Foreign Policy

• China confirms second Canadian Michael Spavor under investigation for allegedly endangering national security (SCMP)
• FBI counter-intelligence official warns US to unite against Chinese espionage threats (SCMP)
• China committed to upholding peace, regional stability: defense experts (Xinhua)
• Expert advises plaintiffs to appeal Dutch court ruling on stolen Buddha statue (Global Times)
• Huawei CFO 'unlikely' to be extradited (Global Times)
• Xi holds talks with Ecuadorean president, eyeing steady development of bilateral ties (Xinhua)
• China and Russia may set up energy alliance, Moscow's top envoy says (SCMP)
• China slams use of bringing up human rights issues with political motives as "immoral" (Xinhua)
• China sends 100 peacekeepers to Sudan (Xinhua)
• Rivals and neighbours: China and India count down to joint military drill (SCMP)
• China, Germany pledge to jointly protect free trade, world order (Xinhua)
• China's wish to complete talks on South China Sea COC in 3 years "good sign" : Philippine defense chief (Xinhua)

Domestic Policy

• Chinese pastor Wang Yi's wife Jiang Rong accused of inciting subversion and held in unknown location after Christian crackdown (SCMP)
• New judicial explanation to better protect intellectual property rights (Xinhua)
• Smog on the rise in northern China as winter looms, Greenpeace says (SCMP)
• China holds national memorial ceremony for Nanjing Massacre victims (Xinhua)
• China issues white paper on human rights progress over 40 years of reform, opening up (Xinhua)
• Members of unofficial Chinese church vow to defy crackdown and keep meeting (SCMP)
• Xi stresses human rights development in Chinese context (Xinhua)
• China shuts down 1,100 self-media accounts (Global Times)

Beijing

• Beijing's population drops for 1st time in 2017 (Global Times)

Guangdong

• Shenzhen airport starts credit-based security check (Global Times)

Tibet

• US poised to ban Chinese officials unless Tibet is opened up to Americans, adding to friction over trade and Huawei (SCMP)
• Chinese NPC Tibetan delegation visits European Parliament (Xinhua)

Xinjiang

• China's 'missing' photographer Lu Guang arrested in troubled Xinjiang region, his wife confirms (SCMP)

Hongkong

• Binding power of decisions by China's top legislative body on Hong Kong still open to debate despite court ruling on joint checkpoint, legal experts say (SCMP)
• Hong Kong Democrats lose 59 members after row over district council elections (SCMP)
• Leaders of banned Hong Kong National Party to face three-man Exco panel for appeal (SCMP)
• Lawmakers charged over cross-border rail Legco protest call move 'ridiculous political persecution' (SCMP)

Taiwan

• Taiwan leader Tsai's claim of mainland pressure slammed as 'groundless hype' (Global Times)

Economy

• Steady growth to continue in 2019 (China Daily)

DPRK

• Soldiers from North and South Korea verify removal of one another's DMZ guard posts, crossing border peacefully for first time (SCMP)
• US sanctions top Kim Jong-un aides over North Korea human rights violations (SCMP)
• Chinese state councilor meets DPRK FM on bilateral ties, Korean Peninsula situation (Xinhua)

Mongolia

• Investment policy introduced to Japanese businessmen (Montsame)
• Mongolia's role in solving the Northeast Asian security recognized (Montsame)
• Twenty-two MPs announce readiness to refuse of their full powers (Montsame)

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China confirms second Canadian Michael Spavor under investigation for allegedly endangering national security (SCMP)
2018-12-14
China has confirmed that a second Canadian citizen is being investigated for activities that allegedly endangered its national security, following the detention of a former diplomat, amid rising tensions between the two nations over the A report by the Liaoning government's official online news outlet on Thursday said Michael Spavor – a businessman based in the Chinese city of Dandong with connections to North Korea – was detained on Monday in an investigation by the provincial state security bureau. The investigation was related to "activities that endanger China's national security", the report said. On Monday, former diplomat Michael Kovrig was also detained, by the Beijing state security bureau, and faces the same accusation. Kovrig is a senior adviser for Northeast Asia with the International Crisis Group. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the Canadian embassy in China had been notified of both cases, and the legitimate rights of Kovrig and Spavor had been protected. "China is taking action in accordance with the law," Lu said in a daily press briefing on Thursday. But he declined to say whether the investigations were retaliation for the arrest of Huawei Technologies chief financial officer Sabrina Meng Wanzhou, or if they were related to North Korea. The confirmation came after Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said a second Canadian citizen could be in trouble in China. Canadian foreign ministry spokesman Guillaume Berube said Canada was working hard to ascertain Spavor's whereabouts and would continue to raise the issue with the Chinese government. Kovrig and Spavor know each other because of mutual interest in Northeast Asia. Spavor is a prominent North Korea watcher and a founder of NGO Paektu Cultural Exchange. He has visited North Korea many times with delegations to assess business opportunities in the hermit kingdom. He met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in 2013, and joined a North Korean military parade in February this year, posting a video to his Twitter account. Spavor's group also advises on North Korea-related business, saying in August that the business prospects for North Korea had improved this year. He also helped arrange a visit to North Korea by former basketball player Dennis Rodman. Spavor was set to attend a conference in Seoul at the Royal Asiatic Society on Tuesday night, but never arrived at the conference, according to people familiar with the matter. "[We] haven't heard from him… He never showed up. Other than that I haven't heard anything and know nothing of his whereabouts," one source said. "He was supposed to be in Seoul but nobody has seen him," another source confirmed. The detentions of Spavor and Kovrig came after Huawei executive Meng was arrested in Canada at the request of the United States. Meng, who was released on bail on Tuesday, could be extradited to the US to face fraud charges over alleged violations of US and EU sanctions on Iran. Beijing was furious about the arrest and warned of serious consequences for Canada. Canadian officials said they were officially informed of Kovrig's detention via fax early on Monday. "Canada is deeply concerned about the detention of Mr Kovrig and Canada has raised the case directly with Chinese officials," Freeland, the foreign minister, said. The Chinese foreign ministry said the International Crisis Group was not registered in China, and might have violated the country's foreign NGO law if it carried out activities inside China. A spokesman for the group on Thursday said it opened an office in China in 2007 after consultations with the foreign ministry, but closed its Beijing operation in December 2016 because of the NGO law. "Michael Kovrig has been working from Hong Kong, which is not subject to the same law," the spokesman said. Friends and observers said that both Spavor and Kovrig might have become "hostages" and "pawns" in the trilateral tensions. Some Canadians in mainland China said they were concerned about the diplomatic feud. "As a Canadian who is not affiliated with the media, international relations or any other activity that would draw attention from the Chinese government, my feelings of personal safety are the same as prior to the incidences," one Canadian working in China said. "I am, however, concerned with where this diplomatic feud will escalate to, the future of relations between the two countries, and what that means for Canadians living in China." Zhang Baohui, director of the Centre for Asian Pacific Studies at Lingnan University in Hong Kong, said Meng's arrest had angered Beijing and the developments could be a manifestation of China-US rivalry. "This is all shrouded in secrecy so it's difficult to know the real reasons for the arrests… in the next few days more explanations from the Chinese government will emerge regarding the detention of these Canadian citizens," Zhang said. ^ top ^

FBI counter-intelligence official warns US to unite against Chinese espionage threats (SCMP)
2018-12-13
Calling China "the most severe counter-intelligence threat facing our country today", a senior FBI official told US lawmakers on Wednesday that the American government, along with the business and academic communities, must adopt a more integrated approach to Beijing's commercial espionage efforts. "Make no mistake," Bill Priestap, the bureau's assistant director of counter-intelligence, said at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington. "The Chinese government is proposing itself as an alternative model for the world, one without a democratic system of government, and it is seeking to undermine the free and open rules-based order we helped establish following world war two." Priestap, who will retire at the end of the year, cautioned that the US was not doing enough to coordinate its response to Chinese espionage. "There are pockets of great understanding of the threat we're facing and effective responses, but in my opinion we've got to knit that together better," he said. Warning against what he called "ad hoc responses", he said: "We need more people in government, more people in business, more people in academia pulling in the same direction to combat this threat effectively." Priestap, who had a role overseeing investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, appeared alongside representatives from the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice. Issuing similar warnings, committee chairman Chuck Grassley, Republican of Iowa, said in opening remarks that "the media hysteria over all things Russia" had distracted attention from "a greater, more existential threat: China's efforts to overtake the United States as the world's pre-eminent superpower in all phases of society". Senator Dianne Feinstein, the committee's senior Democrat, recalled that as mayor of San Francisco in 1979 she had travelled to China to establish sister-city relations with Shanghai, and that she had been "very proud of China's economic and technological development". But, she said, its cyber espionage and theft of US technology had done "enormous damage between a relationship that I had hoped way back in the 1970s was really going to change that big Pacific Ocean into a small river of friendship, goods, services and interchanges". John Demers, assistant attorney general in the Justice Department's national security division, said that by stealing trade secrets through computer intrusions and the co-opting of company insiders, China had "turned the tradecraft of its intelligence services against American companies". Between 2011 and 2018, Demers said, more than 90 per cent of his department's cases alleging "economic espionage on behalf of a state" involved China. Among such cases are the recent prosecutions of Chinese national Xu Yanjun, suspected of trying to steal trade secrets from US and European aerospace companies, and 10 other Chinese intelligence agents suspected of similar offences. "The playbook is simple," Demers said. "Rob, replicate and replace." In early November, a week before he lost his job as US attorney general, Jeff Sessions announced that the Justice Department was launching a "China initiative", led by Demers, to combat economic espionage orchestrated by Beijing. Among the US attorneys serving in that initiative is Richard Donoghue, the lead prosecutor in the US case against Huawei's chief financial officer, Sabrina Meng Wanzhou. Additionally, the US is preparing indictments against hackers suspected of trying to use large US companies' internet providers to access corporate clients' data, according to The Wall Street Journal. Also looming over Wednesday's hearing were reports that a breach of around 500 million Marriott customers' data had been traced to Chinese hackers, and the case of Huawei's Meng, who was freed on bail on Tuesday in Vancouver pending a hearing on her extradition to the US, which Washington has requested. US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he would consider getting involved in the case of Meng, who is accused of financial fraud while skirting US sanctions on sales to Iran, if it would help in trade talks with Beijing. His remarks were bolstered by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who said on Fox and Friends on Wednesday that trade was a component of the administration's efforts to push back against Chinese threats. "Any time there's a law enforcement engagement, we need to make sure we take foreign policy considerations into effect," Pompeo said. "It's totally appropriate to do so." Senator Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut and a Judiciary Committee member, said he found it "extremely disturbing" that Trump might "intervene to block action by the Department of Justice", and he asked Demers about the "dangerous message" such remarks could send to the law enforcement community. Demers declined to comment on pending cases, but said: "What we do at the Justice Department is law enforcement. We don't do trade. We follow the facts and we vindicate violations of US law." After Blumenthal's question, Priestap said: "I want you to know from the FBI's end, we're going to continue to do our job." ^ top ^

