China Reform Monitor: No. 1066 | American Foreign Policy Council

China Reform Monitor: No. 1066

November 13, 2013 Joshua Eisenman

Related Categories: China

October 16:

A Chinese company, Panyn Chu King Steel Ltd, has “pulled out” of the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline “after Pakistan refused to extend the validity of its bid.” Pakistan is looking to replace the Chinese firm, which had bid $500 million to build Pakistan’s side of the pipeline, with Russian energy giant Gazprom. The Russian firm will provide financing worth $1.5 billion for the project, The Express Tribune reports.

October 20:

Participants of a mandatory media training program for 250,000 Chinese media professionals have been told to reject democracy and human rights, arguing that principles “the West claims are universal are targeting China's Communist Party.” Participants have also been told not to support positions advocated by the U.S., Japan, Vietnam or the Philippines, which are “trying to undermine our country.” Instructors did praise Russian President Vladimir Putin, however. After the training program, journalists must pass an exam to obtain press cards. This is the first time the CPC has carried out such a program before the press accreditation renewal, Kyodo News reports.

October 21:

President Xi Jinping has set up a special unit headed by Beijing police chief and deputy minister of public security Fu Zhenghua to investigate retired politburo standing committee member Zhou Yongkang. For nearly a decade Zhou was national security chief with control over nearly all law enforcement agencies. The South China Morning Post reports that Xi bypassed the Communist Party’s internal disciplinary apparatus and ordered Fu, who is also leading probes into Wu Bing and Guo Yongxiang, to report directly to him. Wu, a Sichuan billionaire with close ties with Zhou, was seized in Beijing in August. Guo, Sichuan’s former deputy governor, was detained in June for “serious disciplinary violations.” Jiang Jiemin, ex-chairman of the China National Petroleum Corporation, and another former Zhou associate have also been detained. Authorities endorsed the decision to probe Zhou and his associates at the secretive annual party meeting held in August at the Beidaihe resort in Hebei.

[Editor’s Note: No Politburo Standing Committee member - retired or sitting - has been investigated for economic crimes since 1976. Fu is the first person in party history to concurrently serve as head of Beijing’s police, Standing Committee member of the party’s Beijing municipal committee and deputy minister of public security] Tens of thousands of protesters in black T-shirts rallied in Hong Kong claiming that the decision to deny Hong Kong Television Networks (HKTV) a free-to-air TV license without explanation was a threat to the city’s core values, reports the South China Morning Post. Police said 36,000 took part, while HKTV placed the number at 80,000. Last week the government granted only two licenses, one to i-Cable’s Fantastic TV and the other to PCCW’s Hong Kong Television Entertainment. Protesters called on the government to explain the rationale behind the issuing only two licenses since there is no cap on the number of licenses they can issue. President of the Legislative Council, Jasper Tsang Yok-sing, asked for the criteria to grant free-to-air licenses to reveal “the assessment of the applicants’ competitiveness.” . October 24:

Pakistan has acquiesced to China’s request to add the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) and Islamic Jihad Union (IJU) to its list of banned groups. The delayed decision comes at the request of China’s premier Li Keqiang during his visit in May. “The Chinese officials had told Pakistan that members of these outfits were in contact with likeminded people in Xinjiang and they may use the Chinese population to pursue their plans,” Pakistan’s The News reports. “The government has enhanced the security of Chinese diplomats in the country against possible attacks by these militants.” Pakistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan have held consultations about ETIM and IMU, concluding that over 50 members – including 10 women – were wanted by authorities. Pakistan has caught ETIM members during military operations against militants in South Waziristan and other tribal areas, The News reports.