Foreign Policy

• President Xi sends message to conference on Belt and Road int'l cooperation (Xinhua)
• China voices firm opposition to G7 statement on Hong Kong (Xinhua)
• US-China talks: Mike Pompeo's seven-hour meeting with Yang Jiechi 'helps atmosphere' – but differing statements show divisions remain (SCMP)
• Xinhua Headlines-Xi Focus: Xi chairs China-Africa summit, calls for solidarity to defeat COVID-19 (Xinhua)
• Japan stops deploying missile defense system (China Daily)
• Indian Army says 20 of its soldiers killed in Chinese troop border clash in Galwan (SCMP)
• Coronavirus: China halts salmon imports over possible link to Beijing outbreak, as consumers leap to conclusions (SCMP)
• Chinese envoy asks U.S. to lift unilateral sanctions on Syria (Xinhua)
• China willing to share experience in nuclear energy with IAEA member states: delegate (Xinhua)
• Rare gathering of US aircraft carriers 'to be met with Chinese countermeasures' (Global Times)

Domestic Policy

• China's top legislature starts standing committee session (Xinhua)
• ByteDance brushes off early failures with new partnerships to battle Tencent in core games market (SCMP)
• Satellite launch delayed for technical reasons (China Daily)
• More progress in COVID-19 treatment, vaccine as scientists get deeper understanding of virus (Xinhua)
• 63 dead, missing as floods hit south (China Daily)
• Xi's article on Civil Code to be published (Xinhua)

Beijing

• Did Beijing market coronavirus cluster begin in May? (SCMP)
• Update: Beijing tightens control of personnel flow to curb COVID-19 infections (Xinhua)
• Beijing raises its emergency response to Level II (Global Times)

Tibet

• PLA Tibet military command conducts drills targeting hostile hubs in mountainous region amid border tensions (Global Times)

Xinjiang

• China strongly opposes U.S. signing of bill on Xinjiang: foreign ministry (Xinhua)

Hongkong

• HKSAR gov't provides schools with guidelines on displaying national flag, singing national anthem (Xinhua)
• Group of Seven countries urge China to reconsider Hong Kong national security law (SCMP)
• New unit to enforce national security law in HK not secret police: secretary for security (Global Times)

Taiwan

• PLA fighter jets conduct sortie as US military aircraft approaches Taiwan (Global Times)
• Taiwan sees decade-high number of employees on unpaid leave (Xinhua)

Economy

• Challenges remain for employment (China Daily)

DPRK

• S. Korea regrets DPRK's refusal of envoy dispatch, military action plans amid worsened inter-Korean ties (Xinhua)
• S. Korea's unification minister offers to resign on worsened relations with DPRK (Xinhua)
• DPRK blows up inter-Korean liaison office (China Daily)
• S.Korean president calls on DPRK to find breakthrough together via dialogue (Xinhua)

Mongolia

• 2019 EU report on human rights and democracy in Mongolia released (Montsame)
• World Bank Group supports Mongolia's efforts to improve investment climate, inspire investor confidence (Montsame)

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President Xi sends message to conference on Belt and Road int'l cooperation (Xinhua)
2020-06-19
China will work with its partners to develop the Belt and Road into a model of cooperation for meeting challenges through unity, President Xi Jinping said Thursday in a written message to the High-level Video Conference on Belt and Road International Cooperation. The Belt and Road will also be a model of health for protecting people's safety and well-being, a model of recovery for restoring economic and social activity, and a model of growth for unlocking development potential, Xi said. The video conference is "a highly important meeting that gives Belt and Road cooperation partners an opportunity to discuss a collective response to COVID-19, advance Belt and Road cooperation, and strengthen international solidarity and cooperation," said Xi. He said that the sudden attack of COVID-19 has posed a grave threat to the lives and health of people across the globe. It has dealt a heavy blow to the world economy, and caused tough economic and social challenges for some countries, developing ones in particular. "To contain the virus, countries have taken robust and effective measures, specific to their national context. On top of that, many countries are striving to resume economic and social development," Xi said, noting that in China's case, the people's lives and well-being have always been put front and center. China will do what it can and contribute its share to an early global victory against COVID-19, and the recovery of the global economy, the president said. "Be it in taming the virus or in achieving economic recovery, we cannot succeed without solidarity, cooperation, and multilateralism. The right approach to tackling global crises and realizing long-term development is through greater connectivity, openness, and inclusiveness," he said. "This is where Belt and Road international cooperation can make a big difference," he said, adding that China is committed to peaceful development and mutually beneficial cooperation. Foreign ministers or officials at ministerial level from 25 countries attended the video conference. Director-General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and UN Development Programme Administrator Achim Steiner also participated in the event. ^ top ^

China voices firm opposition to G7 statement on Hong Kong (Xinhua)
2020-06-19
China on Thursday voiced strong dissatisfaction with and resolute opposition to a joint statement on Hong Kong affairs issued by Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks at a press conference, saying that China has consistently repeated that Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs that brook no interference from any foreign government, organization or individual. The decision by China's National People's Congress (NPC) and the legislation by the NPC Standing Committee is aimed at plugging the loopholes in Hong Kong's legal system to safeguard national security, he said. Establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to safeguard national security from the national level is an embodiment of the "one country, two systems" and will guarantee a steady implementation of "one country, two systems," as well as safeguarding Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, the spokesperson said. "We have repeatedly said that the core content of the Sino-British Joint Declaration is China's resumption of the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong," Zhao said, adding that China's Constitution and the Basic Law jointly form the constitutional basis of the HKSAR. China is firmly determined to promote the national security legislation for HKSAR, the spokesperson said, urging relevant parties to thoroughly study China's Constitution and the Basic Law of the HKSAR, view national security legislation for HKSAR in an objective and fair manner, follow the international law and basic norms governing international relations, stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs, and stop interfering in China's internal affairs. ^ top ^

US-China talks: Mike Pompeo's seven-hour meeting with Yang Jiechi 'helps atmosphere' – but differing statements show divisions remain (SCMP)
2020-06-19
China and the United States may have exposed their huge divisions over a range of issues in their low-key diplomatic talks in Hawaii, but the end of the meeting offered evidence of a shared desire to prevent their strained ties souring even further. No consensus was reached in talks between China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday, but the two had dinner and spoke for seven hours in what observers said showed a willingness to maintain dialogue and keep their relations at least at the current level. Beijing claimed the meeting had been "constructive" and said Yang had laid out China's position on Hong Kong, Taiwan and Xinjiang, reiterating that the US should stop interfering in its internal affairs, according to a statement by the Chinese foreign ministry. Those sensitive issues were not mentioned in a brief statement by the US State Department. Instead, it said Pompeo had stressed "the need for fully reciprocal dealings between the two nations across commercial, security and diplomatic interactions", and highlighted "the need for full transparency and information sharing to combat the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and prevent future outbreaks". Taoran Notes, a social media account affiliated with the official Economic Daily newspaper that is used by Beijing to deliver its messages about China-US trade expectations, said cooperation was "the only correct choice" for the world's largest two economies. "Amid the current situation, that China and the US sat together to have constructive dialogue, regardless of any outcome, is a proactive move worthy of recognition," it said. Denny Roy, senior fellow at the Hawaii-based East-West Centre, said the fact the meeting took place signalled that both sides want to reset the relationship, and that US President Donald Trump probably wanted significant progress towards a comprehensive deal to end the two countries' protracted trade dispute before the US election in November. "Pompeo and Yang would not be the officials to hammer out a trade deal, but rather they would explore ways to generally improve the atmosphere," Roy said. "More bilateral discussions are likely before the election, not necessarily with the same officials or the same format." Roy said the US state department's statement was "extremely brief", possibly reflecting an awareness of ongoing revelations about Trump's previous dealings with Chinese President Xi Jinping by John Bolton, the former US national security adviser. Bolton's forthcoming book, to be released next Tuesday, is expected to reveal explosive details of Trump's presidency, including allegations that Trump sought help from Xi to enable him to win the upcoming election. "Perhaps the White House's thinking is to downplay the [Hawaii] meeting as much as possible, even make Americans forget about it, rather than have them interpret the results through the lens suggested by Bolton," Roy said. "Now, thanks to Bolton, Trump is under more scrutiny to deliver results that prove he is looking out for America's interests, not just his own." The diplomats' meeting came with relations between the world's two largest economies at their lowest point in decades and the two governments facing off on multiple fronts including technology, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the South China Sea – despite signing an interim trade deal in January. In the run-up to the talks, both sides were tight-lipped about their expectations, and related developments underlined the difficult matters still to be resolved. The US commerce department this week allowed US tech companies to work on 5G standards with Chinese telecoms maker Huawei. As Pompeo and Yang were meeting, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer told a Congress committee that China had bought about US$10 billion worth of American products since January's interim deal. He also said Chinese officials had reiterated their purchase commitment. Liu He, the Chinese vice-premier who led China's delegation in the trade talks, said on Thursday morning at a financial forum in Shanghai that both countries should clear away distractions and create conditions to jointly implement the so-called phase one trade deal. But on the same day, Trump signed into law a bill authorising sanctions against Chinese officials over the mass internment of Uygurs in Xinjiang, in China's far west, triggering condemnation from Beijing. Lu Xiang, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), said any move by the US signalling an easing of tensions was intended to boost Trump's presidential re-election campaign. "A relatively stable China-US relationship would enable Trump to brag that only he is capable of managing relations with China," Lu said. Liu Weidong, a US affairs specialist with the CASS, said the Hawaii meeting would do little to improve relations before the election, underlined by differences between the governments' statements. "The mutual distrust cannot be fixed by one or two dialogues," Liu said. "I see no chance to improve ties before the election, or before the new administration comes to power – only for relations to get worse." He argued that the bipartisan consensus in the US regarding China offered little prospect of warmer relations if Trump were to lose the election. "The US is set to continue pressuring China even if the Democratic Party's candidate Joe Biden wins the election," Liu said. "The only difference between the Republicans and Democrats is how they use the pressuring tactics." ^ top ^

