meeting also emphasized that more efforts will be made in balancing development and security, efficiency and equality, vitality and order, as well as domestic and international markets. Li Chao, chief economist at Zheshang Securities, said that, like China, other countries have been exploring ways to achieve a balance between regulation and development, and that in most cases, antitrust efforts have helped various sectors flourish. ^ top ^

PLA Air Force becomes strategic, to display latest weapons, achievements at airshow (GT)
2021-08-31
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force will display its latest achievements that have transformed the Chinese military into a strategic force on its way to becoming world class, at the Airshow China 2021, the service announced on Tuesday, with military observers predicting that the "20 family" aircraft, namely the J-20 fighter jet, Y-20 large transport aircraft and Z-20 utility helicopter, will likely again be in the spotlight but with new surprises. The latest variant of the WS-10 Taihang turbofan engine will also be on display, event organizers said. As a historic achievement, the Chinese Air Force has crossed the threshold to become a strategic air force, Senior Colonel Shen Jinke, spokesperson of the PLA Air Force, said on Tuesday at a media briefing for Airshow China. The Air Force will display its latest achievements that have transformed it into a strategic force on its way to becoming world class, Shen said. The Air Force is now capable of effectively carrying out duties and missions in the new era, with more J-20s and Y-20s entering service, domestically developed new-type surface-to-air missiles ready for combat, and the steady increase in capabilities for strategic early warning, aerial strike, air defense, anti-missile, information countermeasures, airborne combat, strategic transport and comprehensive support, Shen said. In 2018, the Air Force announced a roadmap to become a strategic force by 2020, become modern by 2035 and become world class by the mid-21st century, the Xinhua News Agency reported. This means that 2021 is the first year since the Air Force has become strategic. The PLA Air Force used to be a tactical force because it lacked advanced, large and long-range aircraft, but it has entered the realm of strategic force because it now operates strategic transport aircraft, mid-to-long-range strategic bombers and advanced fighter jets, supported by advanced drones and special mission aircraft like early warning aircraft, aerial tankers, electronic warfare aircraft and reconnaissance aircraft, Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military aviation expert, told the Global Times on Tuesday. It not only has advanced equipment, but also a full system that makes it truly strategic, Fu said. After being postponed a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the airshow from September 28 to October 3 in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province, will have a lot to offer, observers said. The J-20 stealth fighter jet will likely again perform, and could make more daring moves, Fu said. Some military enthusiasts also hope that more J-20 jets will participate in the airshow, and that the J-20 could make its first static display on the ground. The Y-20 large transport aircraft will also likely reappear at the airshow, Fu said, noting that it would be a nice surprise if the aerial tanker variant of the Y-20 makes its debut. While having made several public appearances since its debut at the National Day military parade on October 1, 2019 in Beijing, the Z-20 utility helicopter could make its first Airshow China appearance, Fu said. Existing Z-20s are PLA Army versions, and it is widely believed that the helicopter will spawn variants for the Navy, the Air Force and other services, observers said. There are bound to be more surprises, just like the flight performance of the J-10B thrust vector control demonstrator at the airshow in 2018, Fu said, noting that the only remaining member in the "20 family" that has yet to be unveiled, the rumored H-20 stealth strategic bomber, will unlikely make it. In addition to equipment of the PLA Air Force, Chinese arms firms will also bring state-of-the-art exhibits covering land, maritime, aviation, aerospace and electronics available for export to the airshow, with many of them making debuts, including combat vehicles, underwater weapons, warplanes, aero engines, missiles, drones, and radars, the event organizers told the Global Times on Tuesday. China North Industries Group Corporation Limited and China South Industries Group will bring hundreds of equipment that cover mobile assault, fire assault, unmanned systems, all-terrain mobile synthetic battalion system, individual combat equipment, wheeled fire attack equipment, terminal defense combat system, precision ammunition and civilian firearms, with many being new exhibits. Over 30 types of ground equipment, such as the combat tank VT4, the lightweight VT5, the 8x8 armored tank VN1, will perform a variety of tactical operations including slope climbing, water obstacles crossing, and snake-like maneuvers. Making its debut at Airshow China under the new brand name, China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited will bring 60 types of marine defense equipment and solutions at the show, including unmanned combat systems, underwater weapons and smart equipment. Aviation Industry Corporation of China will display 149 pieces of independently developed aircraft equipment and technologies, more than 50 of which will be exhibited for the first time, including the first flight performance of the Wing Loong II drone, and Aero Engine Corporation of China will exhibit the latest variant of the WS-10 Taihang turbofan engine, which is mainly used by warplanes. China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation will put the M20A/B surface-to-surface missile weapon system and the LY-70 air defense missile weapon system on display for the first time, and China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation will display its capabilities covering air defense, coastal defense, ground attack, unmanned combat, early warning, surveillance and security, commercial space, and communication and support systems. China Electronics Technology Group will cover electronic equipment, network system, industrial base, and network security, with about 500 exhibits featuring low/extra-low altitude defense system, radar system, strategic early warning system, advanced electronic components, integrated circuits, and special electronic materials, including 50 sets of large-sized equipment that will be installed for real display, while China Electronics Corporation will display more than 100 types of products in the field of network security, digital services, military electronics and other applications. Airshow China has become a comprehensive defense exhibition that can meet all types of demands of a military, analysts said. China's latest achievement in its outer space exploration, such as the Mars probe Tianwen-1, the Lunar probe Chang'e-5, the Constellation deployment of the BeiDou-3 Global navigation satellite system, the re-entry module of the new generation of manned spacecraft test ship, will also be highlighted at the airshow. ^ top ^

