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SCHWEIZER
BOTSCHAFT IN BEIJING
EMBASSY OF SWITZERLAND IN BEIJING
AMBASSADE DE SUISSE EN CHINE |
Der wöchentliche
Presserückblick der Schweizer Botschaft in der VR China
The Weekly Press Review of the Swiss Embassy in the People's Republic
of China
La revue de presse hebdomadaire de l'Ambassade de Suisse en RP
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DPRK
Mongolia
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| Foreign Policy |
Xi, Duterte meet on pushing forward ties (Xinhua)
2019-08-30
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday met with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, and the two leaders expressed their readiness to push forward ties. "Under the two sides' joint efforts, bilateral ties smoothly realized taking an upturn and scoring consolidation and uplift, and continuously achieved tangible outcomes, during President Duterte's administration over the past three years," said Xi, expressing welcome for Duterte's visit. "At present, the international and regional situations are undergoing profound and complex changes. However, peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit are still an irresistible trend of the times," said Xi. Xi said he is willing to work with Duterte to continue to grasp the trend of the times from a strategic and long-term perspective, leading the sound development of bilateral ties. "This will not only benefit the two countries and their peoples, but will also add positive energy to regional peace and stability." Xi said it is necessary to continue to promote the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Philippine "Build, Build, Build" program, and implement major cooperative projects in such areas as infrastructure construction, industrial parks, telecommunications and energy. "China is willing to import more high-quality fruits and agricultural products from the Philippines, and will send experts to the Philippines to teach agricultural and fishery technology," said Xi. On issues such as human rights, China will continue to firmly support the Philippines' efforts to safeguard national sovereignty and resist external interference, said the Chinese president. On the South China Sea issue, Xi said China and the Philippines have been maintaining effective communication. He said the two sides should set aside disputes, eliminate external interference, and concentrate on conducting cooperation, making pragmatic efforts and seeking development. Xi said "as long as the two sides handle the South China Sea issue properly, the atmosphere of bilateral ties will be sound, the foundation of the relationship will be stable, and regional peace and stability will have an important guarantee." Both sides can take a "bigger step" in the joint development of offshore oil and gas, said Xi. "The Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea is a pioneering undertaking in establishing rules and regulations in the South China Sea, and China and the Philippines should be committed to promoting the adoption of the COC at an early date," said Xi, stressing an early adoption will demonstrate the firm position and positive stance of China and the Philippines to jointly safeguard the long-term stability of the region. Duterte expressed congratulations on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, saying that China's successful development experience is worth learning from. "I cherish the close friendship with President Xi," he said, adding that China means a lot to the Philippines and developing bilateral ties is a project lasting for generations. He pledged to meet with Xi frequently, strengthen communication, and jointly promote the sound development of the two countries' ties so as to achieve win-win benefits. Duterte expressed his hope that China will continue to help the Philippines in economic development and infrastructure construction, and thanked China for support in his country's human rights cause, post-quake reconstruction, and anti-terrorism and anti-narcotics endeavors. Facts have proven that China is a sincere friend to the Philippines, he said, adding that the Philippines fully respects China's laws and the right to maintain law-based governance on the Hong Kong issue, he said. Duterte expressed his view that the path to peacefully resolving the South China Sea disputes is through cooperation, rather than confrontation. Maintaining friendly cooperation as well as peace and stability is in the interests of all the parties in the region, he said, while pledging to speed up joint maritime oil and gas exploration with China. As the country coordinator for China-ASEAN relations, the Philippines is committed to advancing an early adoption of the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea with relevant parties, Duterte said. After the meeting, the two heads of state witnessed a ceremony for the exchange of bilateral cooperation deals. The two sides also announced the setting up of an intergovernmental joint steering committee and a working group between relevant enterprises on oil and gas cooperation so as to promote substantial progress in the joint exploration of oil and gas. Duterte is on a visit to China from Aug. 28 to Sept. 1, at the invitation of Xi. He will also attend the opening ceremony of the 2019 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) World Cup in Beijing. ^ top ^
US drugs bust uncovers enough Chinese fentanyl 'to kill 14 million people' (SCMP)
2019-08-30
Law enforcement officials in the US state of Virginia said on Thursday that they had taken down a multi-state drug ring and seized enough cheap fentanyl from China to kill 14 million people. The bust was announced in the wake of growing efforts to stem the flow of fentanyl from Chinese labs to the United States. The synthetic opioid often comes through the mail or across the Mexico border. It can be stronger and more lethal than heroin and is responsible for tens of thousands of American drug deaths each year. The 30 kilograms of fentanyl that were seized in the latest bust were intended for an area in southeastern Virginia known as the Peninsula, which includes the cities of Hampton and Newport News. One of the 39 people charged is accused of ordering fentanyl from a vendor in Shanghai. The person then "had it mailed through the US Postal Service to a neighbourhood in Newport News," G. Zachary Terwilliger, the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, said at a news conference in Norfolk. Efforts have been growing to pressure China to help the US fight the opioid scourge and for the US to better detect the drug in the mail, Terwilliger said. "We have to get the Chinese to stop doing this," Terwilliger said. "We also have to get really good at detecting it in the [mail] … The last thing we want is for the US Postal Service to become the nation's largest drug dealer." Last year, President Donald Trump signed bipartisan legislation into law to help confront the opioid crisis. It included a measure to get the USPS to screen overseas packages for fentanyl. The measure also set deadlines for the screening to be put into place by the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection and the Postal Service. In April, China said it would begin regulating all fentanyl-related drugs as a class of controlled substances, making a change for which American officials had long advocated. A bipartisan group of lawmakers are backing legislation in Congress that would "hold China accountable" and sanction laboratories and other traffickers who export fentanyl to the US. The bust in Virginia involved more than 120 law enforcement officers from 30 federal, state and local agencies in Virginia, North Carolina and Texas. Besides the fentanyl, authorities said they seized 24 guns, large quantities of heroin and cocaine and more than US$700,000 in cash. ^ top ^
China, U.S. negotiation teams maintain effective communication: MOC (Xinhua)
2019-08-29
The economic and trade negotiation teams of China and the United States have maintained effective communication and are discussing to have a meeting in the United States in September, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said Thursday. "It is of great importance right now to create the necessary conditions for the two sides to continue consultations," MOC spokesperson Gao Feng said at a press conference. If the Chinese team visits the United States for consultations next month, both sides should make joint efforts and create conditions to push for progress in their negotiations, Gao said. He said China is lodging solemn representations with the United States over the latter's decision to raise the additional tariffs on 550 billion U.S. dollars worth of Chinese imports. "We hope the United States can meet China halfway and properly solve the economic and trade disputes between the two countries on the basis of equality and mutual respect," Gao said. ^ top ^
Beijing hits out as US sends warship past two disputed reefs in South China Sea for the first time (SCMP)
2019-08-29
China condemned a US naval patrol near disputed reefs in the South China Sea and called on Washington to stop infringing upon its sovereignty. On Wednesday, the guided missile destroyer USS Wayne E Meyer sailed within 12 nautical miles of Fiery Cross and Mischief reefs, China's two biggest artificial islands in the disputed Spratlys. Other US vessels were nearby. It was the first time an American warship had challenged two Chinese military outposts at once in a "freedom of navigation" operation. On Thursday, Senior Colonel Li Huamin, spokesman for the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theatre Command, accused the United States of "acting as a hegemon in ignorance of the international laws and rules" and urged Washington to stop its "provocative actions" to avoid an "unpredictable incident". He said the PLA Navy and Air Force shadowed, identified, monitored, warned and expelled the destroyer. "Our troops will [take] all necessary measures to resolutely defend national sovereignty and security and firmly safeguard the peace and stability in the South China Sea," Li said. Reann Mommsen, a spokeswoman for US 7th Fleet, said its forces operated in the Indo-Pacific region on a daily basis, including the South China Sea. "All operations are designed in accordance with international law and demonstrate that the United States will fly, sail and operate whatever international law allows," she said. China lays claim to most of the South China Sea, an area rich in resources and through which trillions of dollars in trade passes each year. It has occupied the Paracel Islands, built up seven islands in the Spratlys, and assigned significant military forces to them. The US Navy has sent ships into waters around the Chinese-controlled islands and reefs almost on a monthly basis since the end of last year "to challenge excessive maritime claims". Chinese and US warships regularly have encounters in the South China Sea, where Beijing also has territorial disputes with its neighbours. The latest patrol comes amid rising trade and geopolitical tensions between Beijing and Washington. It also follows China's rejection of a request by a US naval vessel to make a port call at Qingdao in eastern Shandong province. Earlier in the month, Beijing also rejected a port call request for two US warships to visit Hong Kong. Meanwhile, the European Union has called on all parties in the South China Sea to exercise self-restraint. "Unilateral actions during the past weeks in the South China Sea have resulted in mounting tensions and a deterioration of the maritime security environment which represents a serious threat to the peaceful economic development of the region," the bloc said on Wednesday. "The EU is committed to the legal order for the seas and oceans based upon international law, maritime security and cooperation, as well as the freedom of navigation and overflight, in the interest of all states." ^ top ^