Xinhua Headlines-Xi Focus: Xi chairs China-Africa summit, calls for solidarity to defeat COVID-19 (Xinhua)
2020-06-18
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called on China and Africa to defeat the novel coronavirus with solidarity and cooperation. The two sides should work together to build a China-Africa community of health for all and take their comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership to a greater height. Xi made the remarks in Beijing when chairing the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity against COVID-19, held via video link. The summit was jointly initiated by China, South Africa, the rotating chair of the African Union (AU), and Senegal, the co-chair of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). Noting that China and Africa have withstood the test of a severe challenge and enhanced solidarity, friendship and mutual trust in the face of COVID-19, Xi said the two sides must mobilize necessary resources, stick together in collaboration to protect people's lives and health, and minimize the fallout of COVID-19. He called on both sides to stay committed to fighting COVID-19 together, saying that China will continue to do whatever it can to support Africa's response. "China will lose no time in following through on the measures I announced at the opening of the World Health Assembly, and continue to help African countries by providing supplies, sending expert teams, and facilitating Africa's procurement of medical supplies in China," Xi said. He said China will start ahead of schedule the construction of the Africa CDC headquarters this year, work with Africa to fully deliver the health care initiative adopted at the FOCAC Beijing Summit, and speed up the construction of China-Africa Friendship Hospitals and the cooperation between paired-up Chinese and African hospitals. "We pledge that once the development and deployment of COVID-19 vaccine is completed in China, African countries will be among the first to benefit," said Xi. So far, China has sent to over 50 African countries and the AU their much-needed supplies, dispatched medical experts, and shared its anti-epidemic experience via video conferences. A communique issued on June 13 by the AU said China has ensured the supply of 30 million testing kits, 10,000 ventilators and 80 million masks each month for Africa, a "significant contribution." South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said at the meeting that the summit "demonstrates the depth and resilience of solidarity between China and Africa." "Sino-African solidarity and better multilateral cooperation is key to winning the battle against this pandemic," he said, calling on both sides to continue to strengthen the bonds of solidarity and take collective action to secure the future of humanity. Ramaphosa expressed the gratitude of the African people to Xi, the Chinese government and people for their generous donation of personal protective equipment and other medical assistance. Describing the summit as "an excellent initiative," Senegalese President Macky Sall said in his speech that leaders attending the meeting have reaffirmed their aspiration to consolidate the friendship between Africa and China. Sall also voiced support for the role of the World Health Organization in coordinating the global response to the epidemic. In his speech, Xi encouraged China and African countries to strengthen Belt and Road cooperation and accelerate the follow-ups to the FOCAC Beijing Summit. "Greater priority needs to be given to cooperation on public health, economic reopening, and people's livelihood," said Xi. He said China will cancel the debt of relevant African countries in the form of interest-free government loans that are due to mature by the end of 2020 within the FOCAC framework. For those African countries that are hardest hit by the coronavirus and are under heavy financial stress, China will work with the global community to give them greater support, Xi said. China will work with other members of the G20 to implement the G20's Debt Service Suspension Initiative and urge the G20 to extend debt service suspension still further for countries concerned, including those in Africa, Xi added. He said China supports Africa in its effort to develop the African Continental Free Trade Area and to enhance connectivity and strengthen industrial and supply chains. China will explore broader cooperation with Africa in such new business forms as digital economy, smart city, clean energy, and 5G to boost Africa's development and revitalization, said Xi. Stressing that solidarity and cooperation is "the most powerful weapon" in the face of COVID-19, Xi called on China and Africa to stay committed to upholding multilateralism. "We oppose politicization and stigmatization of COVID-19, and we oppose racial discrimination and ideological bias. We stand firm for equity and justice in the world," he said. Noting that the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, Xi said closer cooperation between China and Africa is needed more than ever. He called on both sides to support each other on issues involving respective core interests and advance the fundamental interests of China and Africa as well as all developing countries. "This way, we will be able to take the China-Africa comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership to a greater height," he said. Other African leaders that attended the summit include Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Felix Tshisekedi, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat. Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres and Director-General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus attended the meeting as special guests. Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, was also present at the summit. Chen Xiaodong, assistant Chinese foreign minister, said after the summit that what Xi advocated in his speech showed the firm determination of China and Africa to defeat the epidemic and overcome difficulties, indicated direction for future cooperation and injected impetus into international anti-epidemic efforts. During the summit, China and Africa expressed support for each other not only on epidemic fight and economic and social development, but also on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns, said Chen, adding that it is "a vivid illustration of a China-Africa community with a shared future." ^ top ^

Japan stops deploying missile defense system (China Daily)
2020-06-17
Japan on Monday suspended an unpopular plan to deploy a multibillion-dollar missile defense system provided by the United States, with officials citing technical and financial challenges. Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono told reporters at a news conference that he decided to "stop the deployment process" of the Aegis Ashore systems after it was found that a hardware redesign is needed to ensure that rocket debris doesn't endanger residents near the facilities, and that such work would be too time consuming and costly. "Considering the cost and time it would require, I had no choice but judge that pursuing the plan is not logical," Kono said. The Japanese government decided in 2017 to deploy two Aegis Ashore batteries to bolster the country's current defenses consisting of Aegis-equipped destroyers at sea and Patriot missiles on land. The two Aegis Ashore units, to be based in Yamaguchi Prefecture in the south and in Akita Prefecture in the north, were supposed to cover the whole of Japan and be capable of intercepting ballistic missiles. With an advanced radar system and SM-3 interceptor missiles, they were intended to be part of Japan's three-layer missile defense, alongside the Aegis destroyers and the land-based PAC-3 interceptor system. However, the deployment of Aegis Ashore had faced a series of setbacks from the outset, including questions on site selections and upward revisions on cost estimates last put at 450 billion yen ($4.1 billion) for their 30-year operation and maintenance. Safety issues for communities in the two prefectures added to the concerns. "Meanwhile, there are also concerns in Japan that the deployment was for intercepting long-range missiles targeting the US military in Guam or Hawaii, rather than for Japan's self-defense," said Yu Qiang, a researcher of Japan studies at the University of International Relations in Beijing. "In those circumstances, the deployment would interfere with the country's war-renouncing constitution." Local leaders hailed the suspension of the project, with Akita Governor Norihisa Satake saying the government's judgment was "sensible". Tsugumasa Muraoka, the governor of Yamaguchi Prefecture, said: "I think it's the right decision and it reflects the opinion in the local communities." ^ top ^

Indian Army says 20 of its soldiers killed in Chinese troop border clash in Galwan (SCMP)
2020-06-16
The Indian Army has confirmed that 20 of its soldiers were killed in a clash with Chinese troops along their shared border late on Monday. "Seventeen Indian troops who were critically injured in the line of duty at the standoff location and exposed to the sub-zero temperatures in the high altitude terrain have succumbed to their injuries, taking the total that were killed in action to 20," the army said in a statement late on Tuesday. The two sides had disengaged at the Galwan area where they had clashed, the statement added. The deaths are the first fatalities in four decades from the simmering conflict along the 3,488km undemarcated border between the nuclear-armed neighbours, known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC). While Indian media reported that Chinese soldiers had been killed, Chinese officials did not confirm this as they laid the blame on India for the incident. Zhang Shuli, the spokesman for China's Western Theatre Command, which oversees the country's westernmost regions, including Xinjiang and Tibet, said Indian troops had "failed their promise and again crossed the LAC illegally". "They have deliberately provoked attacks which have then led to intense physical clashes between both sides, leading to casualties and deaths," Zhang said. India's Ministry of External Affairs, however, said the Chinese forces were to blame. "A violent face-off happened as a result of an attempt by the Chinese side to unilaterally change the status quo there," said ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava in a statement on Tuesday night. "Both sides suffered casualties that could have been avoided had the agreement at the higher level been scrupulously followed by the Chinese side." The statement said that China had violated the LAC at the Galwan river valley region. Pointing to the planned de-escalation of troops, Srivastava said, "While it was our expectation that this would unfold smoothly, the Chinese side departed from the consensus to respect the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Galwan Valley." The ministry said that India was "firmly convinced" of the need for dialogue, adding, however, that it was "strongly committed to ensuring India's sovereignty and territorial integrity". The reported acceleration from three Indian soldiers to 20 in the Galwan Valley "increase the chance that the current standoff becomes a prolonged and unresolved situation," said Kelsey Broderick, Asia analyst with Eurasia Group. "The current situation speaks to higher-than-normal nationalism on both sides." "The current incident will poison an already tense bilateral relationship," said Broderick. "These types of skirmishes are likely to become more frequent as China asserts more territorial claims and India starts to push back against Chinese incursions." The Indian Army did not confirm reports saying soldiers who died were not shot but were killed in a brawl. An Indian army officer in the region told AFP on condition of anonymity: "It was violent hand-to-hand scuffles." In an afternoon statement, the Indian Army said the incident had occurred during "the de-escalation process in the Galwan Valley", referring to an area military officials had earlier accused Chinese troops of entering even though it was never under dispute. The area is between Indian-administered Ladakh and Chinese-administered Aksai Chin. Aksai Chin is strategically important to Beijing as it has China's only direct road link to Xinjiang and Tibet. Given that the two sides aren't in agreement over who started the skirmishes – China claims Indian forces crossed the unofficial border and India says China attacked a peaceful patrol of Indian soldiers – or many of the details, it could be difficult to deescalate tensions quickly. There also could be added pressure from India's media to escalate tension, analysts said, particularly if it's ultimately determined that the incidents took place on the Indian side of the de facto border and that most casualties involved Indians. Nationalism may also be playing a role on China's side as well, said Daniel Russel, the former US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs. Chinese President Xi Jinping "is making a conscious appeal to Chinese nationalism and appears to be calculating that China can handle the consequences of these actions," Russel said. "The loss of lives on the Indian side includes an officer and two soldiers. Senior military officials of the two sides are currently meeting at the venue to defuse the situation," the Indian Army said. Zhang's statement, however, said the sovereignty of the Galwan River Valley "had historically belonged to [China]". "Indian border troops have defied what they promised and seriously violated the mutual consensus reached by both countries on border issues, and seriously violated the bilateral military relations and relationship between our people," he said. "We are asking the Indian military to restrict the frontline troops and stop all provoking and intervening actions, and to meet China['s will] halfway so both sides can return to the correct track of communication to solve disputes," Zhang added. China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Indian troops had crossed the border line twice on Monday, "provoking and attacking Chinese personnel, resulting in serious physical confrontation between border forces on the two sides". The editor-in-chief of the hawkish Global Times, Hu Xijin, said on Twitter: "Based on what I know, Chinese side also suffered casualties in the Galwan Valley physical clash. I want to tell the Indian side, don't be arrogant and misread China's restraint as being weak. China doesn't want to have a clash with India, but we don't fear it." He added: "Chinese side didn't release number of PLA casualties in clash with Indian soldiers. My understanding is the Chinese side doesn't want people of the two countries to compare the casualties number so to avoid stoking public mood. This is goodwill from Beijing." Global Times is published by People's Daily, the official newspaper of China's ruling Communist Party. Indian Army sources said that following the incident, the Chinese military reached out and called for a meeting between the Major Generals from both sides to defuse tensions early on Tuesday morning. Meanwhile, India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was huddled in meetings with the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and senior military commanders, including the chief of defence staff General Bipin Rawat and the three service chiefs. Singh also briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue, according to sources in the Indian establishment. The fatal clash comes after a six-week-long stand-off marked by fistfights and stone-throwing, with Indian observers saying the "violence" from the Chinese side was unprecedented. Several soldiers from both. sides were injured in a May 9 face-off. Senior generals held talks earlier this month and comments from both sides suggested they were de-escalating the situation. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying last week said Beijing had reached a "positive consensus" with New Delhi over resolving the situation, while India on Sunday said the two countries had agreed to "peacefully resolve" matters. While India and China had an intense but short-lived border war in 1962, both sides have in recent times retreated from violence. In 2018, Modi in a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping said the fact that India and China had not "fired a single bullet at each other" in four decades showed their maturity. He was speaking at an informal bilateral summit in Wuhan, with a second meeting held in the last year in the coastal town of Mamallapuram – at which both pledged to not let differences on trade and foreign policy turn into disputes. Long Xingchun, president of the Chengdu Institute of World Affairs, an independent think tank based in China's southwest, said the incident on Monday could escalate the conflict to a point of no return. "These are the first casualties happening during a border conflict between China and India in decades, and it could arouse extreme nationalistic voices inside India that push its government to adopt a hawkish stance against China," Long said. "If India really did so, it would lead to an even more intensified situation that could result in more casualties." "So it is imperative for both sides, especially between national leaders, to calm down the situation and tighten the border control, instead of being swayed by extremists," Long said. Analyst Sameer Patil said the Indian response to the clash would depend on a better understanding on what had sparked the face-off. "If the violence was not intentional, then the two leaderships will want to defuse it. If it was intentional, then the Indian leadership will have to decide which lever it wants to exploit," said Patil, an international security studies academic and China-watcher at Gateway House, a Mumbai-based think tank. Patil said the Indian establishment could look at people-to-people contact between the two nations, India's diplomatic engagement with Taiwan, as well as issues such as Chinese investment in India and whether to allow the Chinese telecoms giant Huawei into India's 5G market. Monday night's developments were likely to put immense pressure on the Modi government, which has increasingly projected a muscular image, especially on national security measures. Last week, while the tensions between the two nations were playing out, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said India had joined the United States and Israel in being the "only nations that can protect its borders". The Modi administration has also signalled its intent to "avenge" the deaths of Indian soldiers in the past. Last year, it carried out air strikes in Pakistan after more than 40 Indian paramilitary personnel were killed in an attack by a suicide bomber. A foreign-policy analyst, who did not wish to be named, said that New Delhi could find itself in a bind. "The problem is, India has set a precedence of avenging the deaths of its soldiers in the last few years, by launching surgical strikes and air strikes against Pakistan. It will be difficult for Modi to explain why he does not choose to do the same with China," the analyst said. Meanwhile, Indian equities on Tuesday pared gains in a volatile session, while the rupee and sovereign bonds declined, after the border skirmish reignited geopolitical risks. ^ top ^