China committed to upholding peace, regional stability: defense experts (Xinhua)
2018-12-13
Chinese defense experts on Thursday reaffirmed the Chinese military's commitment to upholding peace and regional stability. They expressed this to reporters from 26 domestic and overseas media institutions during a press event held at the International College of Defense Studies (ICDS) at the National Defense University (NDU) in Beijing. "The Asia-Pacific region has been one of the most peaceful and prosperous regions in the post-Cold War world. This cannot be achieved without China's role as the stabilizer and engine of world economic prosperity after its reform and opening up," said Xu Hui, Commandant of the ICDS at the NDU. "In the past few decades, China has been actively maintaining regional stability in this area, promoting the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, participating in the establishment of a regional mechanism and confidence-building measures," said Xu. In the last ten years, China has actively participated in anti-piracy, anti-crime, and escort missions in the Gulf of Aden, said Liang Fang, professor of the College of National Security (CNS) at the NDU. "The crime rate has substantially declined in the Gulf of Aden since China actively shouldered peacekeeping and stability maintaining missions in the area," Liang said. "Chinese naval forces have never controlled any strategic passage during their peacekeeping and disaster relief missions overseas. In the defensive nature of China's defense policy, we do not bring chaos or turbulence to other countries, but rather provide public security goods and dividends," said Meng Xiangqing, professor of the CNS at the NDU. Among the five UN Security Council permanent members, China has provided the most military personnel and the second most financial support for UN peacekeeping missions, and China will adhere to the principle of upholding peace and stability consistent with the UN Charter, Meng said. So far, the ICDS has received senior military officers from over 160 countries in five continents for training sessions and exchanges. China has played an important role in world peacekeeping missions, said Olard Joel, a lieutenant colonel from Gabon who was trained for four months at the ICDS. ^ top ^

Expert advises plaintiffs to appeal Dutch court ruling on stolen Buddha statue (Global Times)
2018-12-13
An expert said Chinese villages can appeal after a court in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, refused to a legal dispute over the ownership of a Buddha statue that contains the mummified remains of a monk. The statue was stolen in 1995 from a shared temple by two villages of Sanming, East China's Fujian Province, and wound up in the collection of a Dutch art dealer. After acquiring the location of the statue, the villages sued the dealer in a Dutch court. The court turned down the case, saying in a written ruling that the two villages are not legal entities and are therefore ineligible to file a claim. Huo Zhengxin, vice dean of the School of International Law of China University of Political Science and Law, said the Dutch court failed to refer laws of the plaintiff's country, which is Chinese law in this case. Village committees are entitled to file lawsuits, according to Article 96 of the General Principles of Civil Law. The case is one of the first attempts to repatriate Chinese antiquities through a legal approach instead of diplomatic channels. In lawsuits to restore lost cultural relics, there are precedents that adopt laws of the originating countries. However, the Dutch court failed to do so and the villages can appeal the ruling, Huo said. ^ top ^

Huawei CFO 'unlikely' to be extradited (Global Times)
2018-12-13
Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Chinese tech giant Huawei, who was granted a $7.5 million bail, is unlikely to be extradited to the US because she is charged for political reasons, analysts said. Canadian news outlet CBC News, citing the country's extradition laws on December 7, reported that Ottawa has the power to reject extradition requests that it considers oppressive or politically motivated. Extradition requests that seek to prosecute people for their nationality, race or religion should be declined. "Considering this regulation, Meng's extradition is unlikely to be approved," Huang Feng, director of Beijing Normal University's Institute for International Criminal Law, told the Global Times on Thursday. US Ambassador to Canada Kelly Craft on Tuesday said there is "absolutely" no political motive behind the arrest of Meng after noting China's rise might have worrying implications for North American workers. Her words were undermined hours later when US President Donald Trump said he could intervene in the case for the country's interest, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday. Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland on Wednesday also warned the US not to politicize extradition cases and Meng's lawyers would have the option of raising Trump's remarks if they decide to fight extradition, Reuters reported on Thursday. Canada's Department of Justice said an individual can be extradited if the alleged criminal activity in question is recognized as a criminal in both countries. The US must also provide "solid evidence" to prove Meng violated the laws of "both the US and Canada"; otherwise the request cannot pass the judicial review of the Canadian court, Huang said. Meng did not violate Canadian laws that only impose sanction regulations on its citizens and domestic enterprises. Therefore, Meng "did not violate the laws of both countries, which further reduces her chance of being extradited to the US under current conditions," Huang noted. Meng faces charges of deceiving financial institutions and conducting business in Iran in contravention of US sanctions, according to information from her bail hearings. But her activities were outside the US and the concerned financial institutions are not US ones, which means "the US is obviously overreaching," Huang noted. Meng was granted bail on Tuesday after being detained by Canadian police based on the US request of a provisional arrest. The US still has some 50 days to gather evidence for its extradition request, and Huang believes the sudden arrest of Meng and confiscation of her personal items "are meant to dig for evidence, which the US does not possess, to support future extradition requests." ^ top ^

Xi holds talks with Ecuadorean president, eyeing steady development of bilateral ties (Xinhua)
2018-12-12
President Xi Jinping on Wednesday held talks with Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, calling for the healthy and steady development of the bilateral ties. Recalling his state visit to the South American country in 2016, Xi said the healthy and steady development of China-Ecuador ties goes with not only the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples but also the trend of peace, development and win-win cooperation. During the 2016 visit, the two countries established a comprehensive strategic partnership, ushering in a new chapter for the bilateral relationship, Xi said. Xi said he appreciates President Moreno's commitment to deepening the friendly cooperation between the two countries since Moreno took office last year. Xi stressed that the two sides should increase interactions to intensify their strategic communication and coordination and exchange experience on governance, so as to enhance mutual understanding and support for each other's path of development and continue backing each other firmly on issues involving their core interests and major concerns. Noting that Ecuador's participation in the construction of the Belt and Road is welcomed by the Chinese side, Xi expects the two sides to jointly promote cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, production capacity, agriculture, information technology, new energy and environmental protection. "China welcomes Ecuador to actively explore the Chinese market and share opportunities brought by China's development," Xi said. China's financing cooperation with Ecuador is conducted on the basis of equality, mutual benefit and business principles, without attaching any political condition, said Xi. Noting that the Chinese government requires Chinese enterprises in Ecuador to abide by local laws and regulations and run business fairly in the market, Xi expects the Ecuador side to create a good investment environment and protect their legitimate rights and interests. He called for closer people-to-people and technology exchanges, urging both sides to carry out law enforcement cooperation to guarantee normal exchanges of personnel, economy and trade. Xi also said China will continue to support Ecuador's post-earthquake reconstruction and its disaster prevention work. China and Ecuador have same or similar positions on major international and regional issues, said Xi, calling on the two sides to collaborate closely to safeguard multilateralism, promote reform of the global governance system and defend the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries. Moreno expressed gratitude for China's assistance on Ecuador's economic and social development, especially for the help offered after Ecuador was hit by an earthquake in 2016. Moreno said Ecuador is ready to actively take part in the Belt and Road Initiative and expand bilateral cooperation in various fields. He welcomed and appreciated China's financing cooperation with Ecuador and expects to expand exports to China. Moreno also expressed the will to enhance coordination and collaboration with China in multilateral affairs such as UN Sustainable Development Goals. After the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of several cooperation documents, including a memorandum of understanding on jointly promoting the construction of the Belt and Road. ^ top ^