Generic medicine trade can tie China, India closer (Global Times)
2019-08-29
China has revised its drug laws to reduce penalties for the sale and import of unapproved drugs, sending a signal that the country may take an open mind toward cheaper generic drugs, especially those from India, to give poor and critically ill patients greater opportunities to extend their lives. India is a leader in the world's generic drug market. Generics made in India are often as effective as, but much cheaper than, brand-name drugs made in the West. India's pharmaceutical exports reached $17.3 billion during the period from April 2017 to March 2018, according to media reports. If India can gain access to the market in China, which has about 1.4 billion people, India's pharmaceutical exports are likely to get a big boost. The Chinese black comedy Dying to Survive, which hit Chinese theaters in July 2018, made many Chinese people aware that there is a large demand for India's generic drugs in China. It seems that the Chinese authorities have noticed this and are trying to find a way to solve this problem. The latest revision in drug laws is an important step for opening up the Chinese market to India's generic drugs. We believe that China will continue its reforms in pharmaceutical registration and give better access to Indian medicines. Big demand for India's generic drugs has promoted the development of underground generics trade in China. After the new law comes into effect, the underground trade is likely to be exposed to sunlight, and continue its development and growth. In the future, generics can become a bright spot in India's exports to China and help narrow the South Asian country's trade deficit with China. India's trade deficit with China was $26.9 billion in the first half of 2019, according to Chinese customs data. If India's generic drugs win market access in China, the trade deficit will be greatly reduced. Challenges persist, however, and making India's generic drugs fully available in China won't be easy. However, as long as reforms are beneficial to Chinese and Indian people, we believe the governments in both countries will roll out domestic reforms and spur pharmaceutical trade between the two countries. ^ top ^
Chinese military figures cast doubt on US plans to build more bases in Asia-Pacific (SCMP)
2019-08-29
Chinese military analysts have questioned whether the United States will be able to realise its plans to build more military bases in Asia. Beijing has already reacted angrily to plans to base intermediate-range missiles in the region, saying it "will not stand idly by" if the US does so. Ren Guoqiang, a spokesman from the Chinese Ministry of National Defence, said on Thursday that China was paying close attention to the latest US plans. "The US side should be careful with its words and deeds," Ren said. "China remains resolute in protecting our legitimate rights and interests, as well as peace and security in the region." US Defence Secretary Mark Esper announced the plans to deploy the missiles at the start of August, but upped the ante on Wednesday when he said the Pentagon wanted to invest in more bases in the Asia-Pacific region. "[Our] allies and partners want us to lead … but to do that we must also be present in the region," he said in a speech at the US Naval War College. "Not everywhere, but we have to be in the key locations. This means looking at how we expand our basing locations, investing more time and resources into certain regions we haven't been to in the past." The US operates more than 40 military bases in the region, many of them on the territory of its key allies such as Japan, South Korea and Australia. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank told the Defence News website that there were parts of Southeast Asia where the US could expand its military presence – for example, Vietnam which will next year mark the 25th anniversary of normalising relations with the US. Eric Sayers, a former special assistant to the head of US Pacific Command, told the website that Yap, the westernmost part of the Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau were also possible sites for US Air Force bases. "This lets us diversify the locations we use, complicates [People's Liberation Army] planning, avoids dependency on large bases that can become single points of failure, and buys down the diplomatic-political risk of relying too heavily on a place like the Philippines, where we may only have access during a dispute that they are involved in," Sayers said. But PLA analysts cast doubt on the prospects of the US setting up new bases on China's doorstep, especially in Vietnam. Zhao Xiaozhuo, a senior colonel who is also a senior fellow at the PLA Academy of Military Science, said accepting a US base would trigger a backlash among local communities and damage the country's diplomatic relations. "The US has all kinds of thoughts and disclosed them at the very early stage, [but it has] a very long way to go to be finally implemented," Zhao said. Another senior colonel from PLA's Academy of Military Science, who declined to be named, also cast doubt on what extent the US would expand its military presence in the region, saying the plan would "inevitably put China's neighbours in a security dilemma". "Some countries will not sacrifice their friendly ties with China to be close to the US militarily," he said. "And if the US really builds military bases in Pacific nations, can they play a big role in countering China's influence when considering their distance from China's coast?" Adam Ni, a China researcher at Macquarie University in Sydney, said China might try to deter its neighbours from hosting US bases by warning of economic and diplomatic measures if they agreed. "[China may] use economic and diplomatic leverage to make it harder for the US to compete for the access … through buying up assets, joint ventures or using its diplomatic [leverage]," Ni said. "Another thing that China may do is to take the narrative high-ground, portraying the US as a destabilising force in the region … It may also ramp up its military presence – which it has already been doing – and its ability to use foreign infrastructure." General Jack Keane, a former vice-chief of staff for the US Army, told Fox News that the plan was designed to contain China, which was clearly "our No 1 threat out there. It's growing every day." He added: "Strategically they want to dominate the western Pacific and Asia." In June, acting US defence secretary Patrick Shanahan outlined the US Indo-Pacific strategy, saying it wanted to "compete with and deter" China and check its attempts to "erode other nations' sovereignty". China has a series of maritime disputes with its neighbours, particularly in the South China Sea where countries such as Vietnam and the Philippines have competing claims. Collin Koh, a research fellow with the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, said Southeast Asian nations were expanding their defence cooperation with the US and other regional powers such as Australia, because their military strength paled in comparison with China's. But he said that the US move might prompt domestic challenges. "Overall it'll intensify the already observed jostle for influence in the region … The US and Chinese moves may thereby create more strategic uncertainties – regional governments may respond through self-help, such as embarking on their own military build-ups, for example," Koh said. "At first glance these dynamics may threaten to destabilise the region, though it's not necessarily the case. It's more likely that beyond posturing, China and the US aren't keen to come to direct blows with each other." ^ top ^
Australian PM Scott Morrison will 'stand up for' Yang Hengjun, arrested in China on espionage charges (SCMP)
2019-08-29
Australia is concerned about the treatment of a Chinese-born Australian writer arrested in China on suspicion of espionage and will support his rights despite being told by Beijing not to interfere, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Thursday. Yang Hengjun, a former Chinese diplomat turned online journalist and blogger, was last week formally arrested by Chinese authorities, seven months after he was detained in the country. "We'll stand up for our citizen and we'll expect him to be treated appropriately and his human rights to be respected," Morrison told Channel 9, saying suggestions that Yang was a spy for Australia were "absolutely untrue". "We make no apologies for standing up for one of our citizens," Morrison said. The arrest coincides with diplomatic tension between Canberra and Beijing, including accusations of Chinese meddling in domestic political affairs that China has denied. Yang, whose legal name is Yang Jun, has been detained since January and has not been allowed access to his lawyers or family, although Australian embassy officials have meet with him, the Australian government has said. Yang, 53, was formally arrested on August 23. Espionage is punishable by death in China. Canberra has said Yang was being held in harsh conditions and that it expected him to be treated in accordance with human rights law. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said Australia should not interfere in its legal process. Morrison said Australia would continue to raise its concerns over Yang's treatment. "I mean, that's not interfering in the system," he said, adding he respected that China had its own legal system. "But we do expect Australians, indeed all citizens, to have their human rights appropriately looked after." Several Australians have faced jail time in China over the past decade, including the former head of global miner Rio Tinto's China iron ore business, Australian citizen Stern Hu, who served eight years after a conviction in 2010 for corruption and stealing commercial secrets. More recently, 16 staff from Australia's Crown Resorts, including three Australians, were jailed for between nine and 10 months in 2017 and fined 8.62 million yuan for promoting gambling to lure Chinese high rollers to its casinos. ^ top ^
Xi asks China, Uzbekistan to promote quality Belt and Road construction (Xinhua)
2019-08-28