Coronavirus: China halts salmon imports over possible link to Beijing outbreak, as consumers leap to conclusions (SCMP)
2020-06-17
China has halted imports from European salmon suppliers amid fears they may be linked to a coronavirus outbreak at a Beijing market, although experts say the fish itself is unlikely to carry the disease. State-run newspapers reported that the virus was discovered on chopping boards used for imported salmon at Beijing's Xinfadi market, at the centre of a cluster of infections that has sparked fears of a second wave of the pandemic in China. The reports prompted major supermarkets in Beijing to remove salmon from their shelves. "We can't send any salmon to China now, the market is closed," Regin Jacobsen, chief executive of Oslo-based salmon supplier Bakkafrost, told Reuters. "We have stopped all sales to China and are waiting for the situation to be clarified," said Stein Martinsen, head of sales and marketing at Norway Royal Salmon. Genetic traces of the virus from the Beijing market outbreak suggested it could have come from Europe. Keith Neal, an emeritus professor of the epidemiology of infectious diseases at Britain's University of Nottingham, said any link to salmon was probably the result of cross-contamination. "Markets can be crowded places, so, like in Wuhan, [they] help fuel the spread," he said. The central Chinese city of Wuhan was where the virus was first reported in late December. Marion Koopmans, head of the viroscience department at the Erasmus University Medical Centre in Rotterdam, said that with limited data it was difficult to know whether the specific genetic sequence detected in cases from the Beijing market could indeed be linked to Europe. "There's mention of a European sequence, but it's hard to say that with certainty unless there's a lot of other data on virus diversity in China," Koopmans said. "It's hard for me to understand what they mean by a European strain. What we have seen with the global spread of the virus is that it is diversifying because it gets introduced to different areas and continues to circulate, so you see a signature that looks like this is now a 'European virus', but that same signature may also be circulating in Asia – we don't know." Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, Mike Ryan, head of the World Health Organisation's emergency programme, said he "fully expects" China to publish the genetic sequencing of the virus when it is ready. "The finding that this may represent a strain more common in transmission in Europe is important and it may reflect human-to-human transmission more than any other hypotheses," he was quoted by Reuters as saying. Ryan also said the claim that the new infections in Beijing may have been caused by importing or packaging of salmon was just a "hypothesis". The possible link to salmon has already caused panic among consumers and prompted some restaurants to remove it from their menu. Wei Wei, an executive at a high-end Japanese restaurant in Beijing's Chaoyang district, said her group had done so and felt the impact immediately. "All the reservations were cancelled and our revenue was down to almost zero," Wei said. She said her restaurant had absorbed the coronavirus' initial impact and business had picked up again, but she was very pessimistic about the latest outbreak. "It was a direct hit to Japanese restaurants," she said. "People are avoiding fresh seafood this time, not only salmon, and we are suffering." A member of staff who answered the phone at the Sanyuanli Market in Beijing, a wet market frequented by foreigners, said salmon was still available in the market because it was not sourced from Xinfadi, but sales of it had been poor and there were significantly fewer customers at the market at the weekend. Liu Mengyao, a university employee in Beijing, was worried, having eaten a salmon salad at a Japanese restaurant days before the new infections were reported. "I'm not going to eat salmon any more, I won't take the risk," she said. Chen Feifei, a video producer who lives 7km from Xinfadi, also said she would not risk eating salmon. Her residential compound had restricted access and temperatures were being taken at the gates. In Shanghai, the same worries were evident. Taniguchi Yoshitada, owner of the Japanese restaurant Makino, said there had been a drop in customers. "I've seldom served salmon in recent days," he said. "Most people avoided raw fish." The manager of a small Japanese restaurant with the Chinese name Yiteng said he had not sold any sashimi since the weekend. "I am changing the menu to have fewer sashimi dishes and more cooked food," the manager, surnamed Chen, said. Others were content to ignore the scare. Cao Wen, a financial analyst from Shanghai, said she was still prepared to eat salmon. "I will prioritise my appetite," she said. In Hong Kong, supermarkets were still selling salmon and customers queued up at sashimi restaurants on Tuesday. Terence Lau Lok-ting, convenor of Hong Kong's Food Safety Consortium, said Beijing was justified in halting salmon imports. "From a scientific perspective, it is appropriate to isolate salmon imports … and conduct necessary testing," he said. Lau advised Hongkongers not to panic about being infected by traces of the virus found at Xinfadi market, because chilled and frozen salmon imports come directly to Hong Kong from the countries of origin. The city's Food and Environmental Hygiene Department had on Monday taken samples of salmon imported from countries including Norway, Chile, Ireland, Iceland and Denmark for testing. All 16 samples tested negative for the coronavirus. ^ top ^

Chinese envoy asks U.S. to lift unilateral sanctions on Syria (Xinhua)
2020-06-17
A Chinese envoy on Tuesday asked the United States to immediately lift unilateral sanctions against Syria. Years of economic blockade have caused tremendous hardships to the Syrian people, in particular women and children. The sufferings caused by the devaluation of the Syrian currency and soaring commodities prices, including food prices, fall heavily on civilians across the country, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations. "We urge the United States to respond actively to the urgent appeal of the (UN) secretary-general and the special envoy (for Syria), and to lift unilateral sanctions immediately," he told a virtual meeting of the Security Council. What is even more worrying is that the United States will impose new rounds of sanctions against Syria. These sanctions will inevitably further hinder the economic and social development of Syria as well as the livelihood of ordinary Syrians, said Zhang. As vulnerable countries like Syria are struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic, imposing more sanctions is simply inhumane and may cause additional catastrophes, he warned. The United Nations should pay more attention to the negative impact of sanctions on the humanitarian conditions of the Syrian people, he said. The representatives of some Security Council members were talking about the human rights situation in Syria, said Zhang. "If they do care about the real human rights of the Syrian people, they should take real action in responding to the urgent calls of the secretary-general and his special envoy." Zhang said China is concerned about the poverty situation and about the possible famine in Syria as reported by UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen. In his briefing to the Security Council, Pedersen sounded the alarm over the dramatic collapse in economic conditions throughout Syria. The Syrian lira is losing value and the inflation rate has hit peak levels in the past six months. The economic crisis is hitting every part of Syria, regardless of territorial control, he said. Before this recent deterioration, over 80 percent of Syrians were estimated to be living below the poverty line. The situation is more severe today, and the intensity of that poverty is likely more acute. The World Food Programme now estimates that some 9.3 million people are food insecure, with over 2 million more at risk, he said. Zhang said relevant parties are making great efforts to promote stability in Syria. Meanwhile, the international community should be alerted at terrorists seeking to take advantage of the current situation and must not allow that to happen. The Security Council should attach importance to this issue and support the special envoy's call for effective, cooperative, and targeted counterterrorism efforts, he said. The future of Syria must be decided by the Syrians without foreign interference. It is fundamental to respect and uphold the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, said Zhang. ^ top ^

China willing to share experience in nuclear energy with IAEA member states: delegate (Xinhua)
2020-06-16
China is willing to share its experience in developing nuclear energy with other member states of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), particularly developing countries, said a Chinese delegate at an IAEA Board of Governors meeting on Monday. China has received 25 overseas students from 14 member states in Africa, Asia and Latin America for master's and doctoral studies under its Atomic Energy Scholarship since its launch two years ago, as a significant contribution to nurturing nuclear professionals in developing countries, said Zhang Kejian, director of China Atomic Energy Authority at the online meeting. He announced that China will offer 10 opportunities each year for master's studies under the IAEA Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Program, which welcomes female candidates devoted to nuclear science and technology. The COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a heavy blow to energy production and consumption in all countries, said Zhang, proposing that the IAEA bring together relevant member states to evaluate the role of nuclear energy in addressing the pandemic, for which China is ready to share its experiences. He said that the application of nuclear technology has proved its merits in China's efforts to combat the coronavirus, noting that the irradiation technology, for example, has effectively relieved the shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE). ^ top ^

Rare gathering of US aircraft carriers 'to be met with Chinese countermeasures' (Global Times)
2020-06-14
In a rare move, the US is sending three aircraft carriers to waters near China as bilateral tensions rise, a move interpreted by foreign media as a warning to China. Chinese military experts said on Sunday that the US move again exposed its hegemonic politics in the region, and China could counter it by holding military drills and showing its ability and determination to safeguard its territorial integrity.China possesses aircraft carrier killer weapons like the DF-21D and DF-26 anti-ship ballistic missiles.The three US aircraft carriers, namely the USS Theodore Roosevelt, USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan, together with other US naval warships and aircraft, are patrolling the Indo-Pacific waters, the Associated Press reported on Friday.It has been nearly three years since so many US aircraft carriers have been simultaneously deployed in the region, the report said, noting this move comes as tensions between China and the US are rising over topics like COVID-19, Hong Kong's national security law and the South China Sea.All three aircraft carriers were hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, which left the US with no aircraft carriers in the western Pacific region for more than two months.By massing these aircraft carriers, the US is attempting to demonstrate to the whole region and even the world that it remains the most powerful naval force, as they could enter the South China Sea and threaten Chinese troops on the Xisha and Nansha islands as well as vessels passing through nearby waters, so the US could carry out its hegemonic politics, Li Jie, a Beijing-based naval expert, told the Global Times.China could counter the US move by enhancing its own war preparedness and holding corresponding drills, telling the US that China is capable of and determined to safeguard its territorial integrity, Li said.Naval and aerial forces of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) have expelled many US warships that illegally entered China's territorial waters off the Xisha and Nansha islands in the South China Sea this year, according to PLA statements.In addition to standard naval warships, aircraft and missiles, China possesses a wide range of weapons designed to sink aircraft carriers, like the medium-range anti-ship ballistic missile DF-21D that can cover the First Island Chain, and the intermediate range anti-ship ballistic missile DF-26 that can reach Guam. These missiles can attack medium-sized to large surface vessels from above at very high speeds, making them difficult to intercept, according to publicly available information.Li also cast doubt over US aircraft carrier's combat readiness after their crews' recovery from the epidemic. Just as US President Donald Trump is pushing for domestic work resumption, the aircraft carriers were also pushed to the frontlines, Li said, noting that the US military only cares whether they are deployed rather than if they are ready to fight."In this situation, it is also possible that another COVID-19 outbreak will take place on the US carriers," Li said. ^ top ^