China's Generation N: the young nationalists who have Beijing's back (SCMP)
2021-08-30
When she is not working as a chemist, Zhang Zhiyue writes blogs for Chinese media, giving hot takes on Xinjiang, US-China ties and other trending topics, with Afghanistan the most recent. Zhang, who has 230,000 followers on Zhihu, China's equivalent of Quora, follows international news organisations such as the BBC, and regularly points out coverage she considers biased against China. She breaks down what global events mean for Chinese interests, and the losses and gains in each round of arm-wrestling between Beijing and foreign governments. In recent articles, she slammed Washington for what she deemed irresponsible actions in Afghanistan, yet warned that the withdrawal of US troops was not a victory for China. She said award-winning Afghan director Sahraa Karimi, who filmed herself running down the street in Kabul warning people against the Taliban, was "a US proxy" and conducting "performance art", although she said the Taliban's takeover could give rise to global extremism. "I chose to be a nationalist, and I think it's the right path for the country and for myself personally," said Zhang, 28, a chemist at a research institute in Changsha, central China. "A state that applies nationalist policies usually claims its rights in a proactive way and it benefits everyone in that country," she said. "The most typical example is the US. It earned itself the hegemony and everyone in the US a kind of privilege. Who won't envy that?" Zhang is one of a new generation of people in China who are more vocal and more nationalist than those a decade ago. Fuelled by the Chinese government's messaging on the country's growing economic power, and pressure from China's critics, they are staunch defenders of Beijing's policies, especially those deemed assertive by foreign governments. Her generation of Chinese nationalists no longer take to the street to vent their anger against foreign governments and businesses, instead doing battle on the internet. Public shaming and calls for boycotts are deployed against artists, companies and, in one case, an NBA manager for making references – deliberate or accidental – to Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Taiwan that were not flattering for China. The trend worsened amid growing tensions between Washington and Beijing, with Chinese figures including President Xi Jinping repeating the narrative of China's historic humiliation by Western powers. In March, there were calls online for boycotts of Nike and other fashion brands after they distanced themselves from Xinjiang cotton, a focal point of Western sanctions on human rights grounds. In July, dozens of people confronted Western journalists in Zhengzhou, accusing them of biased reporting after hundreds died in that month's deadly floods. Locals cornered a German video journalist over what they claimed were unfair accusations by BBC reporters about a lack of transparency by the Chinese government, and delayed rescue efforts that left people dead. A week later, the city's official death toll was corrected from 25 to 292. Experts say the rise of China's nationalism is a result of the Communist Party's efforts to reinforce its legitimacy, as well as a shifting expectation of China's international status as its power grows. […] The goal, which includes vague targets to improve China's comprehensive power, will be achieved by 2049, according to party statements. Xi turned up the nationalistic rhetoric in his speech on the party's centenary last month, saying that anyone who tried to enslave the Chinese people would "have their heads cracked and bleed". "Without the Communist Party of China, there would be no new China and no national rejuvenation," he said. Although nationalism had been on the rise since the 2008 global financial crisis, Xi had absorbed it very successfully to rally domestic support, said Zhao Suisheng, of the University of Denver. "The old generation of nationalists were critics of the Chinese government, and some thought that if China became a democracy, it would allow less compromise with the US," said Zhao, who has followed the issue for over a decade. "But once Xi was in power, a lot of what nationalists thought was said by him and his ambassadors. There's a convergence of state-centric and popular nationalism." China's diplomats raised eyebrows and were criticised for conducting Wolf Warrior diplomacy – a term borrowed from a nationalistic action movie – but Lu Shaye, Beijing's envoy to France, defended it. The style was a "justified defence" against criticism, and the world should get used to it, he said. But amid the rise of nationalist sentiment there has also been rare resistance from China's usually quiet political establishment. Amid a victorious mood last September over China's control of the coronavirus, Yuan Nansheng, vice-president of foreign ministry think tank the China Institute of International Studies, sounded a note of warning. "Although China has done well in the fight against the pandemic, to see this as a historic opportunity for China's rise is a strategic misjudgment," wrote Yuan, who was China's consul general in San Francisco in 2013-14. "If we let populism and extreme nationalism flourish freely in China, the international community could misinterpret this as Beijing pursuing 'China first'," Yuan said, referring to then US president Donald Trump's "America first" policy. Posted on WeChat by Peking University's Institute of International and Strategic Studies, the article went viral for days before it was censored. Months later, similar sentiment was voiced at the annual legislative session in Beijing by a retired party ideology guru, in a group discussion featuring Foreign Minister Wang Yi. "[China should] continue to expand opening up, actively and prudently handle relations with major countries, and prevent the rise of domestic populism," said He Yiting, former executive vice-president of the Central Party School, where the party trains officials. Officially, China has avoided using the term "Wolf Warrior" for fear the US and other Western countries will use it to damage the country's image. A government source said state media have also been told not to use the term. Last year, public nationalistic sentiment showed its capacity to influence policy, when a proposed regulation making it easier for foreigners to get permanent residency was suspended after online uproar. Reliance on nationalism could be costly for policy flexibility and China's international image, Miura said. "Audiences abroad are increasingly attuned to expressions of nationalism within China, which risks undermining China's efforts to advance its soft power and portray itself in a benign light," she said. But Beijing is capable of toning down nationalism if it wants to, according to Yun Sun, director of the China programme at Washington-based think tank the Stimson Centre. "Beijing has a pretty good record on managing public opinion and nationalism," she said. "It has many means: government shaping the narrative through media, controlling internet content, formal messaging by the government. "The danger may not be Beijing being pushed by nationalism to be forceful and tough, but a mutually reinforcing effect between nationalism and Beijing's position. "Beijing might see Wolf Warriors as the righteous path because Chinese people love the government for it." ^ top ^

Common prosperity key trait of socialism (China Daily)
2021-08-30
Common prosperity is an essential requirement of socialism and the shared aspiration of all Chinese people. And realizing common prosperity and promoting high-quality development are necessary to achieve the second centenary goal of building a great, modern socialist country. How to advance common prosperity and ensure high-quality economic development? Three experts share their views on the issue with China Daily: At the 10th meeting of the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs on Aug 17, President Xi Jinping said "common prosperity" is an essential requirement of socialism and a key feature of Chinese-style modernization, and emphasized that the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government should adhere to the people-centered and high-quality development model in order to realize common prosperity. But the top leadership's stress on common prosperity has prompted some to ask whether China is preparing to crack down on the private sector and re-adopt egalitarianism to "rob the rich to give to the poor". The answer is a firm "no", for the development of the private economy is also necessary to realize common prosperity. Private enterprises have made great contributions to China's economy since the launch of reform and opening-up more than four decades ago. Since then, they have contributed to 60 percent of the country's GDP growth and 70 percent of technological innovation, and accounted for more than 50 percent of the tax revenue, 80 percent of urban employment, and 90 percent of the new jobs. As such, China has no reason to crack down on private enterprises. Instead, it aims to keep increasing national wealth and narrowing the income gap between the rich and the poor. Besides, President Xi has repeatedly emphasized the importance of boosting the private economy. So why talk about common prosperity? First, the CPC's original mission is to work for the welfare of the people. And we should know that poverty is not socialism, and to develop socialism, it's necessary to help the Chinese people attain prosperity. Second, common prosperity relies on high-quality economic growth, and history shows that the pursuit of egalitarianism without sustainable economic growth usually leads to common poverty. Therefore, the top priority of the leadership is to spur economic growth. Third, apart from personal income, another striking feature of common prosperity is public welfare provided by the government, including education and medical care, and creating equal opportunities, so everyone can get a fair shot at success. Like many other countries, China, too, has income inequality. Since the launch of reform and opening-up, efficiency in productivity and economic governance has been prioritized over equality to promote economic growth and eradicate absolute poverty. The shift to socialist market economy from planned economy has significantly boosted productivity and made China the world's second-largest economy. Yet the country's rapid economic growth has also widened the development gap among regions and between rural and urban areas. Also, people have formed some wrong ideas about the outcomes of reform. For example, some people wrongly believe that reform was implemented to reduce the size of the State-owned enterprises, and push some not-so-successful SOEs into the rat race before they were strong enough to compete with others in the market. In fact, such endeavors in the past caused the loss of State assets and a small group of people accumulated huge amounts of wealth, which widened the gap between the rich and the poor. The distribution of wealth should be more even and equitable. But in some areas, that has not been the case. Correspondingly, we are yet to make a clear distinction between productive and unproductive labor. By distinguishing between the two and rewarding them accordingly, we can boost the real economy and prevent the formation of bubbles in the booming e-economy. Capital always seeks more profits so it can improve its competitiveness, which in turn spurs innovation and boosts economic growth. Although this process can widen the income gap, it should be accepted as long as that gap is within a reasonable range, because it creates wealth and jobs. Moreover, the increasing share of the financial sector in economic growth should boost the real economy and raise productivity, but that has not necessarily been the case. Given its fast and high rate of return, the financial sector has been attracting more and more investments, not all of which flow into the real economy. And although this can boost GDP growth, it contributes little to the increase in wealth while fueling speculation, which is harmful to social development. However, China can realize common prosperity through scientific policy design and institutional arrangements. But for that, it needs to adhere to the labor theory of value, which means determining the economic value of goods or services by the total amount of socially necessary labor required to produce them. Hence, distinguishing between productive labor and unproductive labor is necessary to strengthen the real economy. It is also important to increase the income of workers, raise the proportion of remuneration in the primary distribution of wealth, and ensure wages grow in tandem with the overall economic growth. Plus, there is a need to appropriately reward people who make vital contributions to the overall health of the economy and society such as scientists and researchers in basic science. The Aug 17 meeting also pointed out that it is necessary to correctly handle the relationship between efficiency and fairness; build a foundational system with arrangements for coordinating and supporting primary distribution, (secondary) redistribution, and tertiary (re) distribution of wealth; increase the adjustability and precision of taxation, social security, and transfer payments; expand the size of middle-income groups as a proportion of the population; increase the income of low-income groups; reasonably regulate (adjust) high incomes; and prohibit and suppress illegal incomes. But fair distribution, redistribution and tertiary (re) distribution can be ensured only through the collaboration between the market and government. In socialist market economy, the market plays a decisive role in the allocation of resources. Yet in negotiations, capital has the upper hand over labor, so the government has to intervene to strike the right balance between the two. The government also needs to create an environment in which everybody will have equal access to public services and get equal opportunities to climb up the social ladder. ^ top ^