Chinese President Xi Jinping met with visiting Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov here on Wednesday, calling on the two countries to jointly push forward the high-quality construction of the Belt and Road. Xi asked Aripov to convey his sincere regards to Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The key to the constant leap-forward development of China-Uzbekistan relations is that both sides always adhere to the spirit of good-neighborliness, mutual benefit and mutual assistance, according to Xi. Xi stressed that he attaches great importance to the development of the China-Uzbekistan comprehensive strategic partnership, which is in line with the fundamental interests of the two countries and their peoples. Hailing the achievements of the fifth meeting of the China-Uzbekistan intergovernmental committee of cooperation, Xi said that the cooperation goals set by the two sides will certainly be realized as long as the bilateral relationship stays on the right track. Xi called on both countries to further promote the high-quality construction of the Belt and Road, enhance synergy between national development strategies, strengthen connectivity through cross-border roads and railways, expand cooperation in trade, investment, high and new technology, energy and other fields, as well as foster new highlight in people-to-people and cultural exchanges. China is willing to increase imports of Uzbek quality agricultural products, Xi said, adding that Uzbekistan is welcome to attend the second China International Import Expo as guest of honor later this year. In addition, Xi said that the two sides should work together to combat the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism, fight against drug trafficking and other transnational organized crimes. The rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is to seek happiness for the Chinese people and will also benefit world peace and human progress, Xi said, stressing that China will absolutely not follow the old path of "a strong country must seek hegemony." China is ready to enhance coordination with Uzbekistan on international affairs, safeguard common interests of the two countries, uphold multilateralism and promote democracy in international relations, Xi said. He also called on the two countries to work with other members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to raise the awareness of a community with a shared future and lift cooperation in various fields, so as to promote further development of the SCO and benefit peoples of various countries in the region. Aripov conveyed President Mirziyoyev's sincere greetings and lofty respect to President Xi and his warm congratulations on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. President Mirziyoyev sincerely hopes China will achieve greater prosperity and early national rejuvenation under the leadership of President Xi, according to Aripov. Calling China "the closest and most reliable neighbor and partner" of Uzbekistan, Aripov said that Uzbekistan will work with China to firmly implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state. Mirziyoyev has appointed a special agency to synergize development strategies with the Chinese side, actively promote cooperation with China on the construction of the Belt and Road, and expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges, according to Aripov. Uzbekistan firmly supports China in safeguarding its sovereignty, security and unity, and will continue to actively work with China to combat the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism, said Aripov. Aripov is paying an official visit to China from Tuesday to Thursday at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. ^ top ^
Iranian foreign minister holds talks in Beijing after surprise visit to G7 summit (SCMP)
2019-08-26
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif visited Beijing on Monday after a surprise appearance at the Group of Seven summit in France over the weekend – a move highlighting China's close relationship with Iran, which is in a stand-off with the US over its nuclear programme. Zarif tweeted in the afternoon that he had arrived in Beijing after a stopover in Tehran. He said that he planned to present his Chinese hosts with a 25-year road map on the China-Iran comprehensive strategic partnership, which was signed in 2016, and that Tehran would actively contribute to Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative. Zarif later posted a photo on Twitter of him shaking hands with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse and another picture of a meeting between the Chinese and Iranian delegations. The Chinese foreign ministry also confirmed Wang's meeting with Zarif. Zarif's visit to Beijing came as countries around the world are divided over their policies on Iran. Last year, the United States withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action that puts limits on Iran's nuclear programme. It followed that in April with threats of sanctions on countries that continued to buy oil from Iran. Washington also sanctioned Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Zarif. China's foreign minister also spoke to Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron, by telephone on Monday. Bonne said France wanted to coordinate and cooperate with China to ease tensions over Iran and to maintain the 2015 nuclear deal, according to a report by official Chinese news agency Xinhua. Before he arrived in Beijing on Monday, Zarif tweeted that he had met Macron on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Biarritz after extensive talks with French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian. The meeting with Macron was followed by a joint briefing with Britain and Germany. "Iran's active diplomacy in pursuit of constructive engagement continues," Zarif said in the tweet. "Road ahead is difficult. But worth trying." The US sanctions on Iran have forced Tehran to look to Asia to boost ties. After Beijing, Zarif is expected to visit Japan and Malaysia. Iran's GDP shrank by 3.9 per cent in 2018 and its economy is expected to shrink by 6 per cent this year, according to the International Monetary Fund. In July, Vali Teymouri, Iran's deputy director for tourism affairs, said the Iranian government's new visa waiver programme for Chinese visitors – first announced in June – was extended to 21 days, from 15, as it seeks to attract up to 1 million Chinese tourists to shore up its weakening economy. ^ top ^
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China to host first conference on global economic development and security (Xinhua)
2019-08-30
China will set up a forum on global economic development and security under the framework of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), with the first conference scheduled in 2020 in the country, according to the BFA. The forum will offer a platform for all parties to build a new global framework for security cooperation in order to safeguard the environment for peaceful development, said BFA Secretary General Li Baodong, at a press briefing Thursday. The first conference scheduled in September 2020 will bring together governments, businesses, experts and scholars from Asia and other parts of the world to discuss cooperation in economic development and security, said Zeng Weixiong, deputy director of the China National Narcotics Control Commission, who serves as president of the conference. In addition to strengthening law enforcement cooperation mechanisms, regular dialogue and cooperation mechanisms should also be expanded to deal with economic security, social security as well as technological security and other issues, Zeng said. ^ top ^
China Focus: China to grandly celebrate 70th National Day (Xinhua)
2019-08-29
Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend a grand gathering to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) on Oct. 1. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, will deliver an important speech at the event, said Wang Xiaohui, executive deputy head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, at a press conference held Thursday. A military parade and mass pageantry will be held following the gathering, Wang said. At a grand evening gala in Tian'anmen Square on National Day, Party and state leaders will join the public to watch performances and a fireworks show. Xi will also present the Medals of the Republic, Medals of Friendship and national titles of honor to outstanding individuals at an award ceremony to be held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. On Sept. 30, the country's Martyrs' Day, people from various sectors, including Party and state leaders, will present flowers to deceased national heroes at the Monument to the People's Heroes at Tian'anmen Square. A National Day reception will be held at the Great Hall of the People and President Xi will give an important speech. "The 70th anniversary of the PRC is a festival shared by Chinese people of all ethnic groups, which is why the celebrations will highlight the participation of the people," Wang said. According to him, more than 100,000 ordinary citizens will take part in the mass pageantry on Oct. 1 and about 60,000 will attend the evening gala on the same day, while about 30,000 members of the public will be invited to observe the gathering and military parade. Among the guests of the gathering and military parade, there will be people who made outstanding contributions to the republic's founding and development together with their families as well as about 1,500 role models including outstanding Party members, model civil servants and workers. The military parade is an important part of the National Day celebrations and is not aimed at any other countries or specific situations, Cai Zhijun, deputy head of the office of the leading group for the military parade, said at the press conference. The scale of the parade will be greater than the ones commemorating the 50th and 60th founding anniversary of the PRC, as well as the V-Day military parade in 2015, he said. The military parade is expected to showcase China's achievements in building its national defense and armed forces in the past 70 years and reflect the outcomes of the reform of the people's armed forces, according to Cai. "There will be rich and colorful celebrations spanning various sectors and regions," Wang said. An evening gala featuring music and dance will be held in the Great Hall of the People. From September, the Beijing Exhibition Center will host a large-scale exhibition on the achievements of the PRC in the past seven decades. The CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the Central Military Commission will jointly issue medals in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the PRC as part of the celebrations. Commemorative coins and stamps will be issued and a documentary will be made. The celebrations will also be carefully budgeted and avoid extravagance, Wang said. ^ top ^
MOFCOM allays concerns on corporate social credit system (Global Times)
2019-08-29
China's corporate social credit system won't be used to crack down on law-abiding, compliant foreign companies, a Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) spokesperson said on Thursday. The building of such a system is intended to forge a more standardized, open, transparent and predictable business environment, Gao Feng told a press briefing in Beijing. China will fully protect the trade secrets and the intellectual property of companies and treat different market entities in a fair manner, Gao said, in reference to the corporate social credit system. The country will not discriminate against foreign companies operating in China and will never use the system as a weapon to crack down on them, Gao said, allaying concerns raised by some Western media outlets. "Law-abiding, compliant foreign companies have nothing to worry about regarding the new system," Gao said. Various Western media reports have floated the idea that the new system could become a "weapon in the trade war," or "something that will be imposed upon foreign companies" after a report released this week by the EU Chamber of Commerce in China focused on the issue. "Businesses in China need to prepare for the consequences, to ensure that they live by the score, not die by the score," chamber president Jörg Wuttke said. The report referred to a Chinese government plan to let the corporate social credit system play a full role by next year in encouraging compliance and punishing a lack of compliance. Li Jianming, deputy director at the China Enterprise Confederation, said China has been working on a central appraisal system of companies with the help of shared data compiled by different government departments and it will be a component of the market economy. "The ultimate purpose is to guide Chinese companies to have better compliance," Li told the Global Times on Thursday. In effect, the system might be more favorable to foreign companies as they generally have better compliance levels, Li said. Gao said the new system would be separate from China's unreliable entity list, which can punish companies on the grounds of national security. The list is still in the process of being rolled out. ^ top ^
China's efforts to boost night-time consumer spending to aid economy hit by weak demand (SCMP)
2019-08-29