China's top legislature starts standing committee session (Xinhua)
2020-06-19
China's top legislature on Thursday started a session to review a draft law on administrative discipline for government employees, and a draft law on safeguarding national security in Hong Kong, among other documents. Li Zhanshu, chairman of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presided over the first plenary meeting of the committee's 19th session on Thursday morning. The session will run until June 20. The draft law on administrative discipline for government employees was submitted to the session for its third reading. The latest draft, among others, establishes a mechanism to correct wrong decisions on administrative discipline. Also on the lawmakers' table was a draft revision to the Law on the People's Armed Police Force, which was submitted for a second reading. The lawmakers also began to review the second draft revision to the Archives Law, which further pushes for opening and using archives, strengthens the archives' digitalization, and ensures information security. The NPC Constitution and Law Committee considered the above three drafts as ready, and proposed their adoption at the session. A draft law on safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China was submitted to the session for deliberation. The move was to implement the spirit and requirements of the NPC Decision on Establishing and Improving the Legal System and Enforcement Mechanisms for the HKSAR to Safeguard National Security, which was adopted at the third session of the 13th NPC in May. Entrusted by the Council of Chairpersons, Shen Chunyao, director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee, briefed lawmakers on the draft. Other new legislative bills presented to the session included draft laws on promoting rural vitalization, and support for veterans. Lawmakers are also deliberating a proposal on joining the Arms Trade Treaty. Other documents for review at the session included a report on the central government's 2019 final accounts, an audit report on the execution of the central government's 2019 budget, and other fiscal revenue and expenditure, as well as a report on the examination results of the draft 2019 final accounts. The report on final accounts highlights five areas as the next step, including stabilizing and expanding employment, ensuring and improving people's livelihoods, and supporting the development of market entities against challenges. The audit report raises suggestions on advancing fiscal and financial system reforms, and further enforcing a proactive fiscal policy, among others. Personnel matters will also be discussed at the session. ^ top ^

ByteDance brushes off early failures with new partnerships to battle Tencent in core games market (SCMP)
2020-06-19
With several new gaming partnerships under its belt, Chinese internet giant ByteDance is brushing aside early failures with plans for a renewed attack on Tencent Holdings' gaming empire. Over the past six months, the Beijing-based owner of the hugely popular TikTok app has signed deals with three major Chinese mobile game developers, including CMGE Technology, Shanghai Yaoji Technology and Kaiser China Culture Co. ByteDance's aggressive move to secure big-name franchises comes after its first efforts – Art of War: Infinity Evolution and JJ Street Basket – have struggled to live up to expectations. But with the new deals, which include Kaiser's Naruto: Slugfest and CMGE's One Piece: The Voyage, ByteDance is armed with core titles that could accelerate its expansion into gaming. Analysts expect ByteDance's battle with Tencent, China's top gaming company and the world's largest by revenue, to ratchet up in the coming months. TF Securities analyst Wen Hao said their business models and growth strategies are similar in that they both use games to monetise the massive traffic on their platforms. "The path ByteDance is on now is the same one Tencent took when it first got into the publishing and development of games," Wen said. "These companies are now fighting for resources from the content providers which hold the rights to big-name franchises." The global market for video games is forecast to reach US$159.3 billion this year, with mobile games making up about half of that, according to research firm Newzoo. Beijing-based ByteDance wants to tap into that opportunity with its 1.5 billion monthly active users across a family of apps that include TikTok, Douyin and Jinri Toutiao. Of all of its gaming moves, ByteDance's decision to partner with Kaiser has created the most buzz. Zhaoxi Guangnian Information Technology, a gaming affiliate of ByteDance, announced last Friday that it signed a 10-year cooperation agreement with Kaiser, which had previously said it would let Tencent publish its upcoming action mobile game Naruto: Slugfest. However, since reversing that decision about a month ago and switching to ByteDance, Shenzhen-listed Kaiser has seen its share price triple to close at 15.02 yuan on Thursday. ByteDance did not immediately reply to questions on its gaming strategy. While Zhaoxi Guangnian lies at the heart of ByteDance's gaming ambitions, it has struggled with its first two core games which fell short against titles by Tencent and NetEase. JJ Street Basket, a basketball simulation game developed by Chinese developer JJ World, only amassed 1.4 million downloads on China's App Store and generated about US$4.6 million in player spending since its launch in March, according to analytics firm Sensor Tower. Worse, the game's popularity nosedived soon after launch, with Sensor Tower data showing new installs on iOS in China in May fell to about 10 per cent of the 1 million downloads it saw in March. Player spending on the game fell to US$1.1 million last month, 45 per cent down from its peak in March. Those numbers pale in comparison with Tencent. "Look at Tencent's core games. If they don't make more than 200 million yuan (US$28 million) in the first month, they are basically considered failures," said Zheng Jintiao, co-founder of online media outlet GamerBoom. Perfect World, one of Tencent's biggest games last year, saw nearly US$139 million in player spending in its first month, according to Sensor Tower. For successful games, revenue even increases over time. In May, revenue from Tencent's well established PUBG Mobile grew to a record US$226 million, including earnings from the patriotic local version called Peacekeeper Elite, according to Sensor Tower. Zhaoxi Guangnian's first core mobile game, last year's Art of War: Infinity Evolution, was also considered a flop with a quickly dwindling player base, down 97 per cent year on year in May, according to Sensor Tower. Player spending on the game fell 87 per cent year on year to US$100,000 last month. However, investors are clearly still bullish on ByteDance's expansion into gaming. Multiple gaming companies including Shanghai Yaoji and CMGE have seen their share prices surge on the heels of partnership announcements with the internet giant. Daniel Ahmad, senior analyst from Niko Partners, said ByteDance has now assembled many of the pieces necessary to make a good run in the gaming business. "However, the company will need to invest in key genres and trends, as well as operate a live service successfully over the long term in order to find success. [That is] something they are struggling with currently," he said. ^ top ^

Satellite launch delayed for technical reasons (China Daily)
2020-06-19
A key launch mission for China's Beidou Navigation Satellite System was postponed on Tuesday to give engineers more time to ensure its complete success, said a rocket designer involved in the mission. The designer, who wished not to be named, said that space missions are characterized by their unexpected factors and technical risks, so it is not uncommon for such events to be postponed by space authorities around the world. "For us, our ultimate goal is to make sure that each and every launch is successful. It is a fundamental principle that we will never pump fuel into a rocket if there are technical uncertainties," he said on Tuesday afternoon. "Therefore, we decided to postpone the launch after careful deliberation." The mission was scheduled to take place at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province on Tuesday morning to transport the final satellite in the third-generation network of Beidou to a geostationary orbit. However, the mission command announced several hours before ignition that the mission was being postponed due to "technical problems with products" on the Long March 3B carrier rocket that will be used to lift the satellite, the 59th in the Beidou family and 30th in the third-generation series. The new date for the launch has yet to be decided, it said. The insider explained that a technical issue emerged on Monday night when engineers conducted the final checks on the rocket in accordance with due procedures. He said that the launch vehicle is still in good condition, and engineers are capable of solving the problem. Space expert Huang Zhicheng was quoted by Global Times as saying that a carrier rocket is a sophisticated system composed of many parts, so it is inevitable for minor problems to occur during the transportation and prelaunch processes. If such problems are not properly handled, they could affect the whole launch mission, he added. The satellite to be lifted will work with other Beidou satellites to allow users around the globe to access high-accuracy navigation, positioning and timing services, according to the China Satellite Navigation Office. Its launch will mark the completion of the Beidou network, China's largest space-based system and one of the four global navigation networks, along with the United States' GPS, Russia's GLONASS and the European Union's Galileo. Since 2000, when the first Beidou satellite entered orbit, 58 satellites, including the first four experimental ones, have been launched. Some have since been retired. Beidou began providing positioning, navigation, timing and messaging services to civilian users in China and other parts of the Asia-Pacific region in December 2012. At the end of 2018, Beidou started to provide global services. ^ top ^

More progress in COVID-19 treatment, vaccine as scientists get deeper understanding of virus (Xinhua)
2020-06-16
With the COVID-19 pandemic imposing huge impact on people's daily life in Britain and other parts of the world, scientists are racing against time to get deeper understanding of the novel coronavirus while accelerating the development of new treatments and vaccines. Through the British government backed RECOVERY (Randomized Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy) trial, researchers have found that low-dose dexamethasone (a steroid treatment) reduces death in hospitalized patients with severe respiratory complications of COVID-19. In this trial, a total of 2,104 patients were randomized to receive 6 mg of dexamethasone once per day (either by mouth or by intravenous injection) for 10 days and were compared with 4,321 patients randomized to usual care alone, according to the University of Oxford, whose researchers are leading the trial. Dexamethasone reduced deaths by one third in ventilated patients and by one fifth in other patients receiving oxygen only, but there was no benefit among those patients who did not require respiratory support, the results showed. Based on these results, researchers believe that one death would be prevented by treatment of around eight ventilated patients or around 25 patients requiring oxygen alone. "Dexamethasone is the first drug to be shown to improve survival in COVID-19," said Peter Horby, professor of emerging infectious diseases in the Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, and one of the chief investigators for the trial. "The survival benefit is clear and large in those patients who are sick enough to require oxygen treatment, so dexamethasone should now become standard of care in these patients. Dexamethasone is inexpensive, on the shelf, and can be used immediately to save lives worldwide," he added. Aside from treatments, researchers in Britain are also making progress in vaccine development. A team at the University of Oxford has initiated clinical trial of its vaccine candidate in April. On Monday, the Imperial College London also announced that a new coronavirus vaccine developed by its researchers are set to start clinical trial this week. The vaccine programs respectively at Oxford and the Imperial College London are at the forefront of Britain's vaccine development efforts. The British government has announced that it will provide funding for these two programs. The vaccine developed at the Imperial is based on a new self-amplifying RNA technology. Researchers will test whether it is well-tolerated and produces an effective immune response against COVID-19 in humans. Over the coming weeks, 300 healthy participants will receive two doses of the vaccine. If the vaccine is safe and shows a promising immune response in humans, then larger Phase III trials would be planned to begin later in the year with around 6,000 healthy volunteers to test its effectiveness, according to the Imperial. "From a scientific perspective, new technologies mean we have been able to get moving on a potential vaccine with unprecedented speed," said professor Robin Shattock from the Department of Infectious Disease at Imperial and who is leading the work. "We've been able to produce a vaccine from scratch and take it to human trials in just a few months -- from code to candidate -- which has never been done before with this type of vaccine. If our approach works and the vaccine provides effective protection against disease, it could revolutionize how we respond to disease outbreaks in future," he said. ^ top ^