China and Russia may set up energy alliance, Moscow's top envoy says (SCMP)
2018-12-12
China and Russia are looking into setting up an energy alliance, Moscow's top envoy to China said on Wednesday, as they seek closer ties amid growing pressure from the United States. Speaking in Beijing, Russian ambassador to China Andrei Denisov also hailed military cooperation between the two countries over the past year. He highlighted Vostok 2018 in September, Russia's biggest war games in nearly 40 years that involved almost 300,000 Russian troops and 3,000 from China, saying it "reflected the high-level mutual trust on politics". "Given the large scale of the exercise, it's difficult to make it regular, but normal military contact will continue," Denisov said. Russia, under sanctions over its annexation of Crimea and the alleged attempted murder of a former spy and his daughter in Britain, has been edging closer to Beijing in recent years, raising suspicions in Washington. Denisov said trade between the two neighbours was expected to reach US$110 billion this year – about 70 per cent of which was from energy. "Russia is willing to work with China on long-term and stable supply cooperation in the energy industry," Denisov said at the embassy's annual press conference. "If China partners with Russia, [both sides will] benefit from healthy development in bilateral ties and establish a security network [on energy]." Facing severe air pollution from burning coal and a growing dependence on imports for its energy supply, Beijing has been seeking to buy more from Russia – one of its top suppliers of crude oil and natural gas. As part of those efforts, an extension of the East Siberia-Pacific Ocean oil pipeline between Russia and China went into operation in January, doubling the export volumes from 15 to 30 million tonnes a year – or almost 220 million barrels, Denisov said. Meanwhile, a 3,000km pipeline – seen as Russia's most ambitious, costly and geopolitically critical energy project since the fall of the Soviet Union – is expected to start pumping 38 billion cubic metres of gas a year from eastern Siberia to eastern China from next December, he said. Li Lifan, an associate professor at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said energy cooperation with China was part of Russian President Vladimir Putin's Asia pivot, as Moscow sought to diversify its market because of Western sanctions limiting its options in Europe. In addition to the gas pipeline running from eastern Siberia, Beijing and Moscow are also negotiating over a western route that would supply 30 billion cubic metres of Russian gas annually to China. "Talk of an energy alliance could be a sign that the western route deal may be wrapped up very soon," Li said. The Russian ambassador's remarks come as Beijing and Washington are locked in a trade war, with China imposing a 10 per cent tariff on US liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports in September after US President Donald Trump announced punitive tariffs on US$200 billion of Chinese imports. China has since agreed to start importing more US agricultural, energy, industrial and other products, according to the White House. But Li said it remained uncertain whether LNG – a market now dominated by Qatar and the United States – would be on Beijing's US shopping list. "Importing natural gas from Russia could also impact the price of American LNG, because pipeline gas is relatively cheap – and as China is a key importer of LNG in east Asia, this could also further suppress the price of LNG," Li said. ^ top ^

China slams use of bringing up human rights issues with political motives as "immoral" (Xinhua)
2018-12-11
China slammed the use of bringing up human rights issues with political motives as "immoral", asking the U.S. side to seriously and objectively treat China's ways chosen by its people in dealing with human rights issues. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang made the request at a press briefing when commenting on U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad's statement on Dec. 10, International Human Rights Day, in which the ambassador said he has witnessed China's "tremendous progress in many areas," while also making a groundless accusation concerning China's human rights situation. "It is impossible to accurately understand other countries while holding prejudice and thus enhance mutual trust," said Lu. The U.S. standard is a "one-size-fits-all", which is blind, and such a standard has proved to be a failure in many parts of the world, said Lu. During German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier's recent visit to China, some German reports said the German leader touched on human rights issues when meeting with Chinese leaders. When commenting on relevant questions, Lu said China holds an open attitude towards exchanges and dialogue on human rights on the basis of mutual respect. Lu noted that Sino-German exchanges and cooperation cover a wide range of fields, including human rights protection, immigrant issues, and challenges brought by digital development. He said as China and Germany differ in history, culture, development and social systems, their views on some issues may not be exactly the same. However, as long as the two sides insist on mutual respect and treat each other as equals, constructive talks and friendly exchanges can be carried out. ^ top ^

China sends 100 peacekeepers to Sudan (Xinhua)
2018-12-11
A group of 100 Chinese peacekeepers departed from Beijing Capital International Airport to Darfur, Sudan on Tuesday for a one-year peacekeeping mission. The peacekeepers are the first group of a 225-member sapper team, which is the 15th batch China has sent to the Darfur region. The second group is scheduled to leave on Dec. 18. The team will be tasked with maintaining supplies and engineering projects, restoring buildings, and constructing and repairing houses, roads and airports. Team captain Li Meng said all members of the team have undergone special training in preparation for the tasks and have passed a test for fulfilling peacekeeping missions. ^ top ^

Rivals and neighbours: China and India count down to joint military drill (SCMP)
2018-12-11
China and India will launch a two-week joint military drill on Tuesday, the first exercise of its kind since the two Asian giants were locked in a tense border stand-off in the Himalayas 18 months ago. Analysts said the drill could help rebuild trust between the two countries' militaries, but would not erase mutual suspicions. Dubbed "Hand in Hand", the exercise will take place in Chengdu, Sichuan province, neighbouring Tibet, where the two countries have had competing border interests for decades. The exercise has been held each year since 2013 but was called off last year in the aftermath of the two-month-long stand-off. It is designed to build trust between the armed forces and bolster joint efforts against terrorism, and follows a warming in India-China relations. On the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Argentina late last month, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed that there had been a "perceptible improvement" in bilateral ties since they met in April. In addition, Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit India later this month to launch a forum for high-level exchanges between China and India. But there is still various sources of friction, including a growing maritime rivalry. Long Chunxing, a visiting scholar and Southeast Asian affairs specialist at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, said the military exchanges would not resolve mistrust but could help prevent differences from escalating into another conflict. "China's reluctance to allow India into the Nuclear Suppliers Group and refusal to agree on a US ban to list Masood Azhar as a terrorist have upset India," Long said, referring to the founder and leader of Jaish e-Mohammed, designated by the United Nations as a terrorist group and active mainly in Pakistan-administered Azad Kashmir. At the same time, China and India are strengthening their capacity to project power at sea. Indian media reported last week that the Indian Navy was planning to add ships, helicopters and fixed-wing planes, and expand its base in Chennai to bolster its presence in the southern part of the Bay of Bengal. China, meanwhile, has expanded its military presence in the Indian Ocean to help safeguard its growing interests overseas. In a report in April, the US-based think tank the Centre for Strategic and International Studies said those interests included defending vital trade routes, particularly for energy supplies. Collin Koh, a research fellow also at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said the Indian Navy's build-up increased the chance of interaction between Indian and foreign forces, including those from China. Koh said these interactions were generally professional and safe but there was a chance of confrontation. "The risk of untoward incidents would largely tie in with broader bilateral tensions, such as over the land border issue or if there are upheavals in the neighbouring Indian Ocean littoral states, and it has been reported the People's Liberation Army Navy [of China] has monitored Indian Navy warships traversing those waters in the South China Sea too," he said. But Rajeev Ranjan Chaturvedy, a research associate at the Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore, said India's naval build-up would not directly affect China's growing military presence. He also said the Indian navy's reliability and confidence would grow further in handling regional security challenges. ^ top ^

China, Germany pledge to jointly protect free trade, world order (Xinhua)
2018-12-11
China and Germany on Monday agreed to join hands to safeguard free trade and the international order. The agreement was made between Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who is about to wrap up his 6-day visit to China starting from Dec. 5. "China and Germany, as major world economies, are important cooperation partners to each other," Li said. At present, the results of the fifth round of China-Germany intergovernmental consultations, held in Germany this July, are being implemented step by step. "China will seize the opportunities and develop ties with Germany on the basis of mutual respect and equal-footed cooperation, so as to achieve mutually beneficial and win-win outcomes," Li said. The Chinese premier noted that with continued efforts in opening-up and implementation of new measures, German enterprises in the areas of automobile, chemical industry and finance have become the first batch of beneficiaries. China welcomes more German enterprises to expand investment in China and also hopes Germany will provide a fair business environment for Chinese investors and businessmen, Li added. He also voiced his expectation of more people-to-people exchanges, which will help consolidate public support of China-Germany ties. Stressing the importance of protecting multilateralism and the rule-based international order, Li called on both sides to stimulate vitality of global development and jointly push forward the world's economic and social progress. For his part, Steinmeier said he has felt the tremendous vitality of China's economic development, as well as the increasingly closer people-to-people exchanges between Germany and China. In the past few decades, as relations with China grew ever faster, Germany benefited from China's reform and opening-up, Steinmeier said, adding that his country stands ready to further expand trade and investment in China, boost bilateral dialogue, and jointly safeguard free trade and the existing international order. ^ top ^

China's wish to complete talks on South China Sea COC in 3 years "good sign" : Philippine defense chief (Xinhua)
2018-12-07
Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Friday that China's wish to complete talks on the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea in three years is "a good sign" and "good news." During the latest China-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) summit in Singapore last month, China said it hopes to complete talks on the COC in the South China Sea within three years. "It's a good sign. If we can finish it earlier, the better. It's good news (to the Philippines)," Lorenzana told Xinhua in an interview on the sidelines of an academic forum in Manila. Lorenzana stressed the urgency of concluding the consultation on the COC, adding it will set up a mechanism that will guide "everybody's actions" in the South China Sea. "If we have the COC then we have an assurance that we do something in accordance with the COC, then there will be no misunderstanding or miscalculations," Lorenzana added. China and ASEAN states signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DOC) in the South China Sea in 2002. It outlines the most important principles in the management of disputes on the South China Sea. Consultations for the COC were launched by the two sides in 2013. Both are aimed at safeguarding peace and stability in the region. In August 2017, China and ASEAN countries drew up and approved the framework of the COC in the South China Sea. In August 2018, China and ASEAN arrived at a single draft negotiating text of the COC in the South China Sea. ASEAN, which was founded in 1967, groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. China is an important dialogue partner of ASEAN. ^ top ^