Late last year, Jay Li and three friends started an innovative late-night barbecue business, using two of Guangzhou's many dim sum cafes once they had closed in a bid to save money. They rented two cafes in the central business district of Zhujiang New Town to run their restaurant from 9pm to 2am, and while the idea saved money, it turned out to be not as successful as they had hoped. "Local consumer spending has got worse and worse this year. In recent weeks, it's very quiet on both workday nights and weekends, and we have only one or two tables of guests at around midnight," said Li. "We are going to give up soon because the market is telling us that it's a really bad idea." In total, Li and his partners paid 70,000 yuan (US$9,800) per month for their time-sharing rent, three waitresses and two chefs at each of the two cafes. Li predicts that, in coming months, the entertainment and restaurant sectors will take a further hit from the soaring prices of pork and other meats, which will leave consumers with less money to spend after covering their housing and daily necessities. The start-up's failure underscores the obstacles facing the government's plan to promote night-time business to increase consumption and offset the impact of the trade war with the United States. Since July, in urban areas including the major cities of Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, local governments have unveiled a series of measures to stimulate night-time consumption in a bid turn their cities into world-class "nightlife capitals." The State Council, China's cabinet, reinforced the concept earlier this week, calling on all urban areas to step up their efforts to promote night-time businesses as one of 20 measures outlined to boost national consumption. It comes after national retail sales growth slowed to 7.6 per cent in July from a year earlier, a sharp slowdown from 9.8 per cent growth in June, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics. After adjusting for inflation, the growth was even lower at 5.7 per cent last month. The State Council recommended a number of steps, including extending the operating hours of museums, shopping centres and restaurants, while also turning more public places and vacant factories into entertainment, sports, food, tourism and shopping venues from 6pm to 6am. Improving the night-time economy is a priority to expand domestic demand, promote consumption and increase employment, said Zhou Qingfeng, the deputy head of Guangzhou's development and reform commission last week. Guangzhou will introduce night-time international sporting events while also creating several commercial pedestrian streets where stores and restaurants will be open late, Zhou added. The city launched six night-time tour routes at the start of August that attracted a modest 5,900 tourists in the first three weeks, while 11 museums that extended their closing times attracted 24,000 tourists in total. Reports indicate that retail, entertainment and restaurant businesses in the Pearl River Delta, China's most affluent area, are struggling, raising the question whether the authorities' night-time economy plans will solve the real problem of weak consumer demand. In Guangdong province, retail sales growth slowed to 7.7 per cent in the first half of 2019 compared to a year earlier, down from 8.8 per cent for 2018, 10 per cent in 2017 and an average of 17.3 per cent between 2005 and 2010. "To be honest, such night-time consumption incentives are not attractive to me," said 33-year-old Tang Ying, an operating manager at a technology company. "All prices of daily necessaries have soared in the recent weeks. It's the first time in my life that I have experienced real inflation. And at the same time, we face large uncertainty for our incomes and employment." In previous decades, Guangzhou was a city that attracted huge numbers of buyers and merchants from across the country and the world to place orders for a wide range of made-in-China goods. "It was so easy for Chinese traders, private manufacturing exporters and businessmen to become wealthy at the time. So consumption was huge, not only in Guangzhou, but in all cities in the Pearl River Delta, like Shenzhen, Dongguan and Foshan." said Leo Liu, who arranges advertising promotions for hotels and restaurants in the Pearl River Delta. "But a growing number of those American and European merchants no longer return, the same with Hong Kong and Taiwan traders. According to what I know, this year is the one of the worst years for occupancy at many hotels in Guangzhou." Activity at the Canton Fair, China's largest trade fair, also disappointed this year, with the value of transactions and the number of buyers dropping at its spring session in April. Export orders booked totalled around US$29.6 billion, down 1.1 per cent from the same period last year and 0.9 per cent down from the previous fair in November. The number of buyers attending the fair also fell 3.88 per cent from a year earlier to 195,454. ^ top ^
China honors outstanding builders of socialism with Chinese characteristics (Xinhua)
2019-08-29
One hundred individuals from the non-public sector of the economy or belonging to new social groups were awarded the title of "Outstanding Builders of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics" Thursday. Wang Yang, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, stressed the importance of promoting healthy growth of the non-public sector of the economy, encouraging those working in this sector to achieve success, and uniting them for the endeavors to revitalize the Chinese nation, while addressing an honoring ceremony held in Beijing. He encouraged the title winners to be models of patriotism, professional excellence, law-abiding business, innovation and entrepreneurship, and social responsibility. Calling for a firm pursuit of high-quality development path, Wang urged them to focus on their respective sectors and industries, promote quality workmanship and work to transform "made-in-China" into "created-in-China," Chinese speed into Chinese quality, and Chinese products into Chinese brands. ^ top ^
China needs new push to become global AI leader (Global Times)
2019-08-29
Two big technology events in China lately have once again put the nation's capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI) in the spotlight. At the opening ceremony of the 2019 Smart China Expo in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Monday, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He stated that China needs to strengthen AI basic research and technological research and development. A variety of AI hardware and applications showcased at the 2019 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, which runs from Thursday to Saturday, have stirred greater interest in AI technologies that are all the rage these days. Still, China needs to stay coolheaded and push for technology-based innovation amid escalating trade tensions with the US. This seems especially the case in the arena of AI, which has increasingly become a two-man contest. Findings from a recent survey by US consulting firm A.T. Kearney showed that 39 percent of almost 450 senior business executives worldwide reckon that China is likely to overtake the US as the global leader in AI, while 35 percent of the respondents think this scenario is unlikely. Numbers measuring the global AI landscape also suggest China is playing catch-up with the US. By the end of March, there were 5,386 active AI firms across the world, according to figures released in April by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), a research institute under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The US is home to 2,169 AI firms while the Chinese mainland has 1,189 AI companies. The UK is ranked third with 404 AI businesses, followed by Canada with 303 and India with 169. Besides, 17 of a total of 41 AI unicorns globally are in China, while the US is home to 18 of them, per CAICT data. The AI rivalry that could give clues about the future strength of the two economies certainly matters a lot, especially taking into account the worsening trade situation. But rather than getting enthralled by the accomplishments that might create an atmosphere of pompous optimism, China needs to scale up its effective AI investment to turn the tech buzzword into an economic engine. That means greater spending on AI research, hardware, talent and adoption. Some industry data already points to China getting ahead of the US in AI investment, but there remains skepticism over the extent to which the investment in AI, or the various technologies and concepts revolving around AI, can be translated into China's AI prowess. A fast-track approach to funding and capital market success risks eroding the foundations of AI strength. A Wall Street Journal report earlier in August revealed that SoftBank-backed Indian startup Engineer.ai, which claims to use AI to automate the development of mobile apps, in fact relies on human engineers to put together the apps, a striking example of exaggerated AI savviness that should serve as a warning to numerous companies in China that have ridden, or plan to ride, the AI wave. The call made by Liu, the vice premier, to double down on AI basic research therefore points industry participants in the right direction. As for AI-optimized chipsets and wide-ranging gadgets using AI technologies, a raft of Chinese companies are already among the early players in the market. Last week, Huawei unveiled its data center AI chip, promising more computing power than rivals. On Wednesday, Chinese search engine Sogou, betting its future on AI, announced it will open up its dictation services to third-party voice recorder companies. It also announced the creation of an AI innovation alliance with digital voice recorder makers including Aigo, Newmine, Sony and MSC. Nonetheless, greater commitments are still required on the hardware side. With more progress on in-house AI chips, the nation could be a step closer to its goal of advanced chipmaking. This would mean that China's AI ambition won't be at the mercy of others. In the case of talent nurturing, an annual AI training camp organized by Kai-fu Lee's venture capital firm Sinovation Ventures can be seen as a prototype of efforts to build sustainable AI talent pipelines. At the closing ceremony of the third DeeCamp, which was launched by Sinovation Ventures in 2017, at the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing earlier this month, a handful of AI-powered projects was presented, including an AI program playing farmers versus landlords, a popular Chinese card game. This year's training camp wrapped up with 600 students from 130 universities both home and abroad finishing 50 AI projects within merely four weeks, under the guidance of top industry mentors such as Lee. Some of the DeeCamp participants have joined Sinovation Ventures and other AI ventures, adding to the talent pool for China's AI prowess. It is hoped that more companies, especially promising startups in the arena, could join the talent push. The importance of startups was highlighted by International Data Corporation (IDC) at an innovation salon in Beijing in the middle of August. The market research firm said that the latest round of the AI boom has been led by star startups, which have performed exceptionally in proving appealing to users, among other aspects, in the niche markets of computer vision, speech recognition and language understanding. AI startups will arguably play an increasingly significant role in innovating technologies, turning technologies from concepts into working prototypes, and deploying applications. Last but not the least, AI technologies need to gain wider adoption. This calls for efforts to push more traditional sectors in the home market to embrace the new technology, as well as to pitch made-in-China AI products and applications to overseas markets. A sub-forum on AI development along the routes of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to be hosted by Shanghai-based AI startup DeepBlue on Saturday during the WAIC might give an idea of how China's homegrown AI expertise can be exported to BRI markets. The company proposed the establishment of a BRI AI industrial alliance in January. The first batch of countries and regions joining the alliance includes Indonesia, Singapore, Germany, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. More BRI economies are expected to join the alliance at the sub-forum. Such initiatives will over time build China into a global hub for AI, putting it in an unrivaled spot in future power wrestling. ^ top ^