China's Youngest Provincial Capital Chief Shows Growing Regional Role of Female Officials (Caixin)
2021-08-30
Shi Xiaolin (施小琳), a former Shanghai official and Communist Party standing committee member in Jiangxi province, has been named party chief of Sichuan's Chengdu, becoming the latest in a string of female leaders to be promoted to senior regional party roles this year in a move which makes her the youngest figure to hold that position in any provincial capital. The appointment was announced at a meeting of the city's leaders and cadres on Sunday, according to local official media. The 52-year-old has also been named as a member of the standing committee of the Sichuan Provincial Party Committee, the province's top authority. Shi is the first female party chief of Chengdu in 40 years, and she is the youngest female standing committee member of any provincial party committee. Earlier this year, two other female politicians, Wu Guiying and Han Liming, were named as party chiefs of provincial capital cities Changsha and Nanjing, respectively. Born in 1969 in eastern China's Zhejiang province, Shi has studied and worked in Shanghai for more than three decades. She holds a master's degree in business administration from the city's Tongji University. Shi rose through the ranks in Shanghai, playing increasingly powerful municipal leadership roles. Shi held roles in the city's Zhabei district from the early 1990s before being appointed as the vice governor of the city's Nanhui district in 2006. She was then named as the vice governor and deputy party chief of the city's Hongkou district in 2009 and 2011, respectively. In 2013, Shi began serving as the director of Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau and was made party chief of the city's Putuo district two years later. In 2017, she was named as a standing committee member of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee and became the head of the committee's United Front Work Department, a vice-provincial level position. And in 2018, she moved to the central China's Jiangxi province, serving as a member of the standing committee of the Communist Party's Jiangxi Provincial Committee and head of the committee's publicity department. This month, two other female officials rose to important government positions. Zou Jiayi, a former vice finance minister, has been named deputy secretary of the leading Communist Party group for the General Office of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, China's top political advisory body. And Wang Lixia, formerly secretary of the Hohhot Municipal Party Committee, has succeeded Bu Xiaolin as the chairwoman of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. ^ top ^

Beijing eases students' pressure for 1.4 million in compulsory education (GT)
2021-08-31
Beijing issues detailed regulations on Tuesday to reduce burdens for students, including postponing morning class time, promising one hour for physical exercise and providing at least two-hour after-class services per day, in preparation for the new semester for about 1.4 million students in compulsory education. The regulations were announced by Li Yi, a deputy director of Beijing Municipal Education Commission, at a press conference on the work in reducing homework burden and off-campus tutoring burden, following a conference of Ministry of Education on Monday. "In the new semester, the key point of education and teaching work is to make teaching return to classrooms and teach from beginning-level knowledge," Li said. The commission postpones students' morning class time, which regulates primary schools to start no earlier than 8:20 am and middle schools no earlier than 8:00 am. Schools are required not to use morning and noon checking time and self-study classes for subject teaching, and shall not organize tutoring for students during winter and summer holidays, weekends and other holidays, he said. Schools should not ask parents of students to check homework or require students to check and correct their own homework. All schools in compulsory education stage, including private and public ones, should provide at least two hours off-campus services for all students per day from Monday to Friday. If there is no physical class on that day, students should also take part in exercise for one hour during off-campus hours. The activities would include homework tutoring, exercise and comprehensive quality development such as arts, scientific activities, games, clubs and interest groups. ^ top ^