63 dead, missing as floods hit south (China Daily)
2020-06-16
At least 63 people have been killed or are missing and almost 500,000 have been evacuated as downpours continue to batter southern parts of the country, unleashing wide-ranging floods, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management. As of Monday, almost 8.5 million people in 24 provincial regions have suffered rain-triggered floods, which also caused direct economic losses of some 20.7 billion yuan ($2.9 billion), it said. The flood control situation remains grim as the national observatory renewed a blue alert-the lowest in a four-tier color-coded weather warning system-for rainstorms at 10 am Monday. For the 24 hours starting at 2 pm Monday, heavy rain and rainstorms are forecast in some areas in 14 provincial regions, including Zhejiang, Yunnan, Sichuan, Hubei, Gansu and Henan provinces. The precipitation in the affected areas could be up to 15 centimeters, the National Meteorological Center said. The maximum hourly precipitation in these areas is expected to exceed 7 centimeters. Local authorities should remain alert for possible flooding, landslides and mudslides caused by heavy rains, and outdoor operations should be halted in hazardous areas. Chen Tao, chief forecaster with the National Meteorological Center, said the new round of rainfall is expected to last until Thursday, and the maximum accumulated precipitation could be up to 40 centimeters. "The heaviest precipitation will occur from Tuesday to Wednesday. The precipitation in areas along the Huaihe River and the areas between it and the Yangtze River will be long-lasting with high intensity," he said, adding much of the rainfall will occur at night. The new round of precipitation is expected to feature strong convective weather, which is characterized by strong winds, hail, thunderstorms and brief but heavy rainfall, and will engulf some areas that experienced downpours after Thursday, which will increase flood hazards, he said. The new rainfall, for example, will envelop some of the areas that had been stricken by two rounds of precipitation in Henan, worsening the flood control situation in the province's section of the Yellow River, according to Henan Meteorological Administration. Previously, areas along and south of the Yellow River had received accumulated precipitation of over 5 centimeters since June 9, it said. Chen said, however, the coming rain will greatly relieve the drought in areas between the Yellow River and Huaihe River and Shaanxi province. The country will confront a grim flood control situation during this rainy season with higher precipitation than normal years, according to the Ministry of Water Resources. As of Thursday, the accumulated precipitation across the country this year has been 6 percent more than the same period in recent years. Meanwhile, 148 rivers have been stricken by floods that raised water above their warning levels, the ministry said in a media release. ^ top ^

Xi's article on Civil Code to be published (Xinhua)
2020-06-15
An article by President Xi Jinping on the full recognition of the significance of the promulgation and implementation of China's Civil Code and better protection of the people's legitimate rights and interests in accordance with law will be published Tuesday. The article by Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, will be published in the 12th issue of the Qiushi Journal. The Civil Code is a fundamental law that holds an important position in the Chinese socialist system of laws, says the article. The Civil Code is of great significance to advancing law-based governance in all fields, speeding up the building of a socialist country based on the rule of law, developing the socialist market economy and consolidating the basic socialist economic system, according to the article. It is also important for adhering to the people-centered development philosophy, protecting the people's rights and interests in accordance with law, promoting the development of China's human rights cause as well as modernizing the country's system and capacity for governance, the article adds. Noting that it embodies equal protection of rights in various areas, the article says the Civil Code has distinctive Chinese characteristics and keeps up with the practice and the times. The article emphasizes better communicating with the public on the importance of the Civil Code, strengthening civil legislation, improving law enforcement and judicial activities related to the Civil Code, raising public awareness on the Civil Code, and strengthening theoretical research on the country's civil law system. The Civil Code was adopted at the third session of the 13th National People's Congress on May 28. ^ top ^

Did Beijing market coronavirus cluster begin in May? (SCMP)
2020-06-19
The coronavirus outbreak in a Beijing market may have started a month before the cluster became apparent, the chief of China's disease control centre has said. More than 1,200 flights coming in and out of Beijing were cancelled on Wednesday as infections related to the sprawling Xinfadi wholesale market continued their upwards trend, with 31 new patients reported and a further spread of cases to eastern China. There are now 137 patients linked with the market, plus three suspected cases and a further six people who have tested positive for the disease but are yet to develop symptoms. The eastern province of Zhejiang also reported one confirmed case – a vendor from the market who was diagnosed after returning to his home in Wenling. Online news portal Caixin reported on Wednesday that the Xinfadi cluster may have already begun in May, according to Gao Fu, director of the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. "It is possible that there were already a lot of asymptomatic or mild carriers during that month, and that's why there is a high amount of the virus in the environment. This is our estimation and needs to be further verified," Gao told a meeting with public health officials in Shanghai on Tuesday, according to Caixin. "The Sars-CoV-2 [which causes Covid-19] can incubate in some dark, humid and polluted environment, which is not expected by anyone. It is then exposed to many after a certain period of incubation. I myself think that is what happened in Beijing," he said. Pang Xinghuo, deputy head of the Beijing's Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, said case numbers might still increase even though the outbreak had been caught early. "The epidemic is still in the rising phase with a high risk of spreading making it difficult to control," she said, adding that the situation might continue for some time. Beijing has conducted rigorous testing following the first case in the fresh outbreak was reported on Thursday. Zhang Qiang, an official with the Beijing municipal committee of the Communist Party of China, said that more than 356,000 people who worked at food markets, had been to markets where there had been confirmed cases or lived in nearby estates had been tested since Sunday. Healthcare workers, teachers and pupils who had returned to school, and frontline epidemic control workers would also be tested, he said, adding the capital had the capacity to collect up to 40,000 samples a day. Beijing raised its emergency response to the second highest level late on Tuesday night – less than two weeks after it was lowered – and reimposed a partial lockdown on all residents. People from"key areas" – which are defined as estates, markets or neighbourhoods with confirmed Covid-19 patients – are banned from leaving Beijing. Party mouthpiece People's Daily reported on Twitter that 1,255 flights were cancelled at two Beijing airports, accounting for 70 per cent of scheduled trips, on Wednesday morning. Passengers who booked train tickets in and out of Beijing have been allowed to refund tickets without fees. Other residents have been advised not to leave the city unless absolutely necessary and must first be able to show a negative nucleic test result within the past seven days, according to Chen Bei, deputy secretary general of the Beijing municipal government. Neighbourhoods in high and medium-risk areas have been closed and all residents must stay home and take nucleic acid tests to determine if they have been infected. No visitors will be allowed into these areas. Schools, which had partially reopened, have been ordered to switch to online learning and all universities have been closed. Entertainment venues will also shut down. The authorities stopped short of suspending production but are encouraging businesses to adopt staggered office hours and work-from-home practices to lower the risk of transmission. One asymptomatic patient in neighbouring Hebei province began showing symptoms and has now been confirmed to have Covid-19. China has also reported 11 new imported cases from overseas, with 10 people in Gansu who returned from Saudi Arabia and one in Sichuan province. ^ top ^

Update: Beijing tightens control of personnel flow to curb COVID-19 infections (Xinhua)
2020-06-18
Beijing has published a slew of measures to tighten the control of personnel flow following the emergence of several new clusters of COVID-19 infections, a security official said at a press conference Thursday. People belonging to three categories are not allowed to leave Beijing, according to Pan Xuhong, deputy head and spokesperson of the municipal public security bureau. The first category includes confirmed COVID-19 patients, suspected cases, close contacts, asymptomatic carriers and people with fever. The second covers those who have visited Xinfadi wholesale farm-produce market or had close contact with relevant staff since May 30. The third includes people living in medium- and high-risk areas. Most of the new confirmed cases in Beijing were related to the Xinfadi market in the city's Fengtai District. Other personnel should avoid unessential travels outside Beijing, Pan said, adding that a negative nucleic-acid test certificate issued within the past seven days is a must for those who really need to leave the city. Civil aviation and railway departments have also imposed restrictions on the purchase of tickets for confirmed and suspected cases, close contacts and asymptomatic carriers in Beijing, as well as those who have been to the Xinfadi market or had close contact with relevant staff since May 30. All interprovincial bus lines operated by Beijing's carriers will be suspended starting from June 19, Rong Jun, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport, told a press conference on Thursday afternoon. Any purchased bus tickets will be refunded, Rong added. From June 11 to 17, Beijing reported 158 domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases. ^ top ^