Chinese pastor Wang Yi's wife Jiang Rong accused of inciting subversion and held in unknown location after Christian crackdown (SCMP)
2018-12-14
The wife of detained unofficial church pastor Wang Yi has been placed under "residential surveillance" – a form of secret detention – for allegedly inciting subversion of state power. Jiang Rong was implicated along with her outspoken husband, who has been placed under criminal detention and is also accused of inciting subversion. In an open letter released after he was detained, Wang wrote that he would use non-violent methods to stand by his faith and oppose "wicked laws" that he said went against the Bible and God – including those allowing crackdowns on churches. He was one of more than 100 leaders, seminary students and worshippers taken into custody on Sunday evening after a raid on the Early Rain Covenant Church, one of China's most prominent unofficial churches, in Chengdu, Sichuan province. Some were taken from their homes or the streets, and some said they were abused while in police custody. Church members on Thursday said at least seven others had been placed under criminal detention. It was not known what had happened to Jiang until Thursday, when congregants circulated a police notice stating she had been placed under "residential surveillance at a designated location" on Monday afternoon. A lawyer who declined to be named said Jiang could be kept at the unspecified location for up to six months, and that the move appeared to be aimed at intimidation and deterring advocacy efforts on the case. "Accusations can be made against pastor Wang Yi – after all, he's the one at the lectern doing all the preaching. But his wife doesn't hold any position in the church, nor has she made any public comments," the lawyer said. "There are no words to describe the absurdity of this situation … the handling of the case shows how furious the top party leadership is about the church." Wang's mother, 73-year-old Chen Yaxue, told the South China Morning Post she found out her son had been criminally detained, accused of inciting subversion of state power, when Chengdu police came to her flat on Wednesday. She said police had escorted Jiang and her 11-year-old son to Chen's home on Sunday evening after the church raid. Jiang was allowed to stay for only two hours, and Chen is now taking care of her grandson and they have been placed under round-the-clock surveillance. "They follow us wherever we go," she said. "The surveillance is taking a huge toll on my grandson – he's in shock after [his parents were taken away]. He hasn't slept for two nights." According to China's criminal code, the charges against Wang could result in a sentence of up to five years, but up to 15 years in extreme cases. Meanwhile, Wang's assistant Li Yingqiang, who had been posting updates about the crackdown online, has been criminally detained for allegedly picking a quarrel and inciting trouble, according to members of the church. Church leaders Qin Defu and Ge Yingfeng along with church member Lu Jinheng were detained for alleged illegal operations. Three other congregants are said to have been criminally detained. The Chengdu city government did not respond to requests for comment. Two days after Wang was taken away, church members released an open letter titled "My declaration of faithful disobedience" that he wrote in September. According to church members, Wang told them they should publicise the letter if he went missing for more than 48 hours. In it, the pastor said he was willing to accept the Communist Party regime and submit to Chinese law enforcement but he condemned the authorities' persecution of the church. "But this does not mean that my personal disobedience and the disobedience of the church is in any sense 'fighting for rights' or political activism in the form of civil disobedience, because my intention is not to change any institutions or laws in China," Wang wrote. Before becoming a pastor, Wang was a human rights activist and a constitutional scholar. His reputation reaches far overseas, especially among the Chinese Christian community. In 2006, Wang met then US president George W. Bush in the White House. The round-up in Chengdu is part of a broader crackdown on unofficial or underground churches that Beijing has escalated this year and observers have said is the worst seen in the past three decades. The campaign has been bolstered by amendments to the Religious Affairs Regulation that gives grass-roots officials more power to act against churches and impose tougher penalties for "unauthorised religious gatherings". Many Christian churches in China are unofficial, operating from private residences or properties. Officially sanctioned churches must be approved and supervised by the authorities, and toe the party line. Early Rain is a rare "house" church that is open about its activities, broadcasting sermons online and evangelising in public – others tend to operate underground to avoid attention from the authorities. Weekly gatherings take place at more than a dozen meeting points around Chengdu, with more than 800 congregants attending, according to church leaders. It also has about 100 seminary students and a primary school catering to about 40 children. ^ top ^

New judicial explanation to better protect intellectual property rights (Xinhua)
2018-12-13
China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) Thursday issued a judicial explanation to help courts more promptly stop infringement of intellectual property rights (IPR). The legal document aims to clarify when IPR owners can apply for quick court orders to stop infringement of their rights without a lawsuit or before a lawsuit is closed, according to the SPC. The document defined such situations as "emergencies." For instance, an IPR owner's confidential business information is about to be illegally published or one's privacy rights are about to be violated and, without an immediate court order to stop the infringement, damage will be caused. "Unlike property rights, IPR is hard to fully recover if violated. Even if the owner has won a lawsuit, his or her confidential information would have already been released and market advantage may have been lost," said Song Xiaoming, chief of the SPC IPR court. A court order to stop infringements through an easier and speedier application procedure will help protect IPR and minimize damage, Song said. To prevent the abuse of court orders, the judicial explanation defined elements that should be taken into account when reviewing such applications and how to define wrong applications and withdraw orders. The document also introduced different regulations for different types of IPRs, such as copyright, patents and trademarks. ^ top ^

Smog on the rise in northern China as winter looms, Greenpeace says (SCMP)
2018-12-13
Smog in northern China worsened in October and November compared to a year earlier, environmental group Greenpeace said on Thursday, as the government eases pressure to improve air quality amid slowing economic growth. Greenpeace said its study of official data showed the level of small, breathable particulate matter known as PM2.5 in the capital Beijing was 10 per cent worse over the two months than the same period in 2017. Those months are closely watched as they mark the lead-up to winter, when heating systems are switched on. China last year drew up a groundbreaking plan to cut PM2.5 emissions by at least 15 per cent year on year in 28 smog-prone northern Chinese cities. All but three met their targets over the period. But in October and November this year, PM2.5 in the same 28 cities rose 4 per cent year on year, Greenpeace said. The cities need to cut PM2.5 by a less onerous rate of 3 per cent this winter from November, and China has given them the freedom to set their own abatement plans. However, the data shows they could struggle to meet these targets. "This winter is a test of whether delegating the responsibility for emissions cuts to local governments works – and what happens now that the targets are at risk of being missed," said Lauri Myllyvirta, energy analyst with Greenpeace, who studied the Chinese data. The environment ministry did not immediately respond to a faxed request for comment, but Environment Minister Li Ganjie urged local officials in a speech earlier this year not to drop their guard when it came to controlling pollution this winter. However, the ministry has warned that low wind speeds and relatively high temperatures over winter compared to last year will make it harder to disperse pollution in some regions. "If this winter sees more average conditions, as is likely by definition and as has been the case for the past few weeks, you need to cut emissions by much more than 3 per cent to hit the [air quality] target," Myllyvirta said. A total of 79 cities in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the coal-rich Fenwei plain and the Yangtze River Delta near Shanghai are subject to official pollution control targets this winter. A Reuters analysis of official data showed average PM2.5 levels in the 79 cities stood at 69.8 micrograms in November, up 14 per cent from the same period last year and double China's air quality standard of 35 micrograms. The 28 cities in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region saw average emissions rise 47 per cent to 90.8 micrograms, the analysis showed, while six cities in central China's Henan province saw concentrations double from last year. The World Health Organisation recommends levels of no more than 10 micrograms. ^ top ^

China holds national memorial ceremony for Nanjing Massacre victims (Xinhua)
2018-12-13
China held a national memorial ceremony Thursday to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre committed by Japanese invaders after the fall of the Chinese capital in 1937. The ceremony was held by the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the State Council at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, in the city of Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. Wang Chen, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, attended and addressed the event. He was joined by more than 8,000 people from all walks of life wearing white flowers on their lapels. As the ceremony started at 10 a.m., they sang the national anthem and then paid silent tribute to the victims. Sirens howled over the city. On the streets, drivers parked their cars and honked; pedestrians paused and observed a moment of silence. Eight large wreaths were presented to the memorial altar by guards of honor. Wang said the commemoration was meant to proclaim the Chinese people's firm stance on remembering history and cherishing peace while looking into the future, and their noble aspiration for adhering to the path of peaceful development. He said the Chinese people will rally more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, take Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the guide, and unremittingly strive for a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and the realization of the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. Following the speech, 81 teenagers read out a declaration of peace. Six citizen representatives struck the Bell of Peace. A total of 3,000 white doves were released to fly over the memorial square. On Dec. 13, 1937, Japanese troops captured Nanjing, then China's capital, and began more than 40 days of slaughter. About 300,000 civilians and unarmed Chinese soldiers were brutally murdered, and over 20,000 women were raped. The date, December 13, was designated as the "National Memorial Day for Nanjing Massacre Victims" in February 2014. ^ top ^

China issues white paper on human rights progress over 40 years of reform, opening up (Xinhua)
2018-12-12
China on Wednesday issued a white paper on progress in human rights since its reform and opening up drive. The white paper, titled "Progress in Human Rights over the 40 Years of Reform and Opening Up in China," said reform and opening up has helped liberate and develop social productive forces, opened up a path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and ushered in a new chapter in the development of human rights. Over the four decades, the Chinese people have worked hard as one under the strong and coherent leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the white paper said. Huge changes have taken place, and living standards have significantly improved. The CPC has always prioritized the people's interests, ensuring that reform is conducted for the people and by the people, and that its benefits are shared by the people, it added. China has showed respect for, protected and promoted human rights in the course of reform and opening up, blazing a trail of human rights development that conforms to the national conditions, and created new experiences and made progress in safeguarding human rights, it said. China has summed up its historical experience, drawn on the achievements of human civilization, combined the universal principles of human rights with the realities of the country, and generated a series of innovative ideas on human rights, it said. China has brought into being basic rights that center on the people and prioritize their rights to subsistence and development, and proposed that China should follow a path of comprehensive and coordinated human rights development under the rule of law. The white paper said China has carried out extensive exchanges and cooperation in the field of human rights and earnestly fulfilled its international human rights obligations. ^ top ^