Exclusive from Xinjiang: Police and family members tell how and why heroic officers fought terrorists until sacrifice (GT)
2021-09-03
"Tomorrow, I will buy fruits and nuts for the festival!" Tursungul Slamu still remembers every word her husband Abudueni Turdi said before going out into the night on July 27, 2014. A few hours after leaving home, Abudueni, who was the secretary of committee for discipline inspection of Dunbake township in Shache county, was taken as a hostage by terrorists in a confrontation with the police before being brutally killed. Nurmemet Wubul, one of the police officers fighting against the brazen terrorists, was furious to see their brutality and he too was severely injured in the fight. What happened in Shache county of Kashi Prefecture on July 28, 2014 was one of the most tragic moments when dealing with a terror attack and was one of the several thousand terror attacks in Northwest China's Xinjiang region from 1990 to 2016 with a large number of innocent residents being killed and several hundred police officers losing their lives. The Global Times reporters visited many places in the Xinjiang region in Hotan, Kashi and Ili prefectures in July. By revisiting the places where terror attacks occurred, talking to the relatives of victims and family members of sacrificed officers, and paying tribute to the heroes in martyrs' cemeteries, we reviewed these heroes' touching stories and the hardship endured during Xinjiang's fight against terrorism. Shache county, a place with a 3,000-year-long history, is located in southeast Kashi. It is hometown of Amanni Shahan, who collected the Twelve Muqam, a musical form known as the mother of Uygur music. But this land of music and delicacy was haunted by the three evil forces - terrorism, extremism, and separatism. On the early morning of July 28, 2014, a group of terrorists wielding knives and axes raided the Ailixihu township government and a local police station. Some of them ran to neighboring Huangdi town and put up roadblocks along the road from Huangdi town to Ailixihu town. They set fire to trucks along the roads and killed drivers and passengers. According to data from Xinjiang regional government, 37 people died in the terrorist attack on July 28, 2014, and 31 trucks and cars were vandalized with six of them burned. The police shot 59 terrorists dead and arrested 215. Nurmemet, who headed the public security bureau of Shache county, joined the police operation countering the terrorists and was severely injured by a stray bullet. The scar - which is still clear to see this day - runs from his back to his left rib. Nurmemet told the Global Times that the police received a tip-off from local residents that a group of unidentified people had suspiciously assembled. Police officers then detained a dozen of them. "Some of the members thought their plot had been exposed and decided to attack the police station. They stopped a truck, killed the driver, and drove it to raid the police station with explosives." Nurmemet guided the Global Times reporters to the police station and pointed to the bullet holes that had been left on the front walls. "The scene was too horrible to look at - they drove the truck to break into the yard and it did not stop until crashing through the doors of the administrative building. There were terrorists who were holding weapons and rushing into the yard to confront the officers and were shot dead after receiving a warning," Nurmemet said. After an investigation, the police found that these terrorists had planned to attack multiple locations in Shache county on July 29 - the Eid al-Fitr. Nurmemet told the Global Times that he was commanded to execute the operation at 5 am in the morning and arrived at Alixihu town at around 8:50 am. The rioters were rampaging and some hid in nearby shelters to throw Molotov cocktails and stones at the village committee. After nailing down the group of rioters, Nurmemet went to a cross-road outside the 15th village, where more than 100 rioters confronted the police from a distance of 300 meters while brandishing knives and axes and police ammunition they had robbed from the village committee. "We negotiated with them - explaining policies to them and persuading them to surrender by dropping their weapons. But they refused," Nurmemet said. "I found that Wulamujan Tohut, the head of Dunbake township, and Abudueni Turdi were hemmed in by rioters," he said, noting that the two officials' heads were bowed with rioters pointing knives at them. After a while they were felled. "We later found that they were in hemorrhagic shock leading to their death. Each of them had dozens of stab wounds across their bodies," Nurmemet said. The two officials refused to utter jihad slogans demanded by the terrorists, denounced them, and were eventually killed, local media reported. […] Xinjiang has never been short of hero stories of, like Abuduani and Nurmemet, who safeguarded the homeland and resisted the invasion of foreigners or fought against terrorism. "Those who died to safeguard the people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang will live long in our hearts," this sentence was engraved onto the tombstone of two martyrs - Long Fei and Kong Yongqiang - who were buried beside each other at a cemetery in Yining. Long was a policeman in the public security bureau in the Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture. On April 19, 1998, Long was commanded to raid a house where a group of terrorists who smuggled weapons lived. He climbed into the yard and drew near the house. The moment he broke into the house, he was shot by the terrorists in the neck and died. Two months later, on June 26, 1998, the bureau undertook another operation against the group of terrorists who planned to conduct explosions on June 30, 1998, during which Long's comrades-in-arms Kong Yongqiang and Nurtai Aniwar were sacrificed. They were buried near Long. Coming to the cemetery to pay tribute has become a regular activity for police officers in the public security bureau. Cutting weeds, wiping the tombstones, and lining up… police officers would hold a memorial ceremony in front of the tombs of these martyrs. Wang Xinli, director of the logistic department of the public security bureau, who was Long and Kong's friend, told the Global Times that "I come here at every Tomb-Sweeping Day to see them and talk to them." The senior police officer lit two cigarettes and put them in front of the tombs of Long and Kong. "We have come to see you again, old pals. Our special policemen took an oath here. Please rest assured - we will carry on with your mission and fight for the stability and peace of the region. Please rest assured my comrades-in-arms!" In the martyr cemetery in the Hotan Prefecture, Mulat Shrifjan carefully wiped the rain drops from the photo of his friend Airet Mamut, former deputy head of the public security bureau in Pishan county in Hotan, who died five years ago in the fight against terrorism. "I wish he could see today's Xinjiang," Mulat said. On September 10, 2016, Airet led a group of police officers to arrest a nationally wanted terrorist group leader in Pishan county. When besieged in a burrow, the terrorist ignited an explosive device and tossed it at him. Airet died at the age of 47. "When I was told of his death, I could not believe it and wished it was not true. I kept remembering him and felt heartbroken," Mulat said. According to data from the Xinjiang authorities, since 2014, Xinjiang has cracked down on 1,599 terrorist groups, seized 12,995 terrorists, recovered 2,052 explosive devices, conducted investigations into 4,858 illegal religious activities, and seized 345,229 pieces of illegal propaganda materials. From 1990 to the end of 2016, several hundred police officers died in the line of duty. All these police officers' names are remembered in Xinjiang. The Global Times saw heroes from the 1920s who had sacrificed their lives to safeguard Xinjiang's stability were also remembered. Some of the martyrs did not even leave a photo and some died at a young age. Thanks to these people, residents of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang can now enjoy a peaceful and happy life. "When I see the hustling and bustling streets full of people, people dancing happily in squares, students going to school, and residents enjoying delicious food at the night market, I remember my comrades-in-arms who died in the anti-terrorism fight," Mulat said. "If I could have another drink with my old friend Airet, I would want to say to him that 'I miss you.' For him, I will cherish today's stability and prosperity like cherishing my eyes," he said. ^ top ^

Xinjiang official denounces UK for smearing the region while ignoring its own human rights violations (GT)
2021-08-30
It is absurd that the UK, a country that has committed so many crimes in history, is trying to lecture others on human rights, Xu Guixiang, spokesperson of the regional government of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, said during a press conference on Monday. His remarks came in response to a series of provocations made by some British politicians on Xinjiang-related issues in recent years. "Have you ever been to Xinjiang? Do you know the actual situation here? Where does your confidence come from?" Xu directed the questions to British politicians. Xu said that some Western countries and certain politicians from the UK have tried through every means to accuse and blame Xinjiang, instead of showing understanding and support when the region faced crisis and took just action to fight terrorism. The UK's accusations against Xinjiang are absurd and contrary to the facts, said Xu, noting that Xinjiang's steady development has hit them in the face. Instead of "repressing ethnic minorities," Xinjiang has successfully cracked down on violent and terrorist activities and the region has been without any terrorist attacks for more than four years in a row. Instead of "setting up 'concentration camps' and 'imprisoning' more than a million people," Xinjiang has achieved the highest number of students, attending what are actually training and education centers, that have graduated, found stable jobs and are living a happy life, Xu said. At the press meeting, an expert on human rights form the Xinjiang University pointed out the human rights violations in the UK, saying the anti-Muslim sentiment in that country has become increasingly high and it is difficult to guarantee the basic political, economic, cultural and social rights of Muslims. An independent report led by Swaran Singh, former Commissioner of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, revealed that "anti-Muslim sentiment remains a problem [within the UK's ruling Conservative Party,] judging by the extent of complaints and findings of misconduct by the party itself that relate to anti-Muslim words and conduct," according to a report by Bloomberg. It is Britain itself that really deserves the title of sponsor of "genocide", "human rights violations" and "forced labor," said Xu, noting that a country like the UK, which has committed so many crimes in human history, is in no position to lecture others on human rights. In July 2020, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab claimed that China violated the human rights of the Uygur ethnic minority in Xinjiang by conducting "forced sterilizations." The Chinese Foreign Ministry refuted such claims saying it is "utter nonsense." In April, the UK parliament voted to declare that China is committing genocide against the Uygur people in Xinjiang. In July, the UK's Foreign Affairs Committee published a report titled "Never Again: The UK's Responsibility to Act on Atrocities in Xinjiang and Beyond". The Chinese Embassy in the UK responded saying that the report is "nothing but a pack of disinformation" and "an attempt out of ulterior political motives to deliberately slander China's policy on Xinjiang and wantonly interfere in China's internal affairs." ^ top ^