China's top legislature wraps up bimonthly session (Xinhua)
2019-08-26
The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, closed its bimonthly session Monday, adopting a revised drug administration law, amendments to the laws on land administration and urban real estate administration and the resource taxes law. President Xi Jinping signed presidential decrees to release the laws. Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over the closing meeting attended by 167 committee members. At the closing meeting, lawmakers also voted to approve extradition treaties with Sri Lanka and Vietnam. Speaking highly of the revised drug administration law, Li stressed stringent enforcement of the law to ensure the public's access to safe and effective medicines. The amendments to the laws on land administration and urban real estate administration are of great significance to empowering farmers with more property rights, protecting their legitimate rights and interests, and promoting rural vitalization and integrated urban-rural development, Li noted. During the session, lawmakers deliberated a report on the implementation of the national economic and social development plan, and a report on the implementation of this year's budget. Legislators also reviewed reports on the reform and development of preschool education, the enforcement of the water pollution prevention and control law, and the enforcement of the law on employment promotion, respectively. ^ top ^
New law gives China's regions power to tax resources (SCMP)
2019-08-26
Chinese legislators have approved a law that will give local governments the authority to tax as many as 164 resources, including fossil fuels, minerals and eventually water, the Ministry of Finance said on Monday. The National People's Congress, China's top legislature, approved the resource tax law, which would take effect in September next year, the ministry said. Officials said it would not raise the overall taxes on local companies. Major resources such as crude oil or rare earths would remain subject to a fixed tax rate set by the central government, but local authorities would be able to adjust the rates levied on other products, said Xu Guoqiao, a senior inspector with the taxation department at the Ministry of Finance. The law will enable authorities to provide tax relief for depleted, low-grade mines or regions that have suffered natural disasters. It would also allow tax exemptions to be applied to help policy strategies such as the development of coal-bed methane, Xu said. It would lay the groundwork for a nationwide water resource tax designed to encourage efficiency and conservation, he said. China began levying a pilot water resource tax in heavily polluted northern Hebei province in 2016. Local authorities will be granted powers to levy higher rates of tax in regions where water resources are scarce, but Xu said it would not raise the overall taxes paid. "It will mainly strengthen the water conservation awareness of taxpayers, prevent the over-exploitation of groundwater and force high-consuming enterprises to save water and improve efficiency," he said. China's resource tax reforms were introduced for products such as crude oil, natural gas and coal in 2011 and extended to other commodities in 2016. Chinese firms were previously charged on the basis of how much of a resource they used, but the new tax system is based on price rather than volume. Under the new law, Chinese and foreign firms jointly exploring for oil and gas in onshore and offshore oil and gas blocks would continue to pay only royalties for contracts that were signed before November 1, 2011, the official China News Service said on Monday. But they would have to start paying the resource tax once the contract expired, the report said. ^ top ^
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Shenzhen police stage new drill using water cannons to deal with riot (Global Times)
2019-08-29
The People's Armed Police staged a new drill that featured an apparent large-scaled anti-riot exercises in Shenzhen's Bay Sports Center on Thursday, near Hong Kong. Hundreds of armed officers took part in the drill in which they confronted rioters holding long batons, according to a video widely circulating online. When riot police marched forward, rioters did not stop moving forward, and some struck the officers with batons, the video showed. The officers then steadily moved forward equipped with firm shields and two water cannons. They began aiming at the rioters before spraying water at them. A source close to the matter confirmed with the Global Times that it was an anti-riot drill staged Thursday at Shenzhen Bay Sports Center, and that the video showed the drill was large in scale. Within a few seconds, the officers held the situation under control, and rioters began retreating. Some rioters threw petrol bombs, but the officers effectively extinguished them. Two red flags were spotted among the armed officers. After rioters retreated for a while, some police trucks surrounded them, ending the riot completely. The drill mirrors the months-long ongoing protests in Hong Kong, as protesters throw petrol bombs and attack the Hong Kong police with offensive weapons, some internet users on the Chinese mainland said. Earlier this month, the armed police have been assembling in Shenzhen, a city bordering Hong Kong, in advance of apparent large-scale exercises. The tasks and missions of the armed police include participating in dealing with rebellions, riots, serious violent and illegal incidents, terrorist attacks and other incidents endangering social safety. Also, the Hong Kong Garrison of the Chinese People's Liberation Army conducted the 22nd rotation of its members in the early hours of Thursday since it began garrisoning Hong Kong in 1997, the Xinhua News Agency reported. The move is a normal routine annual rotation in line with the Law of the People's Republic of China on Garrisoning the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, which was approved by the Central Military Commission. Some internet users applauded armed police for being brave and skillful in battle. "No need for a drill, you guys can handle the riot in Hong Kong now!" a netizen with a pseudonym of Zhubanxiaomajia said in a Weibo post. Although the Hong Kong Police Force issues a letter of objection to the protest organized by opposition groups set to take place August 31, some observers believe the ban will not stop anti-government protesters from escalating violence. ^ top ^
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Jailed dissident economist Ilham Tohti nominated for top European human rights prize (SCMP)
2019-08-29
Jailed dissident Uygur scholar Ilham Tohti has been shortlisted for one of Europe's top human rights prizes, focusing attention again on China's treatment of ethnic Uygurs in its far western region of Xinjiang. Tohti, who has been serving a life sentence in China since 2014 on separatism-related charges, was nominated for the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize, alongside Buzurgmehr Yorov, a human rights lawyer in Tajikistan, and the Youth Initiative for Human Rights, a group promoting reconciliation in the Balkans. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the nomination should be withdrawn. Geng said Tohti was convicted of subversion charges and supporting terrorism, and giving him the award would be showing support for terrorism. Before his arrest, Tohti, an ethnic Uygur economist, writer, and professor at Minzu University in Beijing, called on Beijing to ease tensions in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, urging the authorities to abide by the region's existing laws, reduce economic discrimination and establish a legal system. Liliane Maury Pasquier, president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which co-sponsors the prize, said the nominees had showed "courage and determination in standing up for basic principles of justice and fairness – often at great personal cost, risking their liberty and sometimes even their lives". If chosen, Tohti would become the first Chinese dissident awarded the prize, named after the Czech playwright and politician who opposed Soviet communism. Tohti's nomination comes amid reports that more than a million ethnic Uygurs and members of other largely Muslim ethnic groups have been detained in extrajudicial internment camps in Xinjiang in a crackdown that began in early 2017. The government says the camps are vocational training centres and part of an effort to combat terrorism. There have been reports of torture and forced labour at the camps, and some members of the Uygur diaspora in Turkey have also complained of forced family separation in Xinjiang, with children ordered to go to boarding schools. Apart from the European prize, Tohti was nominated in January by a bipartisan group of 13 US lawmakers for the Nobel Peace Prize. US Republican Congressman Marco Rubio, a long-time critic of China's human rights record, said at the time that the nomination "could not be more timely" as the Chinese government and Communist Party continued to "perpetrate gross human rights violations". The US government has stepped up pressure on China to change its Uygur policies, including hiring an ethnic Uygur as President Donald Trump's top China policy adviser. ^ top ^
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Enacting emergency laws to block websites would signal an end to Hong Kong's 'open internet', warns industry body (HKFP)
2019-08-30
The enactment of emergency legislation to subdue social unrest would signal an end to Hong Kong's open internet, an industry association has warned. The Hong Kong Internet Service Providers Association (HKISPA) issued a statement on Thursday expressing opposition to reports of a possible blocking of selected internet services in response to recent unrest. The organisation warned that any such measures could cripple the local economy and urged the government to consult the community before imposing any restrictions. "Technically speaking, given the complexity of the modern internet including technologies like VPN, cloud and cryptographies, it is impossible to effectively and meaningfully block any services, unless we put the whole internet of Hong Kong behind large scale surveillance firewall," it read. The HKIPSA also said that any such restrictions would be detrimental to the local economy and would not deter users from accessing their desired services using TOR or VPN services, which enable users to circumvent firewalls. "By the above token, HKISPA would like to warn that, imposing any insensible restrictions on the open internet would only result in more restrictions, as the original restrictions wouldn't be effective, and ultimately the result is putting Hong Kong's internet behind a big firewall," it read. "Therefore, any such restrictions, however slight originally, would start the end of the open internet of Hong Kong, and would immediately and permanently deter international businesses from positing their businesses and investments in Hong Kong." Under the colonial-era Emergency Regulations Ordinance (ERO). the city's leader and her council of advisors are granted broad powers to "make regulations on occasions of emergency or public danger," which include censorship and the "control