Members of unofficial Chinese church vow to defy crackdown and keep meeting (SCMP)
2018-12-12
Worshippers from a prominent Protestant unofficial church in southwest China have vowed to keep meeting for religious services despite a continuing crackdown and members' claims of abuse in police custody. More than 100 Protestant Christians from the Early Rain Covenant Church – one of China's few openly operating unofficial house churches – were snatched from their homes and streets across Chengdu, Sichuan province, in a crackdown that began on Sunday night. Among those detained were church pastor Wang Yi, his wife Jiang Rong, church leaders, members and seminary students. The round-up in Chengdu is part a broader crackdown on unofficial or underground churches that Beijing launched early this year, bolstered by amendments to the Religious Affairs Regulation that gave grass-roots officials more power to act against churches and impose tougher penalties for "unauthorised religious gatherings". A member of the Early Rain church said police went to his home at around 1am on Tuesday. "Police told me three things. The first is that our church has been defined as an illegal organisation by relevant department from the central government," he said. "Second, our church has been banned so we are not allowed to return, and third, I could not post anything about what he said online." An official from Chengdu religious affairs authorities said he was not aware of the action against the Early Rain Covenant Church. Chengdu police referred media inquiries to the city government's publicity department, which was not immediately available for comment by Tuesday late afternoon. Church leader Li Yingqiang had been posting updates of the arrests online before he, too, was taken into custody on Tuesday morning after evading police. In his last social media post at around 3am, he said: "I think I have already been found". Li's wife, Zhang Xinyue, said she had expected Li's arrest and was surprised "it took this long for him to be captured". Zhang said members of Early Rain were in good spirits and would press ahead with gatherings. "We will not forsake assemblies. I was frightened at first when it happened but have soon overcome the feeling as we are prepared [for persecution]," she said. In a handwritten letter posted online, Li called on church leaders to take up pastoral work despite the crackdown. "We are willing to have 200, 300 and even 500 of us locked up so that the whole world knows we are willing to be persecuted for our faith," he said in the letter written as he evaded police. Church members say they were abused by police while in custody. Photo: Facebook He also called on church members to keep worshipping and meet outdoors if venues could not be rented, adding that the group would never give up on practising its faith publicly. On Tuesday, photos were posted on the church's Facebook page showing injuries that were allegedly inflicted by police on detained church members. "Three of the released brothers and sisters told me they were violently handled by police when they were in custody, including being stomped on. One of the brothers was dragged by police with his hands and feet bound together, causing multiple injuries," according to a post on Facebook. Those who were released have been subjected to around-the-clock surveillance at home, according to church sources. Members' personal social media accounts and group discussions were also blocked and the church's phone lines cut. While most of China's Protestant house churches operate underground, the Early Rain congregation openly practises its faith, posting sermons online and evangelising on the streets. It has about 500 followers but its weekly gatherings spread across more than a dozen meeting points around Chengdu, attracting more than 800 church-goers each week, according to church leaders. It also has about 100 seminary students and a primary school catering to about 40 children. Three months ago, Beijing police closed the Zion Church, one of the largest Protestant house churches in China with more than 1,500 regular church-goers. Another major house church, the Living Stone Church in Guiyang, Guizhou province, was also banned three years ago. Li Guozhi, one of the church's two pastors, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for releasing a document outlining an official plan to destroy the church. ^ top ^

Xi stresses human rights development in Chinese context (Xinhua)
2018-12-10
President Xi Jinping pledged to uphold the path of human rights development that fits the Chinese context and promotes well-rounded human development. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the statement in a congratulatory letter to a symposium marking the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Beijing Monday. In the letter, Xi called the declaration a significant document in the history of human civilization and recognized its profound impact on the development of the human rights cause around the world. Chinese people will work with people of other countries to uphold the common values of humanity, which are peace, development, equality, justice, democracy and freedom, to safeguard human dignity and rights, to promote fairer, sounder and more inclusive global human rights governance, and to build a community with a shared future for humanity, he said. Noting that the CPC has always taken human development as its goal, Xi said hundreds of millions of Chinese people have had their lives improved since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, particularly over the past four decades of reform and opening-up. China has been combining the principle of human rights' universality with the reality of modern times and staying committed to a path of human rights development that fits the Chinese context, Xi said in the letter. China adheres to a people-centered vision of human rights, considers the rights to subsistence and development as the primary and basic human rights, and works for coordinated development of the people's economic, political, social, cultural and environmental rights, the letter read. Xi also called on people who work in the human rights research field to make greater contributions for the sake of diverse human civilizations and the world's human rights cause. Huang Kunming, head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, read Xi's letter at the symposium and urged for careful study and implementation of Xi's instructions. The symposium was attended by about 150 people including officials and scholars in the human rights field. ^ top ^

China shuts down 1,100 self-media accounts (Global Times)
2018-12-10
China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS) has closed 1,100 self-media accounts and 31 websites suspected of engaging in trolling and extortion since the start of the year. The ministry said that it cracked down on 28 cases involving online trolling and ghostwriters hired to post slanderous content, and arrested 67 people. More than 80 enterprises and organizations were blackmailed. Claiming "legal and social supervision," some suspects organized large-scale operations in paid comments or posts on social media platforms such as Sina Weibo and WeChat, which have about 400 million and 1 billion active users per month, respectively, China Central Television (CCTV) reported. They also provided services, including paid public activities and deletion of online content, to manipulate public opinion. In a statement, the MPS accused the suspects of engaging in extortion, fraud, running illegal businesses, causing trouble, libel, and violating personal information, Xinhua reported. Some suspects have been sentenced to jail time, others are awaiting trial, and the rest are being investigated. Zhu Wei, a professor at the China University of Political Science and Law, said it was a good start to normalize legal regulation of activities in cyberspace. Such operations have been a cancer that has seriously violated net users' right to knowledge and merchants' legitimate management, Zhu told the Global Times. Service purchasers who promote the black-market chain should also be punished. Chinese authorities, including law enforcement departments and market regulation administrations, should jointly act to fight similar cyber crimes, Zhu said. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the country's cyber authority, has vowed a thorough clean-up of self-media that publishes rumor-based and malicious content. It had shut down or punished more than 9,800 self-media accounts in a campaign that began in late October. The CAC met with media platforms, including Baidu, Tencent, Sina and Jinri Toutiao, and urged them to seriously regulate self-media on their platforms. ^ top ^

Beijing's population drops for 1st time in 2017 (Global Times)
2018-12-10
Beijing's population fell for the first time last year, and the capital still experienced a low fertility rate despite the introduction of the two-child policy in 2016, according to a recently published blue book. The blue book says the number of permanent residents in Beijing was 21.7 million by 2017, a 22,000 decrease year-on-year. Among them, the number of permanent migrants fell by 132,000 to 7.9 million, while the number of registered residents dropped by 37,000 to 13.6 million, the Beijing News reported on Sunday. The blue book, titled Beijing's Population Development and Study Report 2018, was published by the Beijing Population Research Institute at Party School of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Beijing Municipal Committee and Social Sciences Academic Press on Sunday. Beijing's birth rate rose from 7.96 per thousand in 2015 to 9.06 per thousand in 2017, but remains very low. Beijing's birth rate dropped below 10 per thousand in 1991, which is considered a super low fertility rate in demography, according to the blue book. Independent demographer He Yafu told the Global Times on Monday that the drop in the migrant population in Beijing was the result of its city plan for 2016 to 2035 which plans to cap its population at 23 million by 2020. The drop of the registered population was mainly caused by its continuing low fertility rate, He said. The statistics show that the effect of the two-child policy was not obvious in Beijing, as well as other cities in China, because of the high cost of raising children, He said. "Even if Beijing starts to encourage births, the low birth rate would not improve much. Thus, to ease the severe aging problem, the Chinese capital should relax its restrictions on hukou, or household registration, to attract more talent and migrants," He noted. He said migrant workers of mostly working age have greatly eased Beijing's aging process. Meanwhile, the blue book also states that Beijing's aging problem is getting severe, with the number of residents aged 65 and over increasing from 1.7 million in 2010 to 2.4 million in 2017. ^ top ^

Shenzhen airport starts credit-based security check (Global Times)
2018-12-10
Shenzhen airport in Guangdong Province has introduced a new security check, the first in China, providing a "green" channel for passengers with good credit, which is designed to speed up the process. The system's big data technology will gather passengers' safety credit performance, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday. As part of the Civil Aviation Administration of China's reform to improve the service, Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport classifies and diverts passengers to two different security checks by identifying them at the domestic boarding gates based on their past safety credit. An airport officer was quoted in a southcn.com Monday report as saying that passengers identified with good safety credit will enter the "green" channel, which can save them waiting and security check time. Actions such as deliberately disseminating false safety information, possessing a fake identity or seat occupancy will lead to deductions in credit points, according to a document released by the National Development and Reform Committee in March. The security check system was previously piloted at the Shenzhen airport from May when nearly 100,000 passengers experienced the streamlined service. More than 45 million passengers used the Shenzhen Bao'an airport in 2017. Chinese government in August said that it would carry out big data mining, expand credit service application scenarios and provide diversified and customized credit products to government departments, companies, social organizations and individuals. ^ top ^

US poised to ban Chinese officials unless Tibet is opened up to Americans, adding to friction over trade and Huawei (SCMP)
2018-12-14
The US Congress has voted to demand access for US diplomats, journalists and tourists to Tibet, threatening to bar the Chinese officials responsible for the policy from the United States if the region remained walled off to foreigners. The bill, which passed with bipartisan support, comes after years of concern over human rights violations in the predominantly Buddhist region, where foreigners are generally required to obtain a special permit to visit. Congress voted to require the State Department to verify each year whether China has granted access to Tibet and ethnically Tibetan areas in line with how it treats the rest of the country. If restrictions remain in place on Americans seeking to enter Tibet, the State Department would then be compelled to ban Chinese officials responsible for the policy from entering the United States. Senator Robert Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the bill was "about fundamental fairness." "Chinese citizens enjoy broad access to the United States, and I think that is terrific," he said. "But it is unacceptable that the same is not true for US students, journalists or diplomats going to Tibet, including our Tibetan-American constituents just trying to visit their country of origin." The bill passed without objections by a voice vote this week after similar passage in the House of Representatives. The legislation needs the signature of President Donald Trump, which appears likely as it has wide support within his Republican Party. The bill comes amid frictions between the United States and China over trade and the arrest in Canada on a US request of an executive with Chinese tech giant Huawei on charges of violating US sanctions on Iran. A recent op-ed piece in China's state-run Global Times denounced the Tibet bill and accused the United States of "double standards or even multiple standards on human rights," pointing to how Washington pulled out of the UN Human Rights Council over the body's criticism of Israel. Matteo Mecacci – the president of the International Campaign for Tibet, an advocacy group close to the exiled Dalai Lama that has pressed for the legislation – said the measure was different from trade tensions as it will become part of US law. "Certainly this is a major step forward because now it is clearly on the agenda of the Chinese government," said Mecacci, a former Italian MP. "Our goal is not to stop Chinese officials from coming here. It is to open up Tibet to the world," he said. "If they choose to scrap this system of additional permits, that would be, as they would say, a win-win." ^ top ^