Hong Kong gets central backing to join RCEP (China Daily)
2021-09-02
The Ministry of Commerce will support the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in joining the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement as a separate customs territory as soon as possible, in the latest effort to help the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong complement each other and achieve common growth, a senior government official said on Wednesday. Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, addressing the sixth Belt and Road Summit in Hong Kong via video link, said the ministry will support Hong Kong in conducting free trade agreement negotiations with other countries, playing a role in Asia-Pacific economic cooperation and further enhancing its position as an international financial, trade and shipping center. The summit is being held on Wednesday and Thursday. The RCEP, the world's largest free trade deal, comprises 15 Asia-Pacific economies: the 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as well as China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and New Zealand. They have been pushing for the RCEP agreement to take effect next year. Wang said that supporting Hong Kong's participation in the Belt and Road Initiative is an important measure taken by the country to carry out high-level opening-up. It is also a significant way for the mainland and Hong Kong to complement each other and achieve common growth. The ministry will continue to implement policies and measures in commercial sectors to support the growth of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, encourage Hong Kong companies to participate in major exhibitions on the mainland, and enhance the convergence of rules in key areas such as the Shenzhen Pilot Demonstration Zone and Hainan Free Trade Port, he added. Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, chief executive of Hong Kong, emphasized the significance of multilateralism amid the continuing spread of protectionism across the globe. The BRI and the RCEP free trade agreement will boost the manifold benefits of multilateralism, she said. The value of trade between Hong Kong and the 15 member economies of the RCEP amounted to $770 billion in 2020, accounting for 73 percent of its total export and import volume. It has also signed free trade agreements with 13 RCEP member economies, according to the regional government. Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said, "There is another promising connection between the BRI and RCEP－Hong Kong has direct access to the mainland economy. We are the ideal springboard to and between the Chinese mainland and the Asian market." "Hong Kong's deep liquidity, outstanding financial infrastructure and wide-ranging options for raising capital can meet the financing needs of any BRI projects," said Chan. The SAR government is looking into securitizing infrastructure loans to provide banks with opportunities to offload their loans to long-term investors so that they have the capacity to finance more new projects, he added. Also on Wednesday, the Ministry of Commerce and the SAR government jointly signed a memorandum of cooperation on promoting the high-quality development of overseas economic and trade cooperation zones. The mainland and Hong Kong will leverage their respective advantages to promote in-depth cooperation between their businesses in the zones, as well as cooperation with host countries, to reach win-win results. ^ top ^

'Stand With HK': A criminal conspiracy finally exposed (China Daily)
2021-08-31
Grenville Cross says everybody who worked with the obsessively secretive anti-China body is guilty of violating national security, and must face justice. After the insurrection got underway in 2019, various anti-China groups emerged to encourage the protest movement and its armed wing. Of these, none was more malignant than Hong Kong Watch, the London-based propaganda outfit operated by the serial fantasist, Benedict Rogers. To raise its profile, Rogers roped in an assortment of China bashers as patrons, all happy to propagandize upon request. They included the former governor, Chris Patten, the former foreign secretary, Malcolm Rifkind, and the House of Lords backwoodsman, Lord (David) Alton. Although Hong Kong Watch is relatively open about its activities, this cannot be said of its associate, "Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong" (SWHK). Obsessively secretive, it always concealed its officers, membership and location, and made full use of proxies, anonymous Facebook accounts and pseudonyms. Oozing hatred of China from every pore, its website nonetheless calls it "an independent, grassroots, crowdfunding advocacy group of individuals who have come together to fight for freedom and democracy for Hong Kong". During the insurrection, SWHK established links with subversive elements across society, including in the student unions. Under the guise of democratic activism, it encouraged every type of depredation not only in the city, but also against it from outside. Using networks to which its controllers provided access, it cultivated ties with McCarthyite elements in foreign parliaments, and campaigned for the United States to enact the sanctions-heavy Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act. As with Hong Kong Watch, it distorted the truth about the city, peddled fallacies about the Chinese mainland, and sought to hinder China's resurgence. Using its slogan "fight for freedom", SWHK had no qualms in resorting to multifaceted chicanery. Apart from whitewashing the protesters' outrages and advocating their "five demands", it also targeted particular officials who upset them. It not only, for example, urged the UK government to revoke the citizenship of British police officers serving in the Hong Kong Police Force, but also helped to raise HK$10 million ($1.28 million) to bring private prosecutions for terrorism against them in the British courts. This, however, was a travesty of justice and died a death, notwithstanding the best efforts of the criminal fugitive Nathan Law Kwun-chung, and, if the money raised has not been refunded, the fraud squad will hopefully be investigating. From the outset, SWHK had funding of its own, although, until much later, its origins were unclear. What was known, however, was that it always had plenty of cash and was prepared to splash it around. One eager beneficiary was the Hong Kong Watch patron, David Alton, who clearly loves his freebies. After an all-expenses paid trip to Taiwan, from Oct 1 to 6, 2019, in which, as parliamentary records disclose, he met "government ministers and officials", he then turned up in Hong Kong, from Nov 23 to 25, 2019, calling himself an "election monitor", with all his "travel and accommodation" being funded by SWHK. Quite why SWHK bothered itself with someone like Alton was initially a mystery, but no longer. On Nov 6, 2019, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hong Kong was launched, with the professed aims of promoting democracy, the rule of law and human rights in Hong Kong, and Alton became its vice-chair. Despite its grandiose title, the APPG has no official standing, and its true motivation was obvious from the beginning. Indeed, its launch party in London was attended by activists from SWHK, one of whom gave a speech, and from a sister body, the UK-based Democracy for Hong Kong. Once formed, the APPG announced, on March 10, 2020, that it would conduct a "limited official inquiry" into the handling of medical workers and activists by the Hong Kong Police Force, with its report being submitted to the British government. What, however, astonished observers was the announcement that the inquiry was to be chaired by the APPG's co-chair, Baroness (Natalie) Bennett, a highly partisan figure who, like Alton, made no secret of her animus towards the police force. Indeed, on March 19, 2020, prior to the inquiry starting, she wrote to the South China Morning Post to denounce "the excessive force used by the Hong Kong Police" against protesters who were "risking life and liberty defending Hong Kong". In other words, Bennett, with Alton at her side, was planning a kangaroo court in which the police would stand no chance, and their report duly accused the force of having "indisputably" violated international human rights law. However, there was far more to the report than the inherent bias of its authors. Shortly after the APPG's inquiry was announced, researchers made an astonishing discovery in a parliamentary register. The APPG's secretariat was the Whitehouse Consultancy, a communications agency, that was being funded by SWHK. As of Nov 5, 2019, it had pumped 36,000 pounds ($49,530) into Whitehouse, and this, presumably, was just for starters. What this meant, therefore, was that the inquiry was not only being conducted by individuals who had already prejudged the issues, and, in Alton's case, actually taken money from SWHK, but that it was being financed by an anti-police body that expected a critical report. Indeed, notwithstanding having paid for it in advance, SWHK even had the bare-faced effrontery to announce that "we welcome the release of the report, which reaffirms the violations of international humanitarian principles by the HKPF". The APPG inquiry, therefore, was a grotesque charade, offensive to natural justice and disrespectful of fair play. Although this is how SWHK operates, it was extraordinary that Bennett and Alton were prepared to join it in the sewer. Once again, this unsavory episode illustrated the lengths to which some people are prepared to go in order to try to damage Hong Kong and undermine China. The failure, moreover, of the British foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, to call the authors out after the report was submitted was extraordinary and spoke volumes for this hapless individual's mindset. On Aug 10, 2020, just days after the APPG's report was issued on Aug 6, more light was shed on SWHK. After the media magnate Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, and nine other suspects were arrested for collusion with foreign forces, it was widely reported that they had been plotting with SWHK to secure the imposition of international sanctions upon China. Although this was scornfully dismissed by some people as scaremongering, the latest revelations will now have given them pause for thought. On Aug 19, Andy Li Yu-hin and Chan Tsz-wah pleaded guilty in the High Court to conspiring to collude with foreign forces, Lai and his aide Mark Simon to endanger national security. Although, legally speaking, their admissions are only binding on them, and are not evidence against the other suspects, they acknowledged that they had, between July 2020 and February 2021, colluded with Lai, Simon and others to organize international promotions to encourage foreign governments to sanction Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Chinese mainland officials. According to the lead prosecutor, the inimitable Anthony Chau Tin-hang, Lai and Simon were the "masterminds and financial supporters behind the scenes and at the highest levels of command of the syndicate", and they controlled SWHK. Simon, said Chau, reported directly to Lai, executed his instructions and vetted requests for financial support, and the pair of them assisted Li to forge SWHK's overseas contacts, notably in the US. Indeed, Li, with Lai's approval, reportedly sent a sanctions list targeting 144 politicians and officials to the then-managing director of the US-based Hong Kong Democracy Council, Samuel Chu Muk-man, the son of Occupy Central co-founder Chu Yiu-ming. Having received the list, Chu, in respect of whom an arrest warrant is now in force for allegedly violating national security, passed it not only to US senators Ted Cruz and Rick Scott for action, but also to the Hong Kong Watch "Fellow", Luke de Pulford, in the UK. Chau also disclosed how, using Lai's finances, Li and Finn Lau Cho-dick, another criminal fugitive, had created SWHK in August 2019. The choice of Lau was interesting, not least because he pioneered the protest movement's "Lam Chau" strategy, and even deployed the LIHKG user name "I want Lam Chau". Whenever Lai and Simon needed to give instructions to Li and Lau, they were conveyed by Chan Tsz-wah. A key function of SWHK at this stage was to press for foreign sanctions, as well as to seek global condemnation of local and mainland officials, and the police force. Hostile articles were placed in overseas newspapers, and foreign functionaries, like de Pulford, were allegedly engaged to persuade 32 countries to terminate their extradition and mutual legal assistance agreements with Hong Kong, which, of course, some did. Lai and Simon, moreover, also offered free publicity for SWHK in Apple Daily, and Lau, who was described as its spiritual leader, was told he could use copyrighted photographs for propaganda purposes. As regards SWHK's crowdfunding campaigns in 2019-20, Chau revealed that these netted approximately HK$37.6 million. The money was used to publish propaganda and reports, like that of the APPG, to retain consultancy and lobbying firms, like Whitehouse, to organize demonstrations, and to sponsor foreign politicians visiting Hong Kong to observe the protests. Intriguingly, however, it was not used to fund Alton's trip to Hong Kong, nor that of de Pulford, who accompanied him, as Simon gave Li HK$500,000 to finance those particular junkets. Having admitted the truth of the prosecution case, it remains to be seen if Li and Chan will give evidence against their co-accused. If so, and the evidence is truthful, they could qualify for a significant sentencing discount. Although prosecutors will be assembling as strong a case as possible against the remaining suspects, they will undoubtedly appreciate extra evidence, not least because it could help trigger further guilty pleas. But, irrespective of whether this is forthcoming, SWHK has finally been exposed as a criminal conspiracy, and everyone can now understand why it was always so secretive. Quite clearly, everybody who worked with SWHK is guilty of violating national security, and must face justice. Although some suspects are facing trial, others are still at large, and must be pursued for as long as it takes. While they may imagine they are safe in their foreign hideaways, they can never afford to let their guard down, particularly when traveling. After all, criminal justice has a long reach, and is also very patient. No matter the obstacles, the authorities must commit themselves to bringing to account anybody who sought to destroy Hong Kong and weaken China by collaborating with SWHK. ^ top ^