Beijing raises its emergency response to Level II (Global Times)
2020-06-17
Since the latest outbreak of COVID-19 was first uncovered in Beijing's largest wholesale food market on Thursday, Beijing reported a total of 106 confirmed cases as of Tuesday. In just five days, the capital city has been beefing up its prevention measures to curb the spread of the virus and decided to raise the emergency response from Level III to Level II on Tuesday night. Under Level II, Beijing reinstated closed managements on communities, required people to have their temperatures taken, register with the entrance guards, and check health codes before entering the closed communities. Communities, sub-districts, streets in high/medium-risk areas would ban outsiders and cars from entering; and communities of high risk sub-districts would have closed-off management, allowing no one to leave. Chen Bei, Beijing municipal government's deputy secretary general, announced the decision at a press conference late Tuesday night, noting the capital's situation is still grim. Before the announcement, Beijing had locked down 29 residential communities, put four large districts into "wartime mode," disinfected 276 food markets, shut down 11 underground and semi-underground markets, screened over 200,000 people within 72 hours. That makes it the most serious outbreak in China since February, dragging local citizens about to embrace normal life back to caution mode which they underwent four months ago. It demonstrates to ordinary residents what "normalized epidemic prevention and control" means, as experts have been saying for months, and raised the questions such as, "Will the current prevention and control situation in Beijing be upgraded again? Is a second wave of the respiratory disease coming? And will Beijing be locked down as a second Wuhan?" In a rare move since Sunday, Beijing has been holding press conferences about the COVID-19 situation twice a day. On Tuesday's morning conference, health authorities reported another 27 confirmed cases in Beijing, bringing the total to 106. Chen Yankai, a deputy director of the Beijing market supervision bureau, said Beijing has disinfected 276 farm produce markets and closed 11 such underground and semi-underground markets as of 6 am Tuesday, and a total of 33,173 catering services providers have also been disinfected. Beijing is expected to finish city-wide sanitation of markets and restaurants by Wednesday. Under the COVID-19 emergency Level II, public places such as libraries, museums, art galleries and parks will implement time-limited reservations with visitor traffic no more than 30 percent. Trans-province group travel will be halted as well. Chen Bei the senior Beijing government official also announced that Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport have suspended inter-provincial flight services. People from medium- and high-risk areas and personnel related to Xinfadi wholesale market are prohibited from leaving Beijing, Chen said. On-campus classes for all primary, middle, high school and university students will be suspended from Wednesday to curb the spread of the virus as soon as possible, she noted. Flights to and from Beijing were largely canceled shortly after Beijing raised the emergency response to Level II, under which Beijing residents who want to leave the city are required to show a nucleic acid negative permit within 7 days. Having witnessed the upgraded prevention and control measures, many people are concerned a possible second wave of the disease. Some Beijing residents reached by the Global Times on Tuesday said they decided to take nucleic tests to see whether they have been infected, while some said they became paranoid and felt they had contracted the virus after experiencing symptoms like diarrhea and a sore throat. Wu Zunyou, China's top epidemiologist, believes that as the new outbreak began around the end of May, the next three days from Tuesday will be critical and decisive for the capital city to curb the epidemic. Wang Guangfa, a respiratory expert at Peking University First Hospital in Beijing, said it is still too early to judge the scale of this round of outbreak when the source of infections remains unknown. So far, the new cases have been linked to the Xinfadi market and have not spread widely. Beijing immediately tracked and controlled the outbreak after the initial cases were found, which played a role in preventing the spread of the epidemic, Wang told the Global Times on Tuesday. He said the situation is different from Wuhan because Beijing has screened a large number of people in order to find potential patients. "It is abnormal to find nothing as it may prove that the city's prevention measures are not strong enough." With the number of confirmed cases rising, Beijing immediately took prevention and control measures. Up to now, all communities in Beijing have adopted a Level-III emergency response, Level-II prevention and control measures, and Level-I working status. At the same time, Beijing has screened nearly 200,000 people who had visited the Xinfadi market since May 30, with all required to take nucleic acid tests and self-quarantine at home for further observation. On Sunday alone, Beijing tested 76,499 people and found 59 positive cases. Despite the similarities between the outbreaks in Wuhan and Beijing, the prevention and control ability and the cognition of novel coronavirus have been greatly improved, Wang said. "Compared to the initial stage of the outbreak in Wuhan, we have a very clear understanding of the virus, and people's awareness of prevention and control has made great progress. The experience accumulated in the early days of prevention and control also provides an effective reference for prevention and control measures taken at this stage." "Beijing will never become the second Wuhan," Wang stressed. However, Wang warned that "if the number of new confirmed cases daily rises and the virus spreads to communities to a certain level, Beijing may consider imposing stronger anti-epidemic measures, and lock down the city." Zeng Guang,the chief epidemiologist of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, told the Global Times on Tuesday he believes the Chinese capital will manage the epidemic, and will not be put under a Wuhan-style lockdown despite rumors circulating among Beijing residents for days. Zeng said one of the main reasons for the Wuhan lockdown was the Spring Festival travel rush, also known as the largest human migration in the world, when about 3 billion Chinese travel around the country for family reunions each year. China imposed a lockdown on Wuhan on January 23, two days ahead of the 2020 Spring Festival. Although Beijing has a population of 20 million, their movements could be controlled at this time of the year, Zeng said. Rumors circulating online recently said highways leading into the capital were closed. Officials from Beijing's traffic control department denied the rumor, saying they had not received any notice about closing roads into Beijing. Major Chinese express delivery companies also denied rumors that the delivery of packages to Beijing had been suspended. Gao Fu, the director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said Monday that the center has completed the sequencing and analysis of the entire genome of the virus from the relevant case samples. Preliminary conclusions have been reported, and tracing of the virus is ongoing. Previously, Yang Peng, an expert at the Beijing Center for Diseases Prevention and Control, pointed to Europe as the source of the strain of the coronavirus which caused the new outbreak. Wang said the sequencing and analysis of the genome could help determine whether the virus in the latest spike is the same novel coronavirus; and if so, whether the virus has mutated. It will also help determine the source of the virus. "This is a very important clue. By studying the sequence of the virus, it is theoretically possible to determine which country the contaminated seafood came from," he said, noting that tracing the origin may even be helpful to the earlier outbreak in Wuhan. ^ top ^

PLA Tibet military command conducts drills targeting hostile hubs in mountainous region amid border tensions (Global Times)
2020-06-16
The Chinese military recently conducted joint exercises aimed at the destruction of key hostile hubs in a high-elevation mountainous region, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Tibet Military Command revealed on Tuesday after a fatal clash broke out on the China-India border on Monday. Featuring multiple types of combat forces including long-range artillery systems, ground-to-air missile systems, special operative forces, army aviation troops, electronic countermeasure forces and engineering and anti-chemical warfare troops in a joint operation group, the live-fire drills recently took place in the Nianqing Tanggula, or Nyenchen Tonglha, Mountains at an elevation of 4,700 meters, news website chinanews.com reported on Tuesday, citing the information from the PLA Tibet Military Command on Tuesday. The drills simulated a strike operation on hostile hubs from multiple dimensions, and trained the high-elevation troops' joint operation capabilities. In the early stages of the drills, scout troops first used technical measures to gather intelligence, grasped hostile activities and opened paths for the main forces by scouting and clearing obstacles. After target coordinates were set, artillery and snipers launched precision strikes on hostile frontline commanding outposts and foot soldiers, during which attack forces marched into enemy depths as drones were set to fly for reconnaissance and obstacle sabotage. Dozens of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles took advantage of the open paths and seized hostile frontiers, while anti-aircraft fire stopped hostile attack helicopters and friendly helicopters sent troops to target locations. In the final assault, all weapons deployed in a radius of several dozen kilometers formed a joint fire strike system and eliminated all opposing forces. China's advanced weapons including Type 15 lightweight tanks can be seen in photos attached to the report. Zhang Jialin, a brigade commander who participated in the drills, said the troops overcame a challenging harsh environment in a coordinated approach from land and air, integrated different modules and systems, practiced the tactics of all terrain joint strikes and multidimensional assaults. The drills laid a solid foundation for the troops to conduct all kinds of missions, Zhang said in the report. These kinds of drills demonstrated the PLA's capability to win a regional, high elevation conflict in its early stages by decisively eradicating the hostile headquarters and commanders, a PLA veteran who was once deployed in Tibet and asked not to be named told the Global Times on Tuesday. The report came at a time when a clash broke out in the Galwan Valley region on the China-India border on Monday. Indian media reported that an Indian Army colonel and two soldiers were killed in the clash and Chinese side also sustained casualties. While escalation to a large-scale military conflict is very unlikely, the Chinese military will be prepared, analysts said on Tuesday. ^ top ^

China strongly opposes U.S. signing of bill on Xinjiang: foreign ministry (Xinhua)
2020-06-19
The Chinese government and people express strong indignation at and firm opposition to the signing of the so-called "Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020" by the United States, foreign ministry said Thursday in a statement. It said this so-called Act deliberately denigrated the human rights conditions in China's Xinjiang, viciously attacked the Chinese government's Xinjiang policy, blatantly violated international law and basic norms governing international relations, and grossly interfered in China's internal affairs. "Xinjiang-related issues are not issues about human rights, ethnicity or religion at all, but about combating violent terrorism and separatism. Xinjiang once suffered deeply from extremism, violent terrorism and separatism, which jeopardized the safety and property of the people there. Xinjiang has taken a series of measures to combat these activities and prevent their re-occurrence, in an approach of addressing both the symptoms and root causes of the problem. The measures taken are in compliance with Chinese laws. They are also China's concrete steps in implementing the international counter-terrorism and de-radicalization initiatives, including the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism," the statement said. According to the statement, the measures carried out in Xinjiang have effectively curbed the rising and frequent occurrences of violent terrorist activities, safeguarded national unity and security to the greatest extent possible, and protected the fundamental rights of the people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang, including their rights to life, health and development. Over the past three years and more, there has not been a single violent terrorist case in Xinjiang. People of different ethnic groups and religious beliefs in Xinjiang live together as equals, enjoy unity and harmony, and lead a peaceful and stable life. China's policy in Xinjiang has been positively recognized across the international community. It said terrorism and extremism were common enemies of human society. Countries' efforts in fighting terrorism and extremism should not be judged by different yardsticks, still less deliberately distorted in violation of international justice and human conscience. The so-called Act of the U.S. side, by disregarding facts and distorting truth, sought to stigmatize Xinjiang's measures against terrorism, separatism and radicalization, and applied double standards on counter-terrorism. The Act further revealed the ill intention of the U.S. side to undermine China's sovereignty and security, sow discord among the ethnic groups in China, harm Xinjiang's prosperity and stability, and contain China's development. "We hereby warn the U.S. side that Xinjiang affairs are purely China's internal affairs that allow no foreign interference. The Chinese government and people are resolute in safeguarding China's sovereignty, security and development interests. Once again, we urge the U.S. side to immediately redress the mistake, and stop using this Xinjiang-related Act to harm China's interests and interfere in China's internal affairs. Otherwise, China will respond resolutely, and the United States must bear all the consequences arising therefrom," the statement said. ^ top ^

HKSAR gov't provides schools with guidelines on displaying national flag, singing national anthem (Xinhua)
2020-06-18
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Thursday provided schools with guidelines on the display of the national flag and regional flag, and the playing and singing of the national anthem. A spokesman of the Education Bureau (EDB) said the EDB has also provided schools with the latest information on related curriculum resources and support measures. Primary and secondary schools must display the national flag and the regional flag as well as play and sing the national anthem when holding celebration activities for New Year's Day, the HKSAR Establishment Day and the National Day, the spokesman said. The EDB also strongly advises schools to hold the activities on important days and special occasions and encourages them to do that regularly, the spokesman said. To help schools teach students to know and respect the national flag, sing the national anthem and understand its history and spirit, the EDB has reviewed the curriculum, compiled the relevant resources and enhanced the curriculum support measures, he said. The National Anthem Ordinance was gazetted and came into effect on June 12 in Hong Kong. The national flag, anthem and emblem are symbols and signs of a nation and should be respected by every citizen, the spokesman said. Schools should educate students about the national flag, anthem and emblem of the country, which, as part of moral, civic and national education, helps enhance students' sense of national identity, he said, adding that fostering students' national identity is one of the key learning goals of primary and secondary education. ^ top ^

Group of Seven countries urge China to reconsider Hong Kong national security law (SCMP)
2020-06-18
China has come under mounting pressure to scrap its plan to launch a national security law in Hong Kong, with all foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) countries issuing a rare joint statement on Wednesday. "We strongly urge the government of China to reconsider this decision," the statement read. The statement was issued just hours before the National People's Congress standing committee was expected to convene a meeting in Beijing on Thursday, with no clear indication whether the national security law would be discussed or not. While the details of the law remain confidential, it emerged on Wednesday that Hongkongers could be extradited to mainland China for trial, according to Hong Kong's sole delegate to the top legislative body in China. In the statement, the seven foreign ministers, alongside EU's top diplomat, expressed "grave concern regarding China's decision to impose a national security law on Hong Kong". "It would jeopardise the system which has allowed Hong Kong to flourish and made it a success over many years," they said. The proposed national security law "would risk seriously undermining the 'one country, two systems' principle and the territory's high degree of autonomy", they added. The G7 nations are made up of the US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, as well as the European Union. China's decision "is not in conformity with" Hong Kong's Basic Law and its international commitments under the principles of the "legally binding, UN-registered" Sino-British Joint Declaration, the foreign ministers said. "Open debate, consultation with stakeholders, and respect for protected rights and freedoms in Hong Kong are essential." "We are also extremely concerned that this action would curtail and threaten the fundamental rights and freedoms of all the population protected by the rule of law and the existence of an independent justice system," they added. The law Beijing is imposing on Hong Kong aims to prevent, stop and punish secession, subversion of state power, terrorism and foreign interference in the city. ^ top ^