Chinese NPC Tibetan delegation visits European Parliament (Xinhua)
2018-12-12
A Tibetan delegation of the Chinese National People's Congress (NPC) visited the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on Tuesday. The delegation, led by Losang Jamcan, director of the Standing Committee of the Tibet Autonomous Regional People's Congress, met with members of the European Parliament and responded to questions involving concerns on the EU side. During the meeting with European Parliament Vice President Dimitrios Papadimoulis, Losang Jamcan spoke of the rapid economic growth and social cohesion present in the Tibet Autonomous Region, made possible under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and guided by the Party's policies toward ethnic minorities in the country. He added that living standards have improved among the various ethnic groups in Tibet, alongside stronger protections for the environment, full respect for freedom of religion and the preservation of traditional culture. "It must be seen to be believed," he said, adding that he welcomes members of European Parliament to visit Tibet. Papadimoulis said the delegation's visit was a precious opportunity for the European Parliament to better understand Tibet. He expressed hope to continue regular exchanges with the Chinese side to deepen mutual understanding and trust. Losang Jamcan also met with Nirj Deva, vice chairman of the European Parliament's Development Committee and chairman of the EU-China Friendship Group in the European Parliament, and discussed the history and present situation in Tibet. He mentioned major economic and social developments in Tibet since its peaceful liberation over 60 years ago, and during 40 years of China's reform and opening-up, and in particular, after the 18th National Congress of the CPC. He revealed the purpose of the Dalai Lama group, which aims to split Tibet from Chinese territory under the guise of religion. Deva said one cannot observe a real Tibet through a prism, adding that the EU-China Friendship Group will continue to objectively present China's efforts in promoting the development of Tibet in the European Parliament, and play an active role in enhancing EU-China ties. The delegation also visited the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights. ^ top ^

China's 'missing' photographer Lu Guang arrested in troubled Xinjiang region, his wife confirms (SCMP)
2018-12-13
Internationally acclaimed photojournalist Lu Guang – who disappeared without trace in early November – is under arrest in China, it was confirmed on Thursday. Lu's wife Xu Xiaoli, who lives in the United States, told the South China Morning Post that other family members in China were verbally notified of her husband's arrest by police in the troubled Xinjiang region. Xinjiang has been under a sweeping security clampdown in recent years, with up to 1 million Uygurs and other Muslim minorities detained in its extrajudicial internment camps, according to a United Nations panel estimate in August. Xu said Kashgar city police notified the relatives on December 6 that Lu had been formally arrested the day before. "We can't tell the specific charge," Xu said. "We just hired a lawyer for him in Beijing because it's convenient to go to Xinjiang from Beijing. The lawyer filed an application to the authorities asking for a meeting with Lu Guang, which was not granted," he said. Lu, who is also a US green card holder, lives in eastern China, while his wife and children live in New York. He travelled to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, on October 23 at the invitation of a friend, to attend a number of photography events. He then travelled to Kashgar, an ancient Silk Road town dominated by the most Muslim Uygur ethnic minority group, before returning to Urumqi on November 3. Lu has not been in contact with his family since. "The friend who invited Lu to Xinjiang was also taken away by the police, I have no further information about him." Xu wrote on her Twitter account. Lu has won international awards for his work documenting the environmental toll of China's recent decades of breakneck economic growth. A three-times World Press Photo award winner, the 57-year-old is a familiar name in domestic and foreign media alike. His work reflects his strong views about industrialisation and the damage done to the environment. Last month Hong Kong's Foreign Correspondents' Club called on Chinese authorities to confirm Lu's whereabouts, saying it was "deeply concerned" over his disappearance from Xinjiang. The Post is continuing to seek comment from Xinjiang regional police and Kashgar police. ^ top ^

Binding power of decisions by China's top legislative body on Hong Kong still open to debate despite court ruling on joint checkpoint, legal experts say (SCMP)
2018-12-14
A Hong Kong court may have concluded that allowing mainland Chinese laws to be enforced at the West Kowloon high-speed rail terminus is legally sound, but experts said the binding power of decisions by China's top legislative body on the city remains a subject of debate. The National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) endorsed the plan to operate a joint checkpoint, where travellers get their documents checked by Hong Kong and mainland officials in one place, rather than in the city as well as on the mainland. In ruling the arrangement constitutional on Thursday, High Court judge Mr Justice Anderson Chow Ka-ming did not address the bigger question of whether the NPCSC decision was binding on the Hong Kong government and the courts. The constitutional debate was sparked after the NPCSC approved the so-called co-location arrangement in December 2017, giving mainland officials unprecedented jurisdiction over a part of the terminus in the heart of Hong Kong. While Chow found the NPCSC decision to be of "high persuasive value", he said that as the first judge hearing the case, it was not for him to rule on its binding power. "It would not be appropriate for me, sitting at first instance, to determine questions concerning the status and legal effect of the NPCSC decision under Hong Kong laws which may have far-reaching implications but are not strictly necessary for my decision," he said. Senior Chinese officials, including former NPCSC Basic Law Committee chairman Li Fei, have insisted repeatedly that the decision carried "the highest legal authority", but this was challenged by Hong Kong legal experts and activists who took the government to court. Under Article 158 and 159 of Hong Kong's Basic Law, the NPCSC can interpret clauses in the city's mini-constitution and make amendments. It has issued five interpretations since Hong Kong's handover to China in July 1997. Veteran lawyer Robert Pang Yiu-hung SC said the court had approached the matter of the NPCSC's legal standing in a somewhat pragmatic way, without confronting its authority. He said: "The court does not have to dwell on a controversial matter when it can reach the same conclusion, so why bother?" He noted that the government did not argue that the NPCSC decision was applicable directly to Hong Kong and, in summarising the government's position, the judge said the decision should be given "great weight and respect" and bound as a relevant "foreign law". Legal scholars Lin Feng and Johannes Chan Man-mun, from City University and the University of Hong Kong's law schools respectively, said an NPCSC interpretation of Basic Law clauses should not be confused with a free-standing decision which is not directly binding on Hong Kong. "Under the city's common law system, the NPCSC decision was something outside the scope of the Basic Law," said Lin, an expert in the local and Chinese legal systems. "It may be the highest legal authority in mainland China, but its decisions may not be applicable in Hong Kong." Lin said Chow's ruling gave the courts flexibility to handle NPCSC matters on a case-by-case basis. "By viewing the NPCSC decisions as extrinsic materials, the court could choose to refer to it, or choose not to in certain scenarios," he said, referring to any documents issued by mainland authorities that a Hong Kong court may take note of but not necessarily follow. But Chan said for the court to attach "great weight and respect" to an NPCSC decision was practically no different from making it binding in Hong Kong. He said: "It essentially says if a case reaches the NPCSC, the decisions would be binding on Hong Kong anyway, so why not give the NPCSC decision some weight and respect earlier?" He felt Chow had wrongly applied the concept of "extrinsic materials" which was limited only to Basic Law drafting materials after 1997. "In effect, the NPCSC could from now on hand down any decision on Hong Kong, and have uncontrolled power," Chan said. Lin said that while Chow hinted that the matter could go to the Court of Final Appeal and later be referred to the NPCSC for interpretation, the top court could guide the NPCSC to focus on the co-location controversy. "I don't think the Court of Final Appeal would give the NPCSC a free hand on whether to view a decision in the same way as making an interpretation," Lin said. "If it did, that would create a huge problem in future." Chan expected the matter to go before the city's apex court, and he preferred for it to deliver a proper interpretation of the co-location arrangement instead of a decision not stated in the Basic Law. "Interpreting the Basic Law is a loophole, but at least there is procedure stated in the Basic Law for one to follow," Chan said. "Now the judgment is opening an even larger loophole that erodes Hong Kong's 'one country, two systems' principle. "Today it is co-location. The NPCSC could legislate national security laws tomorrow. Will Hong Kong's rule of law be able to defy that?" ^ top ^