and suppression of publications, writings, maps, plans, photographs, communications and means of communication." The plan was first reported by pro-government newspaper Sing Tao Daily, with Chief Executive Carrie Lam saying on Tuesday that she would consider using all laws in Hong Kong. The law was last used during the 1967 riots. "All of Hong Kong's laws, if they can provide a rule of law measure to stop violence and chaos, the government has a responsibility to examine them," Lam said. The HKISPA added that the city transits 80 per cent of the internet traffic for mainland China and is home to over a hundred local and international data centres, meaning that the internet industry relies upon an open network. Any restrictions, it added, "completely ruin the uniqueness and value of Hong Kong as a telecommunications hub, a pillar of success as an international financial centre." A spokesperson for HKISPA told HKFP that the association learned of a possible government attempt to block the instant messaging app Telegram and the Reddit-like forum LIHKG, both popular among protesters, from local media outlets including pro-Beijing paper Wen Wei Po and Now TV, which cited other media reports. Leonhard Weese, an independent tech privacy researcher, told HKFP that a free and open internet is the "cornerstone" of the city's economy, alongside the free flow of capital, goods and people. "The mere fact that we are discussing (questioning) their continuation is a sign of big trouble for our future," he said. But Weese added that countermeasures could be easily employed to curb government internet restrictions and that blocking VPN services would paralyse large corporations, such as the stock exchange. "It would not be easy to put Hong Kong behind the great firewall. Hong Kong's infrastructure is separate from China's and the data can't be easily re-routed through the firewall, especially given the size of the data," he said. "It's impossible for the government to selectively censor the internet in the short run. They [would] either shut it down or censor it only symbolically." Hong Kong has entered its 12th consecutive week of protests, sparked by an ill-fated extradition bill that would have allowed case-by-case fugitive transfers to China. Since June, large-scale demonstrations have morphed into sometimes violent displays of dissent over Beijing's encroachment, democracy, alleged police brutality, surveillance and other community grievances. ^ top ^
PLA 'ready to defend Hong Kong' after morning arrival Beijing says is routine troop rotation (SCMP)
2019-08-29
The Chinese military conducted the latest rotation of its troops in Hong Kong on Thursday and was prepared to help maintain the city's prosperity and stability, state media reported, amid massive anti-government protests. State news agency Xinhua reported the rotation at 4am on Thursday. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) Hong Kong Garrison has a rotation every year, but on previous occasions state media released a report only when the handovers were completed. This was the 22nd rotation since the PLA began garrisoning Hong Kong in 1997, Xinhua reported. Xinhua photos showed that troops in military vehicles had passed into Hong Kong via the Huanggang Port border checkpoint, while marine forces of the PLA Navy arrived at the Stonecutters Island naval base before sunrise. Later on Thursday morning, a squadron of armed helicopters from the garrison's air forces flew from the Southern Theatre Command to Shek Kong Airfield in Hong Kong. Unlike the arrival of the ground force and navy, which entered Hong Kong before dawn, this was a relatively high-profile move. The rotation was approved by the Central Military Commission (CMC), chaired by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Xinhua said. "The move is a normal routine annual rotation in line with the law of the People's Republic of China on garrisoning the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, which stipulates that 'the Hong Kong Garrison shall practise a system of rotation of its members'," Xinhua said. In a second report, Xinhua said the troops had undergone military and legal training specific to Hong Kong. "[The troops] have grasped the ability to defend Hong Kong," it said, adding that they were committed to the leadership of the Communist Party and the CMC. A similar rotation exercise was conducted in the PLA's Macau Garrison. The PLA's Southern Theatre Command, which oversees Hong Kong Garrison troops under the CMC's authorisation, posted Xinhua's report on social media. Hong Kong has seen months of anti-government protests, triggered by a now-shelved extradition bill that would have allowed criminal suspects to be transferred to mainland China. The protests turned violent and have included clashes between protesters and Hong Kong police. Beijing has said the protests showed "signs of terrorism" and that PLA troops could be deployed to maintain order at the request of the Hong Kong government. "[The troops] are determined to resolutely protect national sovereignty, security and development interests. They will effectively carry out the duty of defending Hong Kong, and [make] new contributions to maintaining the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong." Beijing-based military expert Zhou Chenming said the Xinhua report was aimed at "preventing any misunderstanding and speculation about troop deployment, and stating that it is just a routine rotation". "This rotation was carefully arranged with comprehensive consideration. If the garrison troops entered Hong Kong in the darkness secretly, without a report, that would scare the Hong Kong media and Hong Kong people," Zhou said. "Beijing still values the stability of Hong Kong." Asked whether the garrison would increase in size for any possible crackdown mission in the city, Zhou said troop numbers would remain the same – about 6,000 to 7,000. "The PLA has a very strict budget to limit troop numbers since China's military overhaul," he said. A source close to the garrison told the South China Morning Post that the air force previously flew to Hong Kong at night but this year had changed that policy. "[The garrison's air forces] chose to fly over in daytime because that could allow pilots a good view [over Hong Kong], but also allow Hong Kong people to see they are flying in," the source said. Beijing-based Zhou said it was normal for all aircraft in the garrison to fly to their mainland base for maintenance before returning to Hong Kong. "The aircraft flew in daytime this year because they want to tell local media that the garrison doesn't have anything to hide, especially with the current sensitivities," he said. Xinhua's photos also showed that the garrison had changed its armoured vehicles, of which it has about 50, from Type 092, the military version, to WJ-03B, the model used by armed police for anti-riot purposes. Hong Kong-based military observer Liang Guoliang said the change suggested the garrison was ready for anti-riot missions if required. "Pictures showed that the anti-aircraft machine guns found on the military versions of the vehicles had been dismantled when they entered Hong Kong, suggesting that the eight-person vehicles could load extra troops for anti-riot missions," Liang said. The body of the replacement model had more holes, allowing troops inside to shoot rubber bullets, tear gas and other anti-riot weapons more easily and safely, Liang added. "The deployment of the anti-riot version of the vehicles is part of the nationwide arrangements before the October 1 National Day celebrations, because all armed police on the mainland are also stepping up their anti-terrorism and anti-riot alert," he said. ^ top ^
Hong Kong police strongly oppose independent investigation into conduct, says Chief Exec. Carrie Lam in leaked recording (HKFP)
2019-08-29
Chief Executive Carrie Lam has said in a leaked recording that the Hong Kong police strongly oppose an independent investigation into their conduct, and she cannot act hastily over something that may affect their work. Lam was speaking with a group of young people on Monday behind closed doors. Following the meeting, multiple news outlets claimed that Lam refused to set up an independent commission of inquiry into the recent protests – a main demand of protesters – owing to opposition from the police. Lam's stance was cited by multiple unnamed sources, but she denied the claim on Tuesday. However, a voice recording of Monday's meeting was leaked to Apple Daily and published on Thursday. In the recording, Lam said: "Many people want to investigate the abuse of power of the police, if they violated this-and-that [rule] during operations, so colleagues of the police force were very much opposed to it." "This police force of 30,000 people is very important to us. As the chief executive, I cannot do something hastily which may affect their work," she said. The government issued a statement soon after the Apple Daily report, which did not deny the authenticity of the leaked recording: "The Chief Executive's remarks at the closed-door event on August 26 on views of the police officers mentioned in media reports are statements of fact and are not related to the stance of the HKSAR Government," it said. It reiterated the government's position that the Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC) is handling complaints against the police and is conducting a study on the protests after June 9. "As the related work of the statutory IPCC is under way, the HKSAR Government is of the view that it is inappropriate to set up another independent commission of inquiry for investigation. The stance of the HKSAR Government has all along been that relevant matters should be dealt with by the established mechanism," it said. The IPCC has been criticised as being powerless, as it cannot summon witnesses. The ill-fated extradition bill would have allowed case-by-case fugitive transfers to China. Since June, large-scale peaceful protests have escalated into – sometimes violent – displays of dissent over Beijing's encroachment, democracy, alleged police brutality, surveillance and other community grievances. In the leaked recording, Lam also said it was difficult for her to officially withdraw for the bill – another key demand of protesters. Lam previously said the bill was "dead," but has stopped short of officially withdrawing it: "It is very difficult for me to say more clearly," she said in the recording. She also said that, although the bill was a trigger for the ongoing protests, the demonstrations were not a result of the bill alone. "Today it may be the extradition bill, next year it may be another sensitive issue not related to Hong Kong and mainland [relations]. It may be a local sensitive issue that may trigger [protests], because some issues have accumulated over time," she said. Further protests are planned for this weekend. ^ top ^
Hong Kong police ban upcoming pro-democracy rally citing public order concerns (HKFP)
2019-08-29