New unit to enforce national security law in HK not secret police: secretary for security (Global Times)
2020-06-17
A new unit to be set up by Hong Kong police to enforce the upcoming national security law in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) won't be a secret police, and the national security branches set up by central authorities in the SAR won't replace the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF), as those two would be connected with "a special bond" to handle relevant cases, Hong Kong secretary for security John Lee Ka-chiu told the Global Times in an exclusive interview on Tuesday. The HKPF is reportedly setting up a new unit to enforce the upcoming national security law for Hong Kong, which will be under the command of police commissioner Chris Tang Ping-keung and in charge of intelligence gathering, investigation and training, media reports said. The new unit will be directly responsible to the chief executive. When it comes to confidentiality, the new unit will be required to keep information confidential, he said. The personnel of the unit will have to pass quality and personality evaluation, and have to commit to safeguarding national security. Other requirements include their analytical ability and insight, the official said. The new Hong Kong national security legislation allows the central government's national security organs to establish agencies in the SAR to safeguard national security, according to a draft decision on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong SAR to safeguard national security passed on May 28. The relevant central agencies established in Hong Kong are not intended to replace the work of the Hong Kong government, Lee told the Global Times. "There will be a special connection between the agencies and Hong Kong authorities, and the upcoming law will clearly state that," he said. Lee said these so-called concerns are similar with controversies triggered by the joint checkpoint at West Kowloon station of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, which allowed Chinese mainland law enforcement officers to perform duties at the high-speed rail station in Tsim Sha Tsui. Some people claimed people would be arrested anytime at Tsim Sha Tsui, but such claims proved to be groundless smears, he said. Nothing like this happened since the joint checkpoint was implemented, and it only provided convenience to Hongkongers, Lee said. Just like the joint checkpoint, Lee said he was confident that Hongkongers could see the effect of the national security law half a year or one year after the law is implemented. The national security law will only make the lives of Hongkongers peaceful and stable more quickly, and will not cause any changes to the society, Lee said.When it comes to national security matters, there is only one standard - the national security standard, and central authorities hold broader information, Lee said, suggesting that local law enforcement institutions follow central authorities and closely work and share with national security agencies. For instance, law enforcement agencies in Hong Kong could cooperate with mainland national security agencies in training operations to handle terrorism-related cases and how to deal with people with terrorist ideas. Cooperation between local law enforcement agencies and national security institutions in services and trainings would be also very helpful."Formulating the national security law has to be in accordance with law and guarantee human rights," Lee said, noting that it's important to add new legal procedures to guarantee the legal rights of Hong Kong residents. To establish a sound and effective enforcement system to maintain national security, the HKPF needs to increase manpower, other resources and equipment, the secretary for security said. Some observers said that as national security matters are tackled in a highly professional manner, and ordinary police officers and officials do not have specific means - for example, investigation measures - it requires close collaboration between Hong Kong SAR and the mainland. The delayed passage of Article 23 of the Hong Kong Basic Law is widely believed a major factor that led to relentless radical protests in the city since last year, which has engulfed the once-prosperous Asian financial hub and pushed it toward long-term recession. The upcoming national security law offers a timely remedy to fix loopholes in the city's legal system. The experience of the implementation of the national security law and courts' verdicts after the law takes effect would provide great help in legislating Article 23, considering the current chaotic Legislative Council, Lee told the Global Times, indicating that legislation of Article 23 of the Basic Law is the local authority's responsibility."We should also absorb the experience of the national security law as the basis for formulating Article 23," he said. "Article 23 used to be demonized and smeared." Public perception of Article 23 will be different after the national security law is enacted, as residents will understand that the law will not affect their lives. They will be more rational in discussing or making suggestions on Article 23, Lee noted. ^ top ^

PLA fighter jets conduct sortie as US military aircraft approaches Taiwan (Global Times)
2020-06-18
Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) fighter jets on Thursday again approached Taiwan island, media reported, citing Taiwan's defense authority, leading Taiwan media to speculate that the PLA aircraft were monitoring a US plane flying near the island around the same time. Not only was it the fifth such time in 10 days, but also the third consecutive day the PLA had sent warplanes near the island, which shows that the PLA has normalized this kind of operation, Chinese mainland analysts said. PLA J-10 and J-11 fighter jets were spotted entering Taiwan island's southwestern "airspace" on Thursday morning, Taiwan media reported on Thursday, citing the island's defense authority. Also on Thursday morning, a US Air Force KC-135 aerial tanker flew from Japan toward the South China Sea, passing above waters near southeastern Taiwan, Taiwan media reported. It is likely that the PLA fighter jets' sorties were aimed at monitoring the US aircraft, the report said, citing military sources in Taiwan. In similar flights near Taiwan, the PLA sent J-10 fighter jets and Y-8 aircraft on Wednesday, a J-10 on Tuesday, a Y-8 on June 12, and a group of Su-30 fighter jets on June 9. Chinese mainland military experts told the Global Times previously that the PLA is making such operations routine at a time when Taiwan secessionists are increasingly seeking "independence," and foreign forces such as the US are interfering with aircraft and warplane sorties, as well as arms sales to Taiwan. ^ top ^

Taiwan sees decade-high number of employees on unpaid leave (Xinhua)
2020-06-16
The number of employees taking unpaid leave in Taiwan, a common measure to cut costs when business is slow, is now greater than at any point since October 2009, the island's labor affairs department said Tuesday. As of Monday, a total of 1,323 companies had put 29,838 employees on unpaid leave across Taiwan, up 60 and 1,493 respectively over the figures released a week ago, the department said in a statement. The number of companies adopting this policy is now at its highest point since statistics were first formally issued in January 2009. A total of 15,037 employees in manufacturing were put on unpaid leave, as of Monday, up 1,302 on the previous week, the largest figure for any sector. Manufacturing also accounted for 87.2 percent of the total newly added employees on leave over the past week. Taiwan's manufacturers have seen a reduction in orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a large number of overseas clients closing or downsizing their businesses, the department said, adding that the suppliers of raw materials and components have also been affected. However, hotels and catering businesses, which have borne the brunt of the epidemic over the past few months, showed improvement in business over the past week. A total of 139 hotels and catering firms had put 2,850 employees on unpaid leave as of Monday, slightly down from 2,867 people the previous week, although the number of companies adopting this policy has not changed. ^ top ^

Challenges remain for employment (China Daily)
2020-06-17
Though the nation has progressively reduced its unemployment rate, it is still facing mounting pressure to stabilize hiring this year. Data cited from the National Bureau of Statistics show that in May, the nation's surveyed unemployment rate in urban areas was 5.9 percent, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the previous month, sustaining a relatively stable job market. The rate in May 2019 was 5 percent. Bureau spokesman Fu Linghui said in a release posted on the bureau's website on Monday that the resumption of work and production laid a solid foundation for stabilizing employment. He said that more workers have come back to their positions in the past few months. "According to our latest surveys, the proportion of companies in which over 80 percent of their employees have returned to work rose by 1.2 percentage points from late May to early June compared with our previous survey," he said. However, the nation still faces challenges in relieving the pressure of the job market due to the huge number of job seekers and companies' diminished ability to recruit new employees after being hit hard by the COVID-19 outbreak, he said. From January to May, there were 4.6 million jobs created in urban areas, a year-on-year fall of 1.37 million. Some key groups-for example, college graduates-are facing ever-increasing pressure to find jobs this year, he said. "The job market this year is not good, so graduates are having even more difficulty finding work," said Li Qiang, vice-president of Zhaopin, an online recruitment platform in Beijing. Li said that part of the problem for graduates is that most don't have a clear idea about their ideal jobs. Further, their skills or qualifications may not be sufficient for certain positions. "Capability of managing emotions, leadership and innovations are also elements that companies would consider in recruitment," he said. According to the statistics bureau, in May the surveyed unemployment rates of vocational school students and college graduates from ages 20 to 24 were respectively 1.7 and 3.3 percentage points higher than in April. "The population of college graduates will reach a record high of 8.74 million, which will possibly drive up the group's unemployment rate," he said. Employment has continued to be the priority for government and was heavily emphasized in the government's work report in May, which said that over 9 million new jobs will be created in urban areas this year, with the urban surveyed unemployment rate to hover around 6 percent and the urban registered unemployment rate around 5.5 percent. Companies and human resources authorities have been making great efforts to hit these targets by promoting employment, especially to key groups including graduates, rural migrant workers and demobilized military staff members. According to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, about 32,000 graduates will be recruited for grassroots positions nationwide this year, with 5,000 more vacancies than in 2019. ^ top ^

S. Korea regrets DPRK's refusal of envoy dispatch, military action plans amid worsened inter-Korean ties (Xinhua)
2020-06-18
South Korea responded on Wednesday to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s refusal of Seoul's offer to send special envoy and the DPRK army's military action plans. Yoon Do-han, senior public communication secretary for South Korean President Moon Jae-in, said in a statement that the DPRK unilaterally disclosed South Korea's closed-door proposal to dispatch special envoy to the DPRK in a bid to find a breakthrough under the current situations. Yoon expressed strong regret over the disclosure, calling it an "unprecedentedly unreasonable act" that deliberately distorts the purpose of the proposal, according to the South Korean presidential Blue House. The statement came hours after the DPRK's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported the South Korean authorities "staged the petty farce of asking us to accept special envoys on June 15." The "tactless and sinister proposal" was flatly rejected by Kim Yo Jong, first vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), according to the KCNA. The senior Blue House secretary said it was a "senseless act" for Kim, younger sister of top DPRK leader Kim Jong UN, to disparage in a very rude tone the speech made earlier this week by President Moon to resolve current inter-Korean issues through communication and cooperation. Yoon noted that such act would fundamentally harm mutual trust between the leaders of the two Koreas, warning that the country would no longer tolerate any more of the DPRK's indiscreet rhetoric and act. The strongly-worded statement came after Chung Eui-yong, top national security advisor for South Korean President Moon, convened an emergency video conference earlier in the morning with ministers of foreign affairs, unification and defense, as well as the intelligence agency chief and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). Earlier in the day, South Korean Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul, who is in charge of inter-Korean affairs, offered to resign to take responsibility for the worsened relations between the two Koreas. The minister took office in April last year. The DPRK on Tuesday demolished an inter-Korean liaison office building in its border city of Kaesong by explosion in protest against anti-DPRK propaganda leaflets flown across the border by South Korean civic groups, mostly composed of defectors from the DPRK. The joint liaison office was opened in September 2018 in Kaesong for the round-the-clock communications between the two Koreas. Pyongyang has also cut off all communication lines with Seoul. Meanwhile, the South Korean Ministry of National Defense said in a statement that it expresses deep concern over the announcement by the General Staff of the Korean People's Army of the detailed military action plans. The ministry noted that the military action plans squarely run counter to the past inter-Korean agreements, including the comprehensive military agreement signed by the two Koreas in September 2018 after the summit in Pyongyang between South Korean President Moon and top DPRK leader Kim. It said these moves will thwart two decades of joint efforts and outcomes by South Korea and the DPRK to develop inter-Korean relations and keep peace on the Korean Peninsula. If the DPRK actually puts the plans into practice, it will pay the price for sure, the ministry noted. The ministry said the South Korean military has been maintaining a firm defense posture while closely monitoring the moves of the DPRK forces around the clock, adding that it will continue efforts to ensure that military tensions would not be escalated through stable management of situations. The DPRK's General Staff of the Korean People's Army unveiled the detailed military action plans to be approved by the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). Under the action plans, units of the regiment level and necessary firepower sub-units will be deployed in the Mount Kumgang tourist area and the Kaesong Industrial Zone, the two most important symbols of inter-Korean cooperation that have been closed down during the previous confrontation period. The DPRK will also restore guard posts, which had been withdrawn from the demilitarized zone under an inter-Korean military agreement in 2018, and resume all kinds of regular military exercises in the areas close to the inter-Korean border. ^ top ^