Hong Kong Democrats lose 59 members after row over district council elections (SCMP)
2018-12-13
Hong Kong's biggest pro-democracy party suffered a historic loss of headcount on Wednesday when 59 members resigned en masse, after a row over the upcoming district council elections. And leaders of the exodus warned the 700-strong Democratic Party that a dozen more were considering following them out of the door. In a joint statement released on Wednesday, 11 of the leavers said they quit because of Democratic legislator Lam Cheuk-ting, who accused them of having conflicts of interest because they joined concern groups that would compete with the party in the polls next year. "We have witnessed Lam's despicable character, and his lack of political ethics," the statement read. As the party's central leadership did not address the issues, they said, they had no option but to leave. Three other Democrats co-signed another statement, which brought the number of known leavers to 14, including at least five district councillors from New Territories East. Tai Po district councillor Au Chun-wah, one of the leaders of the exodus, said 45 others had left but did not want to be named. None of the party's seven legislators were among the 59. At a press conference on Wednesday evening, former Sai Kung district councillor Ricky Or Yiu-lam accused Lam of taking a series of "undemocratic" actions to curb competition in next year's elections. They included, he said, sending Democrats to contest constituencies already eyed by members of Concern Group for Tseung Kwan O People's Livelihood, which Or chairs. Lam was said to have raised the issue with party leaders, which led to the party issuing Or an ultimatum, "to stay in the Democratic Party or the concern group". But Or insisted the conflict of interest was "fabricated" by Lam. Or said the resigners would "actively consider" forming a new group, but the priority would be to serve their communities. Should the party send members to oppose them in the district council polls, Au said, they would "put up a fight". Lam said the accusations against him were untrue and the party's decision on the ultimatum was made collectively, in accordance with its rules. Party chairman Wu Chi-wai said he respected the leavers' decision. "We have to settle our differences, as we face the threat of the Chinese Communist Party and the pro-establishment camp," Wu said. It was unfortunate that the conflict could not be resolved internally, he added. A Democratic Party member, who wished to remain anonymous, said two of the leading leavers were already affiliated with other district-level groups, and it was unethical for them to share party information and resources with non-members. "You will have to pick a side," the member said, adding that there was little hope of resolving the dispute. Another source in the party said most of those leaving were "zombie members" who were inactive in party affairs, so it was unlikely to affect daily operations. The Democratic Party was formed in October 1994 from the merger of two parties – the United Democrats of Hong Kong, and Meeting Point. The Frontier, another political party led by former lawmaker Emily Lau Wai-hing, merged into the party in 2008. It was the party's first mass exodus since 2010, when Gary Fan Kwok-wai and more than 20 others left due to differences in opinion over a government political reform package. Fan went on to form the NeoDemocrats and was twice elected as a lawmaker. ^ top ^

Leaders of banned Hong Kong National Party to face three-man Exco panel for appeal (SCMP)
2018-12-12
The leaders of the outlawed Hong Kong National Party will get to appeal against the ban before a three-member committee of Executive Council members on January 14, the Post has learned. It was earlier expected that Andy Chan Ho-tin and Jason Chow Ho-fai would make written submissions to Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and her de facto cabinet, with Lam having the final say. But Exco has decided to hold a hearing, following protests by the party that the appeal process was unfair. A source with direct knowledge of the arrangements for next month's hearing said the panel comprised barrister Martin Liao Cheung-kong, former stock exchange chairman Chow Chung-kong and former Monetary Authority chief Joseph Yam Chi-kwong. The Exco secretariat declined to comment on the matter or confirm if the committee's decision would be final, or require full Exco approval. Exco members Ronny Tong Ka-wah and Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee said the council could delegate its duty to a committee, but any decision may be handed back to the full panel for confirmation. Another Exco member, who declined to be named, said: "It is very likely the first time Exco is conducting an oral hearing." Secretary for Security John Lee Ka-chiu banned the HKNP under the Societies Ordinance on September 24, for being a threat to national security and public order. Chan and Chow have maintained that the ban on the party they co-founded in 2016 was unnecessary, and that when they spoke in the past of independence for Hong Kong, they were merely airing "political expressions". Although they wished to appeal, the party leaders have questioned the impartiality of Lam and eight other Exco members, accusing them of having made up their minds even before the party was banned. The HKNP is the first political party to be banned, and the Societies Ordinance does not spell out the exact procedure for an appeal. When Exco handles appeals against various government departments, it does so in writing. Veteran human rights lawyer Mark Daly, who is representing Chan, said he had never heard of a committee being set up for a matter like this. Asked if the HKNP would challenge the move, he said: "No game plan for the moment." During the full-day hearing, Chan and Chow will be allowed to make their arguments on their own, or let their lawyers speak for them. A representative of the Security Bureau will then respond. Daly said the party leaders had not decided who would speak at the hearing. Liao, the only lawyer on the three-man committee, declined to comment when approached, saying he was bound by Exco confidentiality rules. Exco member Tong, also a senior counsel, said there was no precedent for Exco hearing oral representations, and shrugged off the suggestion that the committee was formed to address the HKNP leaders' protests of unfairness. He said having a committee was simply more efficient. "If we are to hear lengthy oral presentations, having the full Exco may not be a suitable and efficient choice," he said. Another Exco member who declined to be named pointed out that the government had given the HKNP three extensions on the time limit to present its opposition to the ban, excused seven out of 16 non-official Exco members from discussing the ban, and now the party leaders would be able to appear in person before the committee. The member said that in doing all this, the government was trying minimise the chances of the party lodging a judicial review of the ban. "The government has been very cautious when handling the ban and the subsequent appeal in granting HKNP's requests," the member said. ^ top ^

Lawmakers charged over cross-border rail Legco protest call move 'ridiculous political persecution' (SCMP)
2018-12-10
Two Hong Kong Democratic Party lawmakers have been charged in connection with a protest inside the Legislative Council earlier this year. The pair, Lam Cheuk-ting, and Andrew Wan Siu-kin, were arrested and then released on bail on Monday after reporting to police headquarters in Wan Chai. They were both charged with obstructing security guards, while Wan also faced one count of common assault after a protest on June 13, during a debate on the controversial plan to allow mainland Chinese officers to operate at the West Kowloon station for the new cross-border rail link. They were expected to appear in Eastern Magistrates' Court on Tuesday morning. "It is a blatant political persecution," Lam said. "I would absolutely plead not guilty. "It was a peaceful protest. I didn't throw anything. I didn't hurt anyone. This is ridiculous." Wan, who also said he would plead not guilty, said the public could judge whether they had done anything wrong. Police called the lawmakers on Friday to tell them to report to the Wan Chai headquarters to be formally arrested. They arrived on Monday with their lawyers Jonathan Man Ho-ching, and Albert Ho Chun-yan, a former Democratic Party chairman. They were released after an hour and a half. Police presented them a charge sheet with testimony from about 10 security guards and police officers. Lam said he asked the officers to write "no guilt over peaceful protest" as his response to the charge. Before entering the station, Wan said the case was further evidence of the government's determination to suppress the pro-democracy camp. He said he believed if the pair were found guilty, more opposition lawmakers would find themselves in court. "The government has taken a series of steps to suppress the pro-democracy camp, from the disqualification of lawmakers to this political persecution," Wan said. "It is not a matter of just us two – a successful prosecution would hugely affect freedom of expression in the Legislative Council." Lam said Hong Kong's leader, Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, was the one to blame, though the chief executive had tried to present herself as having a better relationship with the pan-democrats than her predecessor, Leung Chun-ying. "The suppression of pan-democrats got even more serious under her hands. She is worse than CY Leung," Lam said. Dr Chan Kin-man, one of the co-founders of the Occupy movement, was among a group of 30 supporters, including lawmakers from different parties, who gathered outside the entrance to the police station. "No matter whether you are a scholar or a lawmaker, with a mild or radical political stance, it is clear that you will face suppression once you are part of the pro-democracy camp," he said. The pair were among five pan-democrats evicted from the meeting in June. Police were called to investigate injuries to two security guards. ^ top ^

Taiwan leader Tsai's claim of mainland pressure slammed as 'groundless hype' (Global Times)
2018-12-11
Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen's accusations that the Chinese mainland is using its political pressure to tame companies from the island have been slammed as "groundless hype", and her comments would further worsen cross-Straits relations. Tsai, also head of the "pro-independence" Democratic Progressive Party that currently holds office in the island, made the comments on Tuesday amid wide debate over an incident involving Wu Pao-chun, a renowned baker from Taiwan, who openly identified himself as a "Chinese" on Sina Weibo on Monday. Wu, who opened a bakery in Shanghai last Friday, said in the statement that he is proud to be Chinese. Wu claimed himself as a Chinese person from Taiwan who insisted that "the people across the Strait are family." Wu also denied he had ever released any pro-independence comments and expressed his firm support for and recognition of the 1992 Consensus, according to the statement. The 1992 Consensus is an agreement reached between the mainland and Taiwan in 1992 to adhere to the one-China principle. Taiwan News reported that during an interview in 2016, Wu said that over the years, many investors from around the world had invited him to open bakeries overseas. Some of the investors were from the mainland, but Wu remained unmoved by their offers. "China has a market of 1.3 billion people, but the whole world has more than 7 billion people, so I won't just look to China." Wu has since been labeled as pro-independence by numerous mainland customers. Wu's statement right after his business opened in Shanghai was deemed by some Taiwan net users as a "two-faced businessman's behavior," before it was interpreted by Tsai as evidence to justify her accusation against the Chinese mainland. At a news conference on Tuesday with Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu, Wu said, "The world of bread is simple and happy. I am a very simple baker." The mayor also called Taiwan people to support Wu, Taiwan-based news site ETtoday reported. Analysts reached by the Global Times on Tuesday said Tsai's remarks only deteriorated cross-Straits relations. There is no such thing as "choosing sides" before Tsai's administration, which has been against the 1992 Consensus. Tsai must understand that while the mainland government encourages Taiwan enterprises to start businesses here, they have to pass the scrutiny of mainland people, who won't allow the coexistence of "Taiwan independence" and "earning profits in mainland," Zhu Songling, a professor at the Institute of Taiwan Studies at Beijing Union University, told the Global Times. ^ top ^