Why so much democratic advice from Hong Kong's non-democrats? (HKFP)
2021-08-30
One of the more amusing aspects of Hong Kong politics is the number of people with no affiliation to or taste for democracy who take it upon themselves to offer advice and instructions to the democratic movement. There was a particularly hilarious example the other week when Mr CY Leung took up arms in defence of the right of members of the Professional Teachers Union to a vote on the closure of their union rather than have the committee decide it. More recently we heard from Mr Lo Man-tuen, occupant of the previously obscure post of vice chairman of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, a United Front appendage. Mr Lo opined in a newspaper piece that the Democratic Party would face a "dead end" if it did not take part in the upcoming Legislative Council elections. Mr Lo's theory is apparently that if the Democratic Party boycotted the election it would become a subversive organisation and all those of its members who were currently District Councillors would consequently be disqualified. As a legal proposition this looks rather dubious. And of course most of the party's district councillors have already been arrested or persuaded to resign anyway. Perhaps for these reasons Mr Lo's idea was not endorsed by another person taking an unexpected interest in the future prospects of the Democratic Party, our Chief Executive Carrie Lam. She said that besides discussion and debate, participation in politics was the "purpose of existence" of a political party. "A political organisation must have a wish one day to enter the political system to make changes," she said. A member of the Democratic Party might respond that they did have a wish to make changes. They planned to use the constitutional procedure provided for the purpose to get rid of her. And look where it has got them. It appears that, under the national security regime, entering the political system to make changes is a criminal offence. The only legally acceptable reason for entering the system is to support the government. Mrs Lam proceeded to her usual trick, in which she demolishes an argument which nobody has offered. "If a political organisation said it will never take part in elections … that is bizarre." The question of never taking part in elections has not come up. Only anarchist groups, and not all of them, reject all elections on principle. What the Democratic Party has to decide is whether to take part in one particular upcoming election. The one during which most of its members will be in prison, leading to some scepticism about Mrs Lam's supposedly reassuring observation that the political system in Hong Kong "can surely accept people with different political stances to run in the election." And in an elegant exercise in combining two incompatible principles she said that "Improving the legislative system is not intended to create a legislature without a plurality of voices in Hong Kong, but to require every candidate to fulfil the requirements as a patriot." I am reminded of the British politician who, rebuked for expressing two incompatible ideas in the same sentence, replied that "if you can't ride two horses at once you shouldn't be in the circus." In any case there is clearly a feeling among our lovely leaders that it would be nice to have a few democrats in the new-look Legco. Nothing too ostentatious – single figures, perhaps. No need to provide committee chairmanships or time to debate motions. The Civic Party and the Social Democrats have already decided to give this election a miss. Things are getting a bit desperate. The trouble is that it is difficult to see the attraction for the Democratic Party. Neither power nor influence are on offer. There will be opportunities to make speeches, but as the media massacre continues will they be reported? The pay is good, if elected, but the new legal regime presents hazards. A careless word could lead to disqualification. Disqualification could lead to prosecution. Prosecution could lead to prison. This is not a theoretical concept for Hong Kong democrats these days. And after all, a party committed to democracy must have some standards. Looking at the new-look Legco many democrats will behold elections carefully designed to produce a political poodle, a Potemkin parliament, a counterfeit council, a constitutional fig leaf obscuring the reality of one-party rule. The Liaison Office is planning a political pantomime and the part on offer is the back end of the horse. Why, one has to wonder, is a fig leaf required? Every day we are told that the rule of the Communist Party has done wonders for the rest of China while Hong Kong was wasting time on political bickering. You would think that the likes of Mr Lo and Mrs Lam would be telling us that we were now entering a new Golden Age in which Hong Kong also would benefit from democracy with Chinese characteristics, in which the Party decides everything. This is not really compatible with a "plurality of voices" and we see every day another voice silenced, another contributor to "discussion and debate" threatened, assaulted or jailed. Clearly this is a necessary part of the new era and should be defended and explained in those terms. Similarly it is a necessary part of the system that the electoral arrangements should exclude undesirable candidates not only by manipulating the nominations and voting but also by political vetting of any hopeful who survives this process. The only remaining question, which Mrs Lam seems to have overlooked, is this: could a serious democrat vote for anyone who has got through the sieve and onto the ballot? Groucho Marx said he would not join a club which would have someone like him as a member. Looking at our new political arrangements, democrats may feel something similar. ^ top ^

