Thrilled to share that
@NBRnews
' Mapping China's Strategic Space website is now live.
It will be continually updated with new research essays, commentaries, maps, videos, and podcasts.
Check it out!
Dramatic reversal: Philippines announces full termination of 6
#BeltandRoad
projects in favor of Japan and Western options.
Why the Philippines is exiting the BRI, by AsiaTimes
To anybody who believes that regime security is limited to China’s domestic space. This is an unacceptable act of foreign interference, that will occur again if not immediately and resolutely punished.
Shocking video spreading on HK Telegram channels showing someone from the PRC Consulate in Manchester kicking down pro-democracy signs.
A protestor then appears to have been dragged behind the Consulate gates and beaten by consulate staff.
The vision of foreign heads of state speed dating with Xi Jinping in Beijing is something to behold.
The markings of a modern metamorphosis of the ancient China tributary system are unmistakable.
China will invest $280bn developing Iran's oil, gas and petrochemicals sectors + $120bn in upgrading Iran's transport and manufacturing infrastructure. Up to 5,000 Chinese security personnel on the ground in Iran to protect Chinese projects.
S.Leys once wrote that untwisting the CCP's most mendacious propaganda could yield straight facts. In my latest report, I dissect the strands of thought underpinning China's vision for a new world order and study its emerging features
Japan has earmarked $2.2 billion of its economic stimulus package to help its manufacturers shift production out of China. Probably more of this to come.
Male suspect, in his late 20s, linked to several MPs who are privy to highly sensitive information.
Senior Whitehall source: “This is a major escalation by China. We have never seen anything like this before.”
#NEW
- very significant story.
🇬🇧 Sunday Times
@thetimes
reports that a British national infiltrated
@UKParliament
allegedly acting on behalf of of the People's Republic of China.
Report:
IPAC statement:
General Meng Xiangjun (China NDU) explaining that the six areas in which the PLA will conduct its live-fire drills delineate the encirclement of Taiwan, potentially sealing off Keelung as well as the Bashi channel.
That looks like a blockade scenario.
Joint training near Okinawa as China ramps up pressure on Taiwan
Quite the sight:
3 aircraft carriers USS Ronald Reagan, USS Carl Vinson, HMS Queen Elizabeth
+ other vessels from Japan (Izumo carrier), NZ, Netherlands and Canada.
An encyclopedia of CCP influence operations detailing, in 640 pages and over 3,000 footnotes, concepts and doctrine, actors, modus operandi and some case studies.
Monumental,
@jeangene_vilmer
@PaulCharon
!
Chinese scientists destroyed proof of virus in December | it remains mind blowing to me that in light of initial data - rather scary data - the first concern would be suppression of evidence, rather then concerns for the population. I just don’t get it.
Delighted to announce I’m now a non-resident fellow with the
@LowyInstitute
in addition to my position at
@NBRnews
. Excited to be part of such a great team of experts!
China’s criticism of the existing int'l order has become more pointed under Xi. But the CCP hasn’t outlined what it wants to see instead: what it wants is unattractive. A 'soft' resurrection of the ancient Chinese tributary system
@ambassadorbrief
Later, Nam Nam brings a newspaper to class for show-and-tell. The article is about the death of HK’s media freedom.
Her dad asks her later: Why did you bring that newspaper to school?
Nam Nam: It's in Chinese and English.
Dad: But why?
Because I want my classmates to know. 😢
Germany’s largest news agency announced it was going to carry content from Xinhua. The aim: “to keep DPA customers informed about the Belt and Road Initiative.” Nothing better than getting info directly from the source, eh?!
Just published by Sweden’s Defence Research Agency
@FOIresearch
: “Chinese corporate acquisitions in Sweden: a survey”. The survey has resulted in the first comprehensive and openly available compilation of Chinese corporate acquisitions in Sweden.
These are our main findings: 1/
27 of the 28 (except Hungary) EU ambassadors to Beijing have signed a report that sharply criticizes
#BeltandRoad
: “runs counter to the EU agenda for liberalizing trade and pushes the balance of power in favor of subsidized Chinese companies.”