Steady growth to continue in 2019 (China Daily)
2018-12-14
China will keep its major economic indicators within a reasonable range next year, continue to speed up reform in the economic system and push forward all-around opening-up, according to a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee on Thursday. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, chaired the meeting, which also vowed to stabilize employment, the financial sector, foreign trade, investment and expectations and to continue the steady and healthy development of the economy in 2019. The country will continue to uphold the underlying principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability as well as the new development philosophy, and to advance high-quality development, said a statement released after the meeting. More work will be done to boost market confidence and improve the sense of advancement, happiness and security among the people, it said. Next year, which marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, is also a key year to secure the decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society, the statement said. The country will continue to uphold supply-side structural reform as the main task, deepen the reform in line with market principles and expand high-level opening-up, it said. The three battles against potential financial risk, poverty and pollution will continue to be prioritized, and more efforts will go toward stimulating the vitality of micro entities and innovating in and refining of macro regulation, it said. The statement said it is important to put the change in international circumstances and the domestic situation into a dialectical perspective, guard against potential dangers in times of peace and seize the important period of strategic opportunity for the country. "(We should) shore up confidence, take the initiative and resolutely focus on tasks at hand," it said, vowing to strengthen coordination and cooperation, focus on major contradictions, grasp the pace and strength of the economy, and strive to achieve the best policy mix and the maximum overall effect. More work will be done next year to promote high-quality development in the manufacturing sector and enable deeper integration between advanced manufacturing and the modern service sectors, meeting participants also decided. ^ top ^

Soldiers from North and South Korea verify removal of one another's DMZ guard posts, crossing border peacefully for first time (SCMP)
2018-12-12
Soldiers from North and South Korea are set to verify the dismantlement of guard posts in the demilitarised zone on Wednesday, Seoul said, after crossing into each other's territory peacefully for the first time. The removal of 20 posts along the heavily fortified frontier was one of the steps agreed at a September summit between the South's President Moon Jae-in and the North's leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang, part of a rapid reconciliation drive on the peninsula. In November, North Korea blew up the 10 facilities while the South tore down 10 on its own side using excavators. Seoul's defence ministry said early on Wednesday that South Korean inspectors will visit each of the guard posts on the North's side to verify their dismantlement and to ensure that all firearms and troops have been removed. North Korean inspectors will carry out the same process at the South's bunkers, it added. "This marks the first time since the division that the soldiers of the North and South … are peacefully crossing the military demarcation line," the ministry said in a statement. The dovish Moon has pursued a policy of engagement with its isolated, nuclear-armed neighbour, in increasing contrast to Washington, which insists pressure should be maintained on Pyongyang until it denuclearises. Despite its name, the area around the demilitarised zone is one of the most fortified places on earth, replete with minefields and barbed-wire fences. But under plans to ease tensions agreed in Pyongyang, the two Koreas have demilitarised the border truce village of Panmunjom, leaving it manned by 35 unarmed personnel from each side. Officially called the Joint Security Area, the enclave is the only spot along the 250km frontier where soldiers from the two Koreas and the US-led UN Command stand face to face. ^ top ^

US sanctions top Kim Jong-un aides over North Korea human rights violations (SCMP)
2018-12-11
The United States on Monday imposed sanctions on three North Korean officials as it called the regime's human rights record among the world's worst, in an abrupt shift from US President Donald Trump's efforts to woo the regime. In actions required by Congress, the Trump administration said it would seize any US assets of Choe Ryong-hae, described as the right-hand man of leader Kim Jong-un, and two others over their roles in suppression of freedom of speech. "Standing up for such rights and freedoms is a foreign policy priority that represents the best traditions of the United States," State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said. "Human rights abuses in North Korea remain among the worst in the world and include extrajudicial killings, forced labour, torture, prolonged arbitrary detention, rape, forced abortions and other sexual violence," he said. The State Department is required by a 2016 law to produce a report on North Korean human rights for Congress twice a year. But its submission on Monday -- International Human Rights Day -- was the first since October 2017 as Trump championed diplomacy with North Korea that focused squarely on its nuclear program. "The United States has consistently condemned the North Korean regime for its flagrant and egregious abuses of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and this administration will continue to take action against human rights abusers around the globe," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement announcing the sanctions. Trump, however, has openly played down human rights concerns when preserving relationships with allies, notably Saudi Arabia. The sanctions will seize any assets of the three officials in the United States and ban any US-based financial transactions with them. Such restrictions may have little impact on officials in one of the world's most closed countries but will have a clear symbolic force as North Korea seeks greater acceptance by the United States. Kim and Trump held a first-of-a-kind summit in June in Singapore as North Korea seeks a historic declaration of the end of the 1950-53 Korean war. Trump, who saw the summit as a highlight in his foreign affairs record, has said that he and Kim are "in love" and as recently as this month voiced respect for the North Korean leader. But Trump's hopes of arranging a follow-up summit have been at a standstill, with the North Koreans abruptly calling off a meeting in New York last month with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. North Korea has been insisting on a relaxation of wide-ranging sanctions on the country, while the United States said that the UN Security Council should only ease pressure once Pyongyang takes concrete steps to end its nuclear program. Choe is a lifetime confidant of Kim's father, Kim Jong-il, and in the past has been described as the effective number-two in controlling the military. He is often trusted to make foreign trips or deliver high-profile announcements. At a major military parade last year, he warned that North Korea was ready to "beat down enemies with the power of nuclear justice". When Choe briefly vanished from official media in 2014, North Korea watchers feared he suffered a fate similar to Kim's uncle, Jang Song-thaek, who was executed as a traitor, but Choe quickly re-emerged in prominent roles. The Treasury Department noted that Choe is head of the ruling Workers Party's organisation and Guidance Department, which enforces ideological discipline and ensures that all officials keep in line. Another of the officials targeted was Jong Kyong-thaek, the minister of state security, which is in charge of counter-intelligence operations. The third sanctioned official was Pak Kwang-ho, who is involved in widespread censorship as director of the Propaganda and Agitation Department. ^ top ^

Chinese state councilor meets DPRK FM on bilateral ties, Korean Peninsula situation (Xinhua)
2018-12-07
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Foreign Minister of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Ri Yong Ho in Beijing on Friday. Wang said the leaders of the two countries met three times this year, bringing bilateral ties to a new stage. He said China stands ready to work with the DPRK to push for greater development of bilateral ties. "The two sides should continue to push for positive development of the Korean Peninsula situation in the direction of denuclearization," Wang said. "China hopes that the DPRK and the United States continue dialogue and resolve each other's concerns in a balanced way," he said, adding that China also supports the DPRK and the Republic of Korea in advancing reconciliation and cooperation. Ri said that the DPRK is willing to keep communication and coordination with China to safeguard the stability and development of the Korean Peninsula and the region. ^ top ^

Investment policy introduced to Japanese businessmen (Montsame)
2018-12-13
The 9th Mongolia-Japan Government and Business Sector Joint Committee meeting was held on December 12 within the official visit of Prime Minister U.Khurelsukh to Japan. Chairman of the National Development Agency B.Bayarsaikhan introduced a presentation titled 'Investment policy and management of Mongolia' at the meeting. In his presentation, Mr. Bayarsaikhan gave information on the current state of economy, development policy planning, internal and external environment for investments, tax and non-tax support, advantages, opportunities and statistics, and introduced the Government activities to support FDI in detail. Moreover, he mentioned that preparation work for a one-stop service center for foreign investors, which will be put into operation on January 1, 2019, is ongoing. The relevant officials responded to questions from representatives of the two sides and exchanged views on those matters. Over 90 representatives of government organizations and business sector attended the consultative meeting. Prime Minister of Mongolia U.Khurelsukh made closing remarks. ^ top ^

Mongolia's role in solving the Northeast Asian security recognized (Montsame)
2018-12-12
The annual International conference of NGOs on Northeast Asian Security initiated by the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) was held in Beijing on December 4. The fourth conference was co-organized by the Chinese Chahar society. Scholars and researchers of Mongolia, Russia, ROK, DPRK, People's Republic of China, the US and Japan took part in the conference. Officials including CEO of the GPPAC member 'Tsenkher Suld' NGO, former ambassador J.Enkhsaikhan, members of the NGO Major General D.Myagmar and former director of the School of International Relations at NUM Dr. N.Altantsetseg represented Mongolia at the conference. "The pro-nuclear-weapon-free-status "Tsenkher Suld" NGO operates as coordinator at the GPPAC. Northeast Asian countries attach great importance to our country's nuclear-weapon-free status and adamant state policy. Especially, they take Mongolia as an example in connection with the situation on the Korean Peninsula. China plays an important role in Korean Peninsula situation and intensifying participation of the North Korea. Therefore the conference was held in Beijing, widely involving Chinese researchers," said Dr. D.Myagmar. It's remarkable that the participants agreed that the security of the Northeast Asia can not be ensured without participation of Mongolia. Mongolia was officially added to the six Northeast Asian countries as '6+1' in the outcome document of the conference. "As a result of our efforts, the role of Mongolia was recognized at the level of NGOs for peace. The stakeholders will further work to gain recognition of their governments. The participants also agreed that Ulaanbaatar is a convenient place to organize the meeting of leaders of DPRK and the USA," he added. Next conference will be held in Ulaanbaatar. ^ top ^

Twenty-two MPs announce readiness to refuse of their full powers (Montsame)
2018-12-11
In regard with recent embezzlement scandal around the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Fund, 22 MPs announced that they are documenting a letter which expresses their readiness to refuse of their full powers, and started collecting signatures of MPs. Today, eight MPs including J.Bat-Erdene, N.Nomtoibayar and L.Enkh-Amgalan reported press about it. In the beginning of the press conference, MP J.Bat-Erdene said, "We are very critical towards the incidents that MPs and members of government received loans from SME Development Fund, which has actual impact on creating jobs and reducing poverty. Regarding the Fund's matter, we, 22 MPs, have signed an official letter to make an initiative to undergo investigation of legal organizations by refusing of our full powers of Member of Parliament. We are calling for all MPs to sign this letter. After having signatures, we will submit it to the Parliament's Subcommittee on Ethics." Asked whether MPs whose associated companies allegedly received loans from the fund have signed the letter or not, MP J.Bat-Erdene replied, "Currently, MPs who connected with the scandal have not signed. We will keep calling all MPs to sign the letter." ^ top ^

LEW Mei Yi
Embassy of Switzerland