Japan's substantial military budget expansion caters to US request, to meet with China's retaliation once involving Taiwan island (GT)
2021-09-01
Japan's defense authority has requested a record budget for 2022, which experts viewed as a move against China and shows Japan's aggressiveness for future military expansion under the cover of cooperating with the US strategy and concerns of Taiwan Straits tensions. The budget proposal, released by Japan's Defense Ministry on Tuesday, seeks an annual budget of 5.48 trillion yen ($49.93 billion), a 2.6 percent increase from the previous year and also the fastest hike since 2018, media reported. The ministry also aims to install missiles to strengthen military capabilities around the country's southwest chain of islands near China's Diaoyu Islands. The plan came after the first-ever security talks between ruling parties of Japan and the Taiwan island last week, which is believed to be a move catering to the US' Indo-Pacific strategy to contain the Chinese mainland. "Japan's defense spending has been ballooning year by year and this year's budget is reaching the ceiling of remaining defense spending within 1 percent of GDP, revealing the real intention of Japan to develop its own military capability by hyping China's threats," Lian Degui, a professor at the School of Japanese Studies in Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times on Wednesday. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin on Tuesday slammed Japan for increasing its defense budget for nine consecutive years. By making an issue out of its neighbors at every turn, Japan is merely seeking to justify its military expansion, Wang said. Japanese politicians had accused the Chinese mainland of "unilaterally changing the regional status quo," which not only "affects the security of the Taiwan Straits, but also Japan's security," Taiwan media reported. "The hype against China and stirring up regional tensions related to the Taiwan question provides Japan an excuse to beef up its military… Japan's defense budget is expected to remain high as long as the current conservative government remains in power," Lian said. "Japan needs to constantly hype the "China threat" so it can turn it into public opinion to support revising its pacifist constitution," Song Zhongping, a military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times. Reuters reported the bills include 130 billion yen for 12 Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 stealth fighters, and 105 billion yen for the development of its first new domestic fighter jet. The budget also includes the building of a new camp on the southwestern Ishigaki Island in Okinawa where it plans to deploy surface-to-air and anti-ship missile batteries and 570 troops, Janes reported. Song believes US demands for Japan to play a bigger role in regional security are behind Japan's growing defense budget. As an ally of the US, Japan has been acting as a US pawn to pressure China, and the purchase of arms from the US was also part of its plan. The US-Japan plot is to create the so-called island chain and lay siege to the Chinese People's Liberation Army. But this kind of surface-to-air missile and anti-ship missiles deployment won't be a threat to China. If there had been a military conflict, it is completely ineffective, Song noted. Chinese experts had warned that Japan's direct involvement in the cross-Straits relations is only the wishful thinking of Taiwan secessionists. Japan will suffer massive retaliation from the Chinese mainland once it intervenes in cross-Straits affairs militarily. ^ top ^

China's economic recovery continues to stall as factory activity contracts for first time since April 2020 (SCMP)
2021-09-01
China's factory activity slipped into contraction in August for the first time in nearly one and a half years as coronavirus containment measures, supply bottlenecks and high raw material prices weighed on output in a blow to the economy. The slowdown in the manufacturing sector underscores the fragility of the ongoing economic recovery and the impact of strict coronavirus curbs in the country, backing expectations Beijing will roll out more support measures to revitalise growth. Two separate official surveys released on Tuesday showed China's factory activity grew at a slower pace, while the services sector slumped into contraction. The Caixin/Markit manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) fell to 49.2 last month, from 50.3 in July, breaching the 50-mark that separates growth from contraction. The result was well below expectations by analysts polled by Reuters, who had forecast the index at 50.2. New export orders tumbled into contraction for the first time since February, while factories laid off more workers than they hired. The strict lockdown measures of China's zero-cases approach to coronavirus controls successfully squashed an outbreak of the more infectious Delta variant across several provinces in August, but also hit economic activity. "The latest Covid-19 resurgence has posed a severe challenge to the economic normalisation that began in the second quarter of last year," said Wang Zhe, senior economist at Caixin Insight Group. Many analysts expect the central bank to deliver a further cut to the amount of cash banks must hold as reserves later this year to lift growth, on top of July's cut which released around 1 trillion yuan (US$154 billion) in long-term liquidity into the economy. A subindex for production fell to 47.7, the slowest pace of expansion since February last year at the height of the pandemic, while another subindex for new orders slipped to 48.0. Companies reported Covid-19 restrictions had dampened demand and led to sourcing difficulties, while a shortage of chips has also been crimping manufacturing. "Due to the lack of chips this year, the demand for auto parts has decreased," said an car parts exporter in eastern China's Suzhou surnamed Huang. "Our factory has been continuously reducing production, and in July and August, I heard that some factories stopped production. At the moment it looks like chips will continue to be in short supply." An index of confidence in the year ahead stood steady. Input and output prices continued to rise and at a faster pace. "Official economic indicators for July were worse than the market expected, indicating mounting downward pressure on economic growth," Caixin's Wang said. "Authorities need to take a holistic view and balance containing Covid-19, stabilising the job market, and maintaining stability in supply and prices." China's economy had staged an impressive recovery from the lows of the coronavirus pandemic, growing by 7.9 per cent in the second quarter of 2021 compared with a year ago, while in the first half of the year, it grew by 12.7 per cent year on year. But economists have since slashed their economic outlooks for China as the Delta variant spreads across the world's second-largest economy after export retail sales and industrial production growth all missed expectations in July. Earnings at China's industrial firms in July also slowed for the fifth straight month due to elevated raw-material prices and supply-chain constraints from extreme weather, as well as sporadic coronavirus cases. ^ top ^