It appears that the current crisis is a contest of narratives, perhaps even a contest of systems. The
@USCC_GOV
had to postpone a hearing about the "China Model" and has just made the prepared testimony available. My testimony can be found here
Freshly arrived Chinese Ambassador to the US, during a private Zoom meeting hosted by the National Committee on United States–China Relations (NCUSCR): “If we cannot resolve our differences, please shut up.”
When Chinese tech giant Huawei learned it was set to lose a $200 million contract, a run-of-the-mill equipment deal spiraled into a saga of hidden microphones, drone encounters and covert surveillance, according to investigators for a Danish telecoms firm.
A fascinating long read on China’s propaganda machine, with a chilling concluding sentence: “the ultimate battle may not be for the means of news production, but for journalism itself”
The Economist acknowledging China wants to alter the existing world order 🤯
For more details about where Beijing's vision comes from and what it looks like, see
@NBRnews
January 2020 report
In two recent papers, I examine
#BeltandRoad
as the most striking example of how Beijing hopes to fulfill its geopolitical goals without fighting: no use of force, but good old propaganda & united front tactics aka political warfare... (short thread)
There never was a Cold War China, argues
@cfmeyskens
: the most important concepts undergirding the CCP's strategic mental map under Mao were war and revolution. Faced with constraints, the CCP strived to expand its influence abroad.
#StrategicSpace
Bill demands 1) A full, public accounting of the camps in Xinjiang from U.S. Intel agencies; 2) A description of all United Front Work in the U.S.; 3) Protecting Taiwanese elections from political interference. Read the bill to learn more. RT
@abigailcgrace
The House just passed the IAA, our bipartisan bill to fund oversight of the Intelligence Community, 397-31.
This bill ensures the IC will be equipped to meet ongoing and emerging threats with the most diverse, highly-skilled workforce possible:
The international pushback against
#BeltandRoad
is real, but I argue that we shouldn't over-interpret it as harbingers of BRI's failure, nor should we underestimate the capacity of the CCP to adapt and learn.
The Triumph and Terror of Wang Huning. A superb essay that explains the CCP’s current campaign to profoundly transform the Chinese society by retracing the intellectual journey of Xi’s Grey Eminence.
NEW: The Education Department is investigating Harvard and Yale as part of an ongoing review that has found U.S. universities around the country have failed to report at least $6.5 billion in foreign funding from countries such as China and Saudi Arabia
It’s been a bad year for
#XiJinping
and the
#CCP
’s reputation
Favourable views of
#China
are
- down by 17% in Canada
- down by 17% in Sweden
- down by 12% in the US
- down by 12% in Australia
- down by 11% in the UK
The world is turning against the CCP
The files show that Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and another former central government official directly and indirectly demanded policies that were then implemented, esp. after 2016:
- Internments
- Coercive labor transfers
- Centralized boarding education
- Birth control
/3
“Building the Belt and Road…is in keeping with...the tianxia concept [that sees] harmony among all nations.” -Xi Jinping.
Tianxia was central to China’s imperial tribute system. That's not going to assuage neighboring countries' concerns.
More here:
#African
diplomats are privately complaining about Chinese pressure from an ‘army of officials’ obliging them to sign up to pro-
#Chinese
motions, such as against
#Taiwan
, or on the origins of
#Covid19
.
#SinoAfrica
Language is key, but not enough. You also need a strong understanding of the CCP inner works&structure, an investigative and meticulous mind, and the luxury of long hours for something akin to detective work
'The Chinese Communist Party’s influence networks seem opaque to most, but Chinese-language research is able to quickly reveal these networks and their links to Beijing' says
@ASPI_org
's ICPC Analyst
@alexjoske
for
@australian
My latest report for
@NBRnews
on China's vision for a new world order () builds on some outstanding scholarly work on CCP ideology/narrative-building. I have learned a lot from them and thought I might flag them here, ICYMI 1/4
Never thought I would hear about “discourse power” and “4 confidences” in an NBA program but this conversation between
@niubi
and
@NateDuncanNBA
hits all the right points, in plain English, and with all the necessary nuances.