Hong Kong police have banned both a rally and a march organised by the Civil Human Rights Front planned for Saturday, according to the group's convener Jimmy Sham. It marked the first time that an entire event organised by the pro-democracy coalition has been prohibited owing to concerns over public order. Sham said police had cited previous confrontations between protesters and police as the reason for the ban. The event was themed around reiterating the five core demands of anti-extradition law protesters on the fifth anniversary of Beijing's decision to impose restrictive measures on Hong Kong elections. The original plan was to rally at Chater Garden at 2:30pm then march to the China Liaison Office in Sai Wan at 3pm. Sham said the Front will appeal the decision after speaking with lawyers: "We did not see a very clear reason [to ban the protest] in the objection letter," he said. "We will discuss ways for residents to exercise their right to protest in a safe and legal way," he added. "[Chief Executive] Carrie Lam has not allowed Hong Kong to return to calm, but she has used different means to make Hong Kong people even angrier." The police previously banned the Front's march on August 18, citing public security concerns, but approved a static rally at Victoria Park. However, protesters marched peacefully to Central nonetheless, without facing any police interference. Several dozen people organised a protest outside the Front's office on Thursday to condemn the organisation over its involvement in the recent unrest. But instead, protesters went to the office of Rainbow of Hong Kong, an LGBT+ rights group. The group is not among the 50-odd members of the coalition, but Sham nevertheless waited for the protesters at the centre, resulting in a verbal confrontation. The Front was behind three other huge protests since June, which they say attracted millions of demonstrators. Protests show little sign of abating, with more planned over the coming days. A rally at Chater Garden at 7:45pm on Friday has been planned to demonstrate against the alleged mistreatment of animals during ongoing protests. "The purpose of this assembly is to discuss and educate the public about tear gas effects on animals and subsequent treatment if they have been affected," the organiser wrote on the event page. "We also condemn the dispatch of police dogs at the scene of public demonstrations and [their] misuse by the Hong Kong police. Animals have been found to suffer from various adverse symptoms as a consequence of these irresponsible actions." They urged the police to stop dispatching police dogs at protests; stop the firing of tear gas or any other similar chemical substances within close proximity of police dogs or within residential areas, and stop the use of unnecessary or disproportionate force. Police have yet to approve the gathering. Meanwhile, a group of unidentified protesters from around 20 different sectors held a press conference on Wednesday calling for a two-day strike starting next Monday. Two rallies will be held at Salisbury Garden in Tsim Sha Tsui and Tamar Park in Admiralty on Monday, and another will be held at Chater Garden in Central on Tuesday. A social worker, who spoke under the pseudonym Winston, said that protests have lasted for 80 days and can only be ended by the government adhering to their demands. "Only by immediately implementing dual universal suffrage as promised in the Basic Law, which has not yet been fulfilled, can we reverse the current embarrassing state of the Hong Kong SAR government, and truly realise that Hong Kong is ruled by Hongkongers," he said. During the last citywide strike on August 5, seven rallies were held in conjunction in different areas. Traffic in several districts was brought to a standstill, and clashes between protesters and police broke out. Police have arrested almost 900 people in relation to the ongoing anti-extradition law protests since June. ^ top ^
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Macao elects CE, upholds 'one country, two systems' (Global Times)
2019-08-25
Ho Iat Seng expressed his firm resolution to uphold the "one country, two systems" principle after he was elected the fifth-term chief executive-designate of China's Macao Special Administrative Region on Sunday. Ho Iat Seng, the lone contender in the chief executive (CE) election of Macao is set to take the helm of the regional government at the end of the year, if approved by China's central government. He won 392 votes from the 400-member CE election committee, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Sunday. At the conclusion of the voting, Ho told those present including voters and the media that he will spare no effort to uphold the principles of "one country, two systems" "Macao people governing Macao" and "a high degree of autonomy." "I will unswervingly carry out my duties and governance in strict accordance with the constitution and the basic law to serve the people, the SAR and the country," Ho said. China's State Council Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office spokesperson, Yang Guang, congratulated Ho, saying the election was held in accordance with the Basic Law and other related laws of the SAR, fully embodying the principles of openness, fairness and equality. Incumbent CE Chui Sai On also extended congratulations on Sunday to Ho. A press release from his office said Chui believed that the Macao designate-CE has the trust of both the central government and the Macao people, given his governing capability. The election was held as Macao's neighboring region, Hong Kong, continues to suffer from social unrest which has also impacted Macao's tourism. "A typhoon, however strong it is, will pass eventually, so will the disturbance in Hong Kong," Ho was quoted by Caixin as saying at the election event on Sunday. The development of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area brings a major opportunity for Macao, and Macao's cooperation with cities in the area will not be affected by any incidents, said Ho. ^ top ^
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U.S. accountable for all Taiwan arms sales consequences: spokesperson (Xinhua)
2019-08-30
The United States is accountable for all consequences of its arms sales to Taiwan, a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense said Thursday. The one-China principle is the political foundation for the China-U.S. relationship, said the spokesperson Ren Guoqiang at a press conference when asked about the U.S. approval of arms sales to Taiwan. It is a pity that the United States repeatedly violated the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, Ren said. Arms sales to Taiwan will not change the historical trend of China's reunification, Ren said, noting that the move will only send wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" forces and deteriorate the situation across the Taiwan Strait. "We have resolute will, abundant confidence and sufficient ability to defeat any form of interference of enternal forces and separatist acts of 'Taiwan independence,'" Ren said. "We will take all necessary measures to safeguard our interests. We will defend our national sovereignty and territorial integrity and maintain the peace and stability across the Strait at any cost," Ren stressed. ^ top ^
US warplane flies along dividing line between mainland China and Taiwan (SCMP)
2019-08-29
A US warplane on Thursday flew along the line dividing the Taiwan Strait between mainland China and Taiwan, according to the island's defence ministry. The MC-130J Commando tanker aircraft flew along the "median line" at around 11am on Thursday, heading from north to south, the ministry said. "During the flight there was nothing abnormal detected." The aircraft left Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan before flying through the Taiwan Strait and heading southeast towards the Bashi Strait between Taiwan and the Philippines. Meanwhile, a B-52H bomber departed the Andersen Base in Guam and jetted into the South China Sea via the Bashi Strait south of Taiwan, while a US RC-135W reconnaissance aircraft also flew south of Taiwan in the South China Sea. It was an unusual move for a US warplane to make an appearance in the highly sensitive area between the mainland and Taiwan. The so-called median line is a widely agreed boundary running through the middle of the strait. It dates from the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. Beijing considers Taiwan a breakaway province, to be reunited by force if necessary. The US ended its diplomatic recognition and formal defence alliance with Taiwan in 1979 but has continued to offer informal support, including arms sales – most recently a US$8 billion deal to supply F-16V fighter jets. The US 2020 National Defence Authorisation Act calls on the American military to strengthen US-Taiwan military cooperation and improve the island's defence capability to counter the fast-growing muscle of the People's Liberation Army. As tensions between Beijing and Washington have mounted, the US has passed a series of pro-Taiwan bills and US naval and coastguard vessels have also passed through the strait several times this year. Although the central part of the 200km wide strait is in international waters and airspace, China often hits out when US or other Western navy ships pass through. As cross-strait relations have deteriorated in recent years, the PLA Air Force and Navy have also stepped up their air and sea patrols around the island, including through the strait. For the most part, the PLA does not cross the median line, although on March 31 two J-11 fighter jets crossed to the eastern side of the line for about 10 minutes. In June, the aircraft carrier Liaoning led a strike group through the strait, after touring the west Pacific and South China Sea, but did not cross the median line. ^ top ^
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| Economy |
Commentary: New pilot FTZs to catalyze China's high-quality opening-up (Xinhua)
2019-08-29
Despite trade protectionism and unilateralism continually bringing unsettling news to businesses around the world, China never disappoints those who are confident in its consistent support of free trade, as shown by its recent launch of several new pilot free trade zones (FTZs). China's State Council has recently released an inspiring plan to add another six new pilot FTZs on top of its 12 already-existing ones and to flesh them out in the provincial-level regions of Shandong, Jiangsu, Hebei, Guangxi, Yunnan and Heilongjiang. Now, China's pilot FTZs feature a deeper level of liberalization and facilitation for foreign trade, capital, investment and talent, and a wider level of market access for foreign companies, with a shortened negative list that prescribes their off-limits. Under that framework, new pilot FTZs are given more autonomy to experiment with new patterns in transforming government functions, managing foreign investment, facilitating foreign trade and attracting global talent, based on their differentiated advantages and conditions. For instance, the pilot FTZ in Shandong is oriented toward boosting marine economy and economic cooperation among East Asian countries, in Yunnan toward exploring modes of cross-border economic cooperation among China, South Asia and Southeast Asia, in Guangxi toward stepping up cooperation with ASEAN countries, and in Heilongjiang toward building a transport and logistics hub to facilitate cooperation with Russia and Northeast Asia. The pilot FTZ in Jiangsu will strengthen the interaction between the financial sector and the real economy, while in Hebei, biomedicine and health industries will be further opened to global partners. Geographically, the launch of new pilot FTZs marks the full coverage of coastal provincial-level regions as well as the inclusion of border regions into the plan for the first time, taking China's opening-up to a broader level. In general, new pilot FTZs will strengthen global cooperation in technology research and development and pursue industrial upgrading as a major task, echoing the country's mission of economic transformation to high-quality development. China initiated piloting FTZs in Shanghai in 2013, followed by another 11 FTZs in its coastal regions before the latest expansion. In the first half of this year, China's 12 current FTZs have attracted foreign investment of nearly 70 billion yuan (about 9.88 billion U.S. dollars), accounting for 14 percent of the country's total. When free trade is facing severe challenge around the world, with increasing amounts of cross-border trade deals canceled, tariffs imposed, capital flow thwarted and talent mobility blocked, it takes more efforts than imagined to restore the global economy back to a multilateral and mutually beneficial state. Despite the difficulties, China will shoulder its responsibilities as a major economy, within and beyond its free trade zones. ^ top ^