China's high-quality development push fuels steady global recovery (Xinhua)
2021-09-01
People's way of living has been turning increasingly digital, and the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating this transformation across the globe. Businesses and industry leaders worldwide will gather in Beijing on Thursday to attend the 2021 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS). Digital services, the main focus of the six-day fair this year, are set to expand their cooperation through the creation of abundant opportunities. The leap-frogging digital growth in China in recent years has become a key driving force for high-quality development pursued by the country. China's endeavors to achieve better growth will, on a global scale, be a boost for the world's post-pandemic recovery that is seeing some positive signs. With services trade being a pillar of China's vibrant economic activities, China's economic resilience will provide broad prospects for international cooperation amid the pandemic. China has effectively controlled the virus with stringent and persistent measures, including combating a recent surge of Delta cases in some parts of the country. The launch of the 2021 services fair in Beijing during the pandemic is proof of its successful handling of the virus. The arduous battle has enabled the country to maintain growth in the pandemic-hit 2020 while other major countries have failed to do so, and score a 12.7-percent growth year-on-year in the first half of 2021. Trade in services has recorded a leap due to China's push for high-level opening-up and all-round innovations since 2021 -- the country's imports and exports of services totaled 2.37 trillion yuan (365.4 billion U.S. dollars) in the first half of the year, up 6.7 percent annually. Digital services are experiencing a gradual shift from an alternative to a necessity, as traditional forms in the services sector, such as tourism and transport, have been dealt a hard blow by the raging pandemic. In 2020, China's digitally deliverable trade in services rose by 8.4 percent year-on-year, and accounted for 44.5 percent of the total services trade, official data showed. While livestreaming, e-commerce, unmanned logistics and other forms of digital services are booming, China has also been strengthening its regulation of the digital industry to provide fertile soil for high-quality growth. The Chinese authorities have been making progress in breaking the monopoly of a few Internet giants to maintain fair and healthy market competition. Just in July, they launched a six-month campaign to target activities that disrupt market order, damage consumer rights, and threaten data security. Meanwhile, China has been continuously pushing for a further opening-up of its market to facilitate the access of high-quality foreign enterprises in the services sector. A slew of measures include the shortening of the negative list for foreign investment for four consecutive years, and the release of a negative list for cross-border trade in services at the Hainan free trade port, among others. Foreign enterprises have shown robust confidence in the Chinese market due to its market size and resilience against economic headwinds. Data showed foreign direct investment in the Chinese mainland has maintained a sound momentum since the second half of 2020. The world's second largest economy has also held yearly editions of several international trade fairs, including the CIFTIS in Beijing, the China International Import Expo in Shanghai, and the China Import and Export Fair, among others, to set up venues for stronger interconnectivity among markets worldwide. China's endeavors to promote high-quality development reflect its commitment to the world's common prosperity. If the world's countries all join forces, the global community will emerge victorious from the pandemic and the economic downturn at an early date, and improve people's quality of life in the long run. ^ top ^

China, DPRK vow to enhance traditional friendly relations (Xinhua)
2021-08-30
Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi met with Ri Ryong Nam, ambassador of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to China, in Beijing on Monday. Zhao said that China is ready to work with the DPRK to implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two countries, enhance strategic communication, deepen practical cooperation, and jointly safeguard the security of the two countries and the stability of the border areas. Zhao also called for efforts to maintain, consolidate and develop the two countries' traditional friendship and promote their causes of socialism for new development. Ri Ryong Nam said the DPRK stands ready to work with China to enhance communication and coordination, deepen practical cooperation and promote the development of bilateral relations. ^ top ^

Mongolia reports record high daily new COVID-19 cases (Montsame)
2021-09-02
Mongolia reported 3,805 new COVID-19 infections today, the highest daily increase since the pandemic hit the country last year, according to the Ministry of Health. In specific, 912 new cases were confirmed in Ulaanbaatar city and 2,893 cases were detected in rural regions. Currently, 15,316 people are receiving hospital treatment for COVID-19 whilst 20,714 people with mild symptoms of COVID-19 are being isolated at home. As of today, a total of 2,097,056 people have received the second dose of vaccines against COVID-19, equal to 64.5 percent of the total population of Mongolia. ^ top ^

Works for trial transport of coking coal to India to be accelerated (Montsame)
2021-09-01
On August 31, President of Mongolia U.Khurelsukh received Ambassador of the Republic of India to Mongolia M.P.Singh. Ambassador M.P.Singh congratulated the President for being elected, and expressed satisfaction in the recovery of political stability in Mongolia. Mentioning that he used to give special attention to the bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries during his term as the Prime Minister, President U.Khurelsukh expressed his full support for strengthening the Strategic Parntership between Mongolia and India, and successfully implementing joint large-scale projects. The sides highlighted the active cooperation and mutual support provided despite the pandemic situation. They then noted how the delivery of 100 thousand doses of Remdesivir that was received from the Republic of India on August 30 will make significant contributions in the protection of public health against COVID-19. They also agreed that it would be right to continue to actively put in efforts in order to successfully implement the oil refinery project on schedule. During the meeting, the sides exchanged views on increasing the trade turnover between the two countries, and accelerating the works being carried out to conduct a trial transport of coking coal to India. In the framework of the soft loan being provided from the Government of India, both sides expressed satisfaction in the launch of joint projects such as the establishment of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Center for Excellence in IT, Communication and Outsourcing, and a Mongolian-Indian joint school. ^ top ^

L.Oyun-Erdene: A new century of Mongolian-Russian cooperation begins (Montsame)
2021-08-30
Prime Minister of Mongolia L.Oyun-Erdene took part in a joint public and private sector meeting on 'Supporting Mongolian-Russian business and attracting investment from Russia'. At the beginning of the meeting, the Prime Minister said, "This year marks the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomat relations between Mongolia and the Russian Federation. The two countries should bring the economic and business cooperation to a new level in the next 100 years. The pandemic has slowed the world down. We, therefore, need to be ready for the Post-Pandemic economy. The economy, which was minus 5.3 percent, now stands at 6.3 percent. Let us begin a new chapter in public and private partnership. We have raised many issues including unfavorable environment for investment. We will change the approach and the cabinet will begin to hold a meeting with investors before making a decision. Moreover, we will strive to work to overcome the challenging circumstance posed by the pandemic and double the GDP." Mentioning that trade and economic cooperation between Mongolian and Russia is weak, the Prime Minister said that Russia made up 0.9 percent in the Mongolia's export in 2019, while this performance was 58.5 percent in 1992. Looking back to the relationship between the two countries over the past 10 years, from the establishment of a strategic partnership in 2009 to the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2019, there has been criticism of non-significant results in the bilateral relationship, except for visa-free travel between the two countries. Thus, establishing a Free trade agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union, which includes Russia, is one of the solutions to reduce the tariff and non-tariff barriers facing bilateral trade. During the meeting, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Mongolia Iskander Kubarovich Azizov said "There is no legal, political dispute between our two countries. 100 years of Mongolian-Russian relations are in the interests of both countries. I agree with what Prime Minister said. The two countries have developed a high level of political, humanitarian, defence as well as security cooperation. But the trade and economic cooperation have fallen behind. Mongolia has favorable environment for legal regulations of trade and economic relations. It is, therefore, important to intensify the activities of the Trade representative offices of the two countries." Ambassador I.K.Azizov also highlighted the importance of implementing project for the building of the super grid and further expanding cooperation in science and education. At the end of the meeting, the Prime Minister said that he would set up a research work group with the Eurasian Economic Union, intensifying the efforts to study the economic feasibility of establishing a free trade agreement. ^ top ^

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