China’s presence is now felt across the developing world, from Pacific Island states to Africa’s Atlantic shores. For
@ForeignAffairs
I write about Beijing’s global South strategy
World Bank senior executives pressured staff to “make specific changes to China's data points” and boost its ranking at a time when the bank was seeking China's support for a big capital increase. 🤨
Serbia and PRC public security ministries signed a
#SafeCity
MoU last May. Chinese police officers are now patrolling with Serbian colleagues in Belgrade
In Survival, I take a look at Chinese assessments of Moscow’s ambitions and insecurities and conclude that instead of colliding, Russia&China work in concert to establish the basis of a new regional order, which both powers yearn for.
With the second
#BeltandRoad
Forum approaching, I thought it would be useful to provide a backgrounder that answers most of the questions I get asked. Find it on NBR’s website:
Encouraging anyone interested in CCP
#ExoProp
to read this👇 case study + take a look at
Be aware of what is going on in the information warfare realm. A crucial battlefield.
The Chinese party-state’s international propaganda apparatus has swung into action during the
#coronavirus
pandemic.
@tombschrader
looks at some of the themes and disinformation CCP-backed accounts are spreading on Twitter.
I'm not worried about US credibility in Asia. But I am worried about Beijing propagandists using the Afghan w/drawal to create a wider narrative about weak US commitment to allies that might result in China miscalculating on Taiwan
“If you expect China to go back to Deng Xiaoping’s low profile policy, you are mistaken. Today’s policy is about restoring China’s National greatness.”
#SCF21
Chinese participant
There is a lot to unpack in this long article by
@jichanglulu
and
@sinopsiscz
about Huawei’s incestuous relationship with Chinese propaganda and United Front entities, looking at Central Europe as a case study
Very interesting article from a Chinese Party school scholar. Gist: China will expand its influence in India’s backyard and there’s nothing Delhi can do against it.
New NBR report looks at China’s influence pursuits in Africa. Several Western countries have become aware of the CCP’s sprawling overseas influence system, but there are very few, if any, studies available on regions of the global South.
While soprano Lisette Oropressa was singing her 4th encore, "Sempre libera" an opera number that has a tenor part, opera student Liu Jianwei spontaneously joins her in song when he noticed there wasn't anyone else singing it (as this was a solo recital).
As the 20th Party Congress approaches,
@mcgregorrichard
reminds us in this superb piece how little we know about CCP decision making processes, and about the life, ideas, and vision of its current leader.
My latest paper for
@LowyInstitute
: China's Counteroffensive in the War of Ideas. , where I explain that
#China
's strategy in the ideational realm mirrors its A2/AD military strategy: from weak to offensive defense.
Oh, and for the record, yes I do think Chinese language ability is important... but not sufficient. Unless you too have taken the overnight hard sleeper train Beijing to Wuhan in the mid 90s, I'm prolly gonna approach your hot China takes with some caution ;)
Watch
@BBCPanorama
reporters confront Chinese officials on their mass-detention program in Xinjiang, and the
#ChinaCables
findings.
@ICIJorg
+ 17 media orgs based their reporting on classified documents, interviews with experts &
#Uighur
eyewitness accounts.
Chris Cash studied history at Univ of StAndrews before spending 2 years at an int’l school in Hangzhou. He returned to the UK to study for an MSc in China and globalisation at King’s College London before securing employment at Westminster in 2021
Male suspect, in his late 20s, linked to several MPs who are privy to highly sensitive information.
Senior Whitehall source: “This is a major escalation by China. We have never seen anything like this before.”
China bars its scholars from international conferences.
Incl. this: police officers visited a scholar in China after they had presented their research paper to an online Zoom panel earlier, questioning the scholar for hours…
Sweden has unveiled a China strategy paper detailing Stockholm’s concerns about Beijing-Moscow ties and urging the EU to adopt a “common and clear” position to “manage the challenges” posed by China’s growing geopolitical ambitions in Europe.
These entities are part of the PRC’s
#UnitedFront
network. They support the CCP’s extensive battle to win foreign hearts and minds over
#BRI
. They target three crucial communities – international media, academia and business. I study them here:
“Sweden’s leading newspapers and broadcasters have together called on their government to take stronger action against China for its “unacceptable” repeated attacks on the country’s media, which have included visa bans and threats.”