5G to contribute 15.2 trillion yuan to digital economic growth (People's Daily)
2019-08-29
5G technology will create an increase of 15.2 trillion yuan for China's digital industry between 2020 and 2025, according to the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, Science and Technology Daily reported on August 28. It took 3G nine years and 4G six years to bring the number of users to 500 million, but it will only take 5G technology three years to break that level, said Gan Bin from Huawei, at the 2019 Smart China Expo held in southwest China's Chongqing from Aug. 26 to 29. Gan disclosed that the telecommunications company has now entered a fast lane in developing 5G technology. So far, it has signed 50 5G commercial contracts with global users and will deliver more than 200,000 5G base stations to them. Liu Hong, head of technology at GSMA Greater China, predicted that the number of devices connected with 5G data terminals worldwide would reach 4 billion in the next six years. China, he said, will become the bellwether of 5G network construction. The country could use artificial intelligence to more effectively plan 5G network construction, which will reduce costs, power dissipation and increase safety. With 350,000 5G base stations in place, China holds advantages in 5G patents and financing, said Cui Baoqiu with China's tech giant Xiaomi. ^ top ^
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| DPRK |
North Korea changes constitution to strengthen Kim Jong-un's power (SCMP)
2019-08-29
North Korea's parliament has approved changes to the country's constitution to solidify leader Kim Jong-un 's role as head of state, state media said on Thursday. Kim's legal status as "representing our state has been further consolidated to firmly ensure the monolithic guidance of the Supreme Leader over all state affairs", state news agency KCNA quoted Choe Ryong Hae, president of the presidium of the supreme people's assembly, or titular parliament, as saying. The presidium president had historically been the nominal head of state. But the new constitution said Kim, as chairman of the State Affairs Commission (SAC), a top governing body created in 2016, was the supreme representative of all the Korean people, which means head of state, as well as "commander-in-chief". A previous constitution simply called Kim "supreme leader" who commanded the country's "overall military force". Thursday's constitutional amendments appear to confirm that North Korea's legal system will now recognise Kim as head of state. The new constitution authorises Kim to promulgate legislative ordinances and major decrees and decisions and appoint or recall diplomatic envoys to foreign countries, KCNA said. "With the amendment, Kim Jong-un is reviving his grandfather's head of state system," said Cheong Seong-chang, a senior fellow at the Sejong Institute. "He has become a de facto head of state." In reality Kim, a third-generation hereditary leader, rules North Korea with an iron fist and the title change will mean little to the way he wields power. The back-to-back constitutional revision is unprecedented, said Rachel Minyoung Lee, an analyst with NK News, a website that tracks North Korea. "By further bolstering the SAC chairman's authority, Kim Jong-un has emerged as the most powerful leader in North Korean history," she said. The move comes after Kim was formally named head of state and commander-in-chief of the military in a new constitution in July that analysts said was possibly aimed at preparing for a peace treaty with the United States. North Korea has long called for a peace deal with the US to normalise relations and end the technical state of war that has existed since the 1950-1953 Korean war, concluded with an armistice, rather than a peace treaty. There has been scant progress in the US aim of getting North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons programme despite three meetings between US President Donald Trump and Kim. Trump has said he and Kim agreed at their last meeting to resume working-level talks, but these have yet to happen and North Korea has conducted multiple missile tests since, while accusing Washington of breaking a pledge to stop joint military exercises with South Korea. ^ top ^
North Korea tests 'super-large multiple rocket launcher', Trump 'not happy' about it (SCMP)
2019-08-25
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw the test of a "super-large multiple rocket launcher" on Saturday, state news agency KCNA reported. US President Donald Trump on Sunday said he was "not happy" about North Korea's latest missile test but played down the seriousness of the incident. "I'm not happy about it but then again he's not in violation of the agreement," Trump told reporters on the sidelines of the G7 summit. However, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe contradicted Trump, saying: "The launch of short-range ballistic missiles by North Korea clearly violates the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. "It was extremely regrettable for us." North Korea fired what appeared to be two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea off its east coast, the South Korean military said, the latest in a series of launches in recent weeks amid stalled denuclearisation talks. Photos released by North Korean state media showed rockets launching from large tubes mounted on the back of an eight-wheel vehicle. Analysts said it appeared to be at least the fourth new missile system unveiled by North Korea since denuclearisation talks stalled at a February summit between Kim and Trump. North Korea must step up development of new strategic and tactical weapons to counter "ever-mounting military threats and pressure offensive of the hostile forces," Kim said on Saturday, according to KCNA. North Korea's young defence scientists who developed the missiles are a "precious treasure and wealth of the country which cannot be bartered for anything," Kim said. On Saturday, a KCNA commentary said North Korea "will never barter the strategic security of the country for the sanctions relief". American officials have been trying to restart the stalled talks with North Korea over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, which are heavily sanctioned. After the latest tests, Trump again touted his good relationship with Kim and said the North Korean leader had been "pretty straight with me". ^ top ^
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| Mongolia |
Income from mining sector increases by 24 percent (Montsame)
2019-08-29
The Ministry of Mining and Heavy Industry today issued the sector's statistics for first seven months of 2019. As of seven months of the year, the sector accumulated MNT 1.7 trillion billion to the state budget as taxes, fees and royalties. MNT 22.2 billion has come from gold mining, MNT 788.7 billion--from coal, MNT 53.6 billion -- zinc, MNT 723.1 billion --copper, MNT 14.5 billion --iron, MNT 19 billion --fluorspar and MNT 41 billion from others. Against the same period of the previous year, the income from major commodities increased by MNT 321.3 billion or 24 percent; incomes from coal extraction increased by MNT 230.4 billion (41.3 percent), copper--by MNT 97.9 billion (15.7 percent), iron—by MNT 5.1 billion (53.8 percent) and fluorspar --by MNT 9.3 billion (96.9 percent). In Mongolia, a total of 8.15 million barrel or 1.1 million tons of oil is planned to be extracted and exported, with accumulation of MNT335.6 billion to the State Budget. As of July 31, 4.04 million barrel or 554,957 tons of crude oil have been extracted and 3.87 million barrel or 525,300 tons of crude oil have been exported. It brought incomes worth MNT134.4 billion. By August 27, Mongolia has a 39-day reserve of oil products reserve for domestic needs. According to first seven months of the year, Mongolia has imported 1.2 million tons of petroleum. Also, there are registered 2889 exploration and mining licenses of mineral resources throughout the country. ^ top ^
State Harvest Commission convenes (Montsame)
2019-08-28
On August 27, the State Harvest Commission convened to discuss current state of crops for harvesting and preliminary estimates for 2019, and make a guideline for harvest technology, taking the weather forecast into consideration. In 2019, sowing has been made in 512.0 thousand hectares in total, of which wheat in 340.1 thousand hectares, potatoes in 14.8 thousand hectares, vegetables in 8.0 thousand hectares, oil plants in 82.4 thousand hectares and fodder plants in 42.0 thousand hectares nationwide. Currently, it is estimated that 420.0 thousand tons of wheat, 176.8 thousand tons of potatoes, 91.2 thousand tons of vegetables, 38.0 thousand tons of oil plants and 80.4 thousand tons of fodder plants will be harvested. However, various weather conditions such as the cool and strong winds in May, overheating that continued for many days and continuous rain in June, negatively affected the sowing process as well as the crops' growth. While crops are in fine conditions in the aimags of Bulgan, Khuvsgul, Orkhon, Arkhangai, Uvurkhangai and Uvs alongside some soums of Selenge aimag, the amount of harvest from the aimags of Tuv, Darkhan-Uul, Dornod, Khentii, Sukhbaatar and northern soums of Selenge is expected to be slightly low due to overheating. With temperature expected to significantly drop in crop areas in late August alongside snow in early September, officials are focusing on developing a guideline on harvest technology for farmers, and provide correlation between government organizations in order to have crops harvested efficiently and in a short period of time. As a total of 320 thousand tons of wheat is required to produce flour that meet the annual domestic need, sufficient wheat is to be harvested for 2019-2020 according to the preliminary estimate. ^ top ^
Consultative meeting on human rights reporting takes place (Montsame)
2019-08-28
The United Nations Human Rights Council discussed the second national report on human rights situation in Mongolia in 2015, giving national guidance to the Government of Mongolia. The Government will introduce the third national report on human rights situation to the UN Human Rights Council in 2020. A consultative meeting to discuss assessments made by civil society organizations on policies, actions and consequences made by the Government in directions of implementing the national guidance took place today at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In frames of the national guidance, attendees had discussions on national human rights system, policy coherence, freedom of speech, human trafficking, sexual harassment, fight against torture, its prevention, domestic violence, food safety, health insurance system as well as implementation of human rights of children, women, elders and persons with disabilities. Delegations from the Human Rights NGO Forum of Mongolia, corresponding ministries, National Police Agency, General Executive Agency of Court Decision, the National Committee on Gender, Communications Regulatory Commission, Governor's Office of the Capital City and other organizations attended the consultative meeting. ^ top ^
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Jennia Jin
Embassy of Switzerland
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The Press review is a random selection
of political and social related news gathered from various media
and news services located in the PRC, edited or translated by
the Embassy of Switzerland in Beijing and distributed among Swiss
Government Offices. The Embassy does not accept responsibility
for accuracy of quotes or truthfulness of content. Additionally
the contents of the selected news mustn't correspond to the opinion
of the Embassy.
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