S. Korea's unification minister offers to resign on worsened relations with DPRK (Xinhua)
2020-06-17
South Korean Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul on Wednesday offered to resign amid worsened relations with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), according to local media reports. Kim told local reporters at a press room of the government complex in Seoul that he decided to step down as the chief of the unification ministry, in charge of inter-Korean affairs, to take responsibility for the worsening relations between the two Koreas. He said he felt sorry for failing to meet demand and expectations of the South Korean people who wish for peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula. Kim, who took office in April last year, expressed his intention to resign earlier in the day to the presidential Blue House. Relations between South Korea and the DPRK soured this month as Pyongyang protested against anti-DPRK leaflets flown across the inter-Korean border by South Korean civic groups, mostly composed of defectors from the DPRK. The DPRK on Tuesday demolished the inter-Korean liaison office in the DPRK's border town of Kaesong, which was opened in September 2018 under an agreement signed by South Korean President Moon Jae-in and top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un after their first summit in April 2018 at the truce village of Panmunjom. ^ top ^

DPRK blows up inter-Korean liaison office (China Daily)
2020-06-16
Tensions prompted by defector groups in ROK scattering anti-Pyongyang leaflets Amid escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on Tuesday blew up its joint liaison office with the Republic of Korea near the border town of Kaesong, bringing more uncertainties to the already deadlocked inter-Korean diplomacy. According to Seoul's Unification Ministry, the inter-Korean liaison office building located inside the DPRK's border was demolished at 2:49 pm local time. In a later report, the DPRK's Korean Central News Agency confirmed the news, saying the liaison office, which had been closed since January over fears of the novel coronavirus, was "ruined with a terrific explosion".Photos from the ROK's Yonhap News Agency showed smoke rising from what appeared to be a complex of buildings. The agency said the area was part of a now-shuttered industrial park where the liaison office was located.The move came hours after Pyongyang indicated there would be possible military action against the ROK, as the KCNA said in a report on Tuesday that the country's army is "fully ready" to take action against any "enemy"."The Korean People's Army is studying an action plan for taking measures to make the army advance again into the zones that had been demilitarized under the North-South agreement, turn the front line into a fortress and further heighten the military vigilance against the South," the report said.Commenting on the renewed tensions, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Tuesday that the people of the DPRK and the ROK are of the same ethnic origin and that China, as a close neighbor, always hopes to maintain peace and stability on the peninsula.Tensions between the two neighbors have been escalating for weeks, prompted by defector groups in the ROK scattering anti-DPRK propaganda leaflets across the border.The office, when it was operating, served as an embassy for the neighbors and its destruction means a major setback for inter-Korean ties. The DPRK had earlier threatened to demolish the office as it stepped up its rhetoric over Seoul's failure to put a stop to the leaflets being scattered across the border. Analysts say Pyongyang is expressing its frustration because Seoul is unable to resume joint economic projects due to US-led sanctions.On Saturday night, Kim Yo-jong, sister of the DPRK's top leader Kim Jong-un, had warned that Seoul will soon witness "a tragic scene of the useless liaison office being completely collapsed". She also said she would leave to the DPRK's military the right to take the next step of retaliation against its "enemy". Wang Junsheng, a researcher at the National Institute of International Strategy under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the neighbors opened the liaison office to facilitate better communication and exchanges after an agreement between Kim Jong-un and ROK President Moon Jae-in signed at their first summit in 2018. "The liaison office was a symbol of the then-flourishing inter-Korean relations, as it was the first permanent physical communication center for the two sides, with personnel from both countries staying at the compound to enable face-to-face contact at any time," Wang said.During the thaw in relations, Seoul's Unification Ministry said the office would become a "round-the-clock consultation and communication channel" for advancing inter-Korean relations, improving ties between the United States and the DPRK, and easing military tensions.But inter-Korean relations have come under increasing strain since the breakdown of the second summit between Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump in Vietnam in early 2019. "Recent tensions, for example, the cross-border leaflets incident, not only anger the DPRK but also make it disappointed at its neighbor the ROK as it thinks the ROK has not substantially helped improve inter-Korean relations," Wang said."Further, promises by the ROK government to help improve DPRK-US relations are also seen as 'empty talk'. Thus the DPRK destroyed the merely-a-symbol liaison office to show its discontent with its neighbor." ^ top ^

S.Korean president calls on DPRK to find breakthrough together via dialogue (Xinhua)
2020-06-15
South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Monday called on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to find a breakthrough together through dialogue, according to the presidential Blue House. "I know well about Chairman Kim Jong Un's determination and efforts to change the Korean Peninsula situations in an epoch-making way. I also feel very sorry that progress hasn't been made in the DPRK-U.S. and the inter-Korean relations as expected," Moon told a meeting with his senior aides. "It is high time that the South and the North go to find a breakthrough together. The time has come that (the two Koreas) would no longer sit and wait for improved conditions," said Moon. Moon said he wished to actively find and put into practice the projects that the two Koreas can choose and push for on their own, vowing to continue efforts to gain consent from the international community. He expressed his anticipation that the DPRK would open its door for dialogue and put ideas together. Moon's comment came after Kim Yo Jong, first vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and younger sister of top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un, said in a statement Saturday night that she had given instructions for decisive action to be taken. "If I drop a hint of our next plan the South Korean authorities are anxious about, the right to taking the next action against the enemy will be entrusted to the General Staff of our army," She said, adding that the army "will determine something for cooling down our people's resentment and surely carry it out." The DPRK has repeatedly lashed out at South Korea since last week in protest against anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets sent by defectors and activists across the border. Pyongyang has also closed its joint liaison office and cut off all communication lines with the South. Moon said South Korea and the DPRK should go step by step towards peace and reconciliation, albeit slow-footedly, noting that the agreements, reached by the current leaders of the two Koreas, must be implemented sincerely. He vowed to make constant efforts for the implementation of the inter-Korean agreements regardless of any change in political situations, calling for Pyongyang to resolve any inconvenient and difficult issues through communications and cooperation with Seoul while refraining from returning to an era of confrontation. Denuclearization talks between the DPRK and the United States have stalled since the second summit between the DPRK leader and U.S. President Donald Trump ended with no agreement in February 2019 at the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi. The South Korean president in April offered to the DPRK to resume inter-Korean cooperation by jointly tackling the COVID-19 outbreak. ^ top ^

2019 EU report on human rights and democracy in Mongolia released (Montsame)
2020-06-18
"Mongolia celebrated the 30th anniversary of its democratic transition in 2019 against the backdrop of crucial legislative developments. In November, the parliament passed the second revision of the Constitution since 1992, significantly altering the political system of Mongolia and tilting the balance of power from the president to the prime minister. While Mongolia has been able to maintain its democratic form of governance and has a solid track-record of safeguarding human rights, a number of important issues (such as children's rights, worker's rights, status of human rights defenders, independence of the judiciary, anti-discrimination) need to be addressed by establishing a comprehensive legal framework." The EU continued to support Mongolia in a number of focus areas related to human rights and democracy. For 2019, the priorities focused on improving political finance regulatory frameworks and empowering women and youth leadership, supporting the capacity of civil society organizations, and economic, social and cultural rights of vulnerable groups. The EU and its Member States continued to finance several projects focusing on actions in the field of the rule of law; actions in support of civil society and human rights defenders (including support to civil society in rural areas); support to vulnerable groups (women, children and people with disabilities) and the fight against discrimination; and actions in the field of economic, social and cultural rights (health, education, labor rights). ^ top ^

World Bank Group supports Mongolia's efforts to improve investment climate, inspire investor confidence (Montsame)
2020-06-17
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and the National Development Agency (NDA) are launching an institutional platform to help the government resolve investor grievances efficiently and transparently, thereby improving investor confidence in Mongolia. The platform — the Systemic Investor Response Mechanism (SIRM) — will enable investors to register and track resolution of grievances at an early stage. In addition, the IFC and NDA partnership will build a national database of investment climate issues that investors face as well as cases of breaching investment protection guarantees. "The government recognizes the need for a robust and transparent investment climate that is conducive to Mongolia's economic growth," said B. Bayarsaikhan, Chairman of the National Development Agency. "Our collaboration with the World Bank Group will help create a more favorable business environment for investors, retaining and expanding existing FDI as well as domestic investment in Mongolia." "Political and policy instability is one of the main challenges for Mongolia in terms of attracting and sustaining foreign direct investments (FDI). Effective cooperation and coordination between the public and private sectors are important to tackle this issue and much needs to be done in this respect. An online system to track and resolve investors' grievances launched today is crucial to address issues faced by investors," said Amartuvshin, President of the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry. "More predictable investment policies and consistent government action could help emerging markets like Mongolia attract more investment flows, thereby supporting financial stability and creating the conditions for a robust economic rebound. The new SIRM platform affirms the government of Mongolia's efforts towards investment climate reforms and restoring investor confidence," he said. The launch was attended by foreign embassies in Ulaanbaatar and representatives from business associations and chambers. Officials from government agencies involved in investor protection, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NDA, and the Ministry of Agriculture, also attended the event. IFC — in partnership with the government of Japan and Hungary — has been supporting Mongolia's investment reforms through its Investment Policy and Agriculture Promotion advisory project since 2014. The project aims to help the government improve its investment policies, promote economic diversification, enhance investor protection, and further attract and retain private investments. As part of its efforts to improve accessibility, transparency, and efficiency of public services in Mongolia, the World Bank is helping the government to set up an online one-stop service center for investors under the Smart Government Project. The SIRM platform will be linked to this center. IFC—a sister organization of the World Bank and member of the World Bank Group—is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2019, we invested more than $19 billion in private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity. ^ top ^

Sandro Wirth
Embassy of Switzerland