The PRC is actively using the UN to amplify its own concepts, including prioritizing the "rights to develop" over all other rights. Bad news for human rights. Read Andrea Worden's latest piece for
@sinopsiscz
and get enlightened :
@tingdc
Last Fall, Xi Jinping gave instructions for the new phase of the
#BeltandRoad
plan. In a way, his “pushback against the pushback.” My latest for
@ForeignAffairs
“If China's leaders want to splurge overseas on dubious projects, that's their business. But the IMF shouldn't have to clean up when things go wrong.”
@BaldingsWorld
nails it.
NEW EVENT:
-- The Indo-Pacific Operating System --
A digital conference looking at power, order and rules for the 21st Century. Featuring speeches from Kurt Campbell,
@Peter_Dutton_MP
and
@RollandNadege
1-2 December 2021
Register here:
The Netherlands' intelligence service annual threat assessment: China greatest threat to Dutch economic security both b/c of legitimate takeovers and academic cooperation, and covert activities. Prime target, unsurprisingly, is ASML.
This month marks BRI’s 5th anniversary. I wrote
@Diplomat_APAC
’s cover story on its impact on Europe. After the initial enthusiasm, caution has been on the rise since 2017.
The Sep. 2018 issue of our magazine is out: featuring the
#BeltAndRoad
in Europe,
#Duterte
and Philippine foreign policy,
#Pakistan
's air pollution, and LGBTI rights in
#TimorLeste
. Read & subscribe here:
A masterclass in 话语权 by one of China's premier practitioner of the dark art of discursive struggle. For more about the crucial importance of narrative domination in China's quest for global influence, read the first chapter of
Shanghai, avril 2022. 26 millions d'habitants confinés.
Certains résidents ouvrent leurs fenêtres, expriment leur énervement, ou chantent.
Un drone apparaît : "Contrôlez le désir de liberté de votre âme"...
Ceci n'est pas dystopien, c'est la réalité de la Chine aujourd'hui.
As seen on Weibo: Shanghai residents go to their balconies to sing & protest lack of supplies. A drone appears: “Please comply w covid restrictions. Control your soul’s desire for freedom. Do not open the window or sing.”
No wonder the “win-win” trope is scorned as “China wins twice.” Want an airport? Sure, pay for it. Have second thoughts and want to cancel the project? Sure, pay for it.
The China National Aero-Technology International Engineering Corporation wants the Kenyan government to pay $203 million (Sh 22b) for canceling its contract to build the second terminal at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Intriguing to see a publication dedicated to development studies giving a platform to Chinese government officials, with a headline straight out of CCP lexicon.
China hacks into ANU: may have gotten access to the School of Strategic and Defence Studies data, which works closely with Australia's defence and intelligence establishment
At a French forum on China and the world, French Foreign Minister says he’s “perplexed” by
#BeltandRoad
, worrying that it is “the beginning of a new world order reflecting China’s hegemonic temptation”
A
#Poitiers
,
@JY_LeDrian
dit sa perplexité sur les routes de la soie, craignant qu'elles soient "le début d'un nouvel ordre mondial avec une tentation hégémonique de la
#Chine
".
Meanwhile, in Brussels: the European Commission released a paper branding China a “systemic rival promoting alternative models of governance” and threatening tighter rules on its investments in Europe
#BeltandRoad
.
via
@financialtimes
A blatant example of how the PRC is not only NOT socialized by int’l institutions, but is using them to erode the universal values on which they were founded.
Must-read on the UN Universal Periodic Review and “human rights with Chinese characteristics” by
@tingdc
for
@ChinaChange_org
. “[A] human rights path grounded in Xi Jinping’s New Era” which crucially, other countries might endorse or follow.
If you still struggle to understand the dual circulation concept, its origins, objectives, and what it means for China's current and future trade partners, I highly recommend
@Aligarciaherrer
's elucidation:
#NotABuzzword
#BeltandRoad
#SelfReliance