Dialogue China Think-Tank BriefingTalking All About China NowIssue 129 – 4/15/2023Table of ContentsThe materials shared here do not necessarily reflect the views of the DCTT Briefing or Dialogue China Think-Tank. Top ReviewsWith a Focus on the United States, the Chinese Communist Party is Strategically Engaging in a Global Cold War  Policy (Public Opinion Within the Great Firewall)With the Establishment of the National Data Administration, There Will be Changes in Several Areas  Politics (Public Opinion Within the Great Firewall)What Has Changed in China After More than One Year of Fighting Between Russia and Ukraine?The “Beijing Reconciliation” Between Saudi Arabia and Iran: Enemies, Conflict, and the New OrderThere is No East Asian Alliance to “Contain China”   Finance and Business (Public Opinion Within the Great Firewall)To Reinvigorate China’s Medium- to High-Speed Growth, We Must First Clarify Some Misconceptions  Top Reviews With a Focus on the United States, the Chinese Communist Party is Strategically Engaging in a Global Cold WarWang Dan – Radio Free Asia Commentary – March 20, 2023With the adjournment of this year’s “two sessions,” the meetings of the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Xi Jinping’s term of office has begun and he is no longer considered a “new official.”  In his speech to the National People’s Congress,  Xi articulated some new measures to justify his “re-election.” In a rare move, he directly named the United States, saying that the United States was containing China’s development, but he stopped there. Later, however, with his close ally Foreign Minister Qin Gang, he made some tough remarks against the United States. Head-on confrontation with the United States and competition with the United States for world domination will likely be the key steps in Xi’s  so-called “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” Not long ago, in an attempt to reshape the political order of the international community China began to intervene in Middle Eastern affairs, facilitating the resumption of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Xi Jinping also put forth his “Global Civilization Initiative.” Both of these actions show that Xi Jinping seeks to become a world leader and to further Chinese expansionism. Although these may be merely superficial trends, some of Xi Jinping’s hidden plans targeting the United States that are being carried out in earnest will likely be of greater concern to the outside world.  One such plan is the expansion of global arms sales. U.S. Army General Eric Kurilla, commander of the U.S. Central Command that is responsible for military operations in the Middle East and Central Asia, in testimony before the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee on March 16, 2023, stated that Chinese arms sales to the region have increased by 80 percent during the past decade. He noted  that China offers fast delivery and financing without requiring end-user agreements, making the Chinese process much faster than that of the United States. The Atlantic Council, a Washington DC–think tank, in a report issued earlier this month analyzing global arms sales data issued by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), reported that China has gained a significant advantage in sub-Saharan Africa. Beijing’s military sales to the region between 2010 and 2021 exceeded US$2 billion, second only to those of Russia. In addition, between 2017 and 2020 China’s arms exports to the region surpassed those of the United States, at a ratio of nearly 3 to 1. General Kurilla told Congress that the more progress China makes in arms sales, the more difficult it will be for the United States to work with countries that would otherwise choose to work with Washington. China is clearly trying to use arms sales to gradually develop a network of military alliances against the United States. This trend can be seen in a roadmap of military sales. According to trade and customs information obtained by U.S. media, late last year Russian companies received 12 shipments of drone parts and more than 12 tons of Chinese-made bulletproof vests from the People’s Republic of China. But the goods were not handed over directly to Russia at the border; instead, they passed through Turkey and then delivered to Russia. As early as November–December 2022, China’s Da Jiang Innovations, a technology company headquartered in Shenzhen and with manufacturing facilities throughout the world, shipped drone parts to a small Russian supplier, indirectly routed through the United Arab Emirates. While these actions are certainly part of China’s efforts to circumvent international scrutiny and economic sanctions, the willingness of Turkey and the United Arab Emirates to cooperate also reflects China’s proactive attempts to draw in allies and to undercut the traditional sphere of influence of the United States.  These new developments are extremely dangerous signals not only for the United States but also for the entire world. In a serious challenge to world peace, if Xi Jinping has already made up his mind to fight for world hegemony and to carry out global expansionism, as well as to solve once and for all the problem of  U.S. control over Taiwan, he will not hesitate to combine the power of Russia, Iran, and North Korea to confront and clash head-on with the United States, even to the point of escalating the Cold War into a hot war. The most important goal of “Xi Jinping’s New Era” is “to confront the United States and move to the center of the world stage.” In history, there are many examples of dictators who – out of inflated personal ambition and misjudgments about their own strength and the international situation – have rashly started wars and caused chaos throughout the world. It would not be at all surprising if Xi Jinping were to follow such examples. It will thus be a major achievement for the international community if Xi Jinping’s harm to human society can be averted. Policy (Public Opinion Within the Great Firewall) With the Establishment of the National Data Administration, There Will be Changes in Several AreasZhou Xiaoling – Southern Weekend – March 9, 2023Abstract: An institutional reform plan issued by China’s State Council in the afternoon of March 7, 2023, announced the establishment of China’s National Data Administration. This new entity will be responsible for coordinating promotion of a digital China, a digital economy, and planning and construction of a digital society. Although local data management departments will continue to exist, only regional entities familiar with local data resources, including local government data, state-owned enterprise data, and so forth, will be able to most effectively support the development of local big data. However, the currently announced scope of responsibilities of the National Data Administration does not include data security and protection. This may be because many past rules and policies in the field of data have already focused on security, so now is the time to rebalance data security with digital utilization. But this does not mean that the field of data security will be relaxed.（Read The Original Text）Politics (Public Opinion Within the Great Firewall) What Has Changed in China After More than One Year of Fighting Between Russia and Ukraine?Anonymous – Positive Solution Bureau – March 2, 2023Abstract: More than one year after the beginning of the Russian war against Ukraine, Sino-Russian trade is estimated at US$190.272 billion, up a whopping 29.3 percent year on year and more than Putin’s own estimate of 25 percent. In view of the West’s tense relationship with Russia, China’s role as a surrogate is increasing. For example, since the start of the conflict, due to the Western economic sanctions, Chinese automobile manufacturers have seized the opportunity to increase their share of the Russian market by 37 percent, rising to become a mainstream brand in Russia. In terms of the Russian cellular phone market, China’s Xiaomi rose to number one as Samsung – the previous number-one brand – reduced production. China has also attained greater potential benefits, such as the possibility of joint railroad construction and development of Siberia. In short, if the war is to continue, perhaps even China’s most valued hope of establishing a Far Eastern seaport in Russia will be possible.（Read The Original Text）Politics (Public Opinion Within the Great Firewall) The “Beijing Reconciliation” Between Saudi Arabia and Iran: Enemies, Conflict, and the New Order Qi Ran – Sanlian Life Weekly – March 11, 2023Abstract: On March 10, 2023 – with mediation by China – Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to resume diplomatic relations and reopen their respective embassies after a seven-year hiatus in diplomatic relations. This move is expected to greatly reduce the ongoing rivalry and confrontation between Saudi Arabia and Iran in the Middle East. A direct and important source of the conflict between the two countries was the Islamic Revolution that broke out in Iran in 1978 and the 1979 establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran. But the most recent break in diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran stems from the turbulence in the Middle East after the Arab Spring. Stability in the region was also continuously challenged during the President Obama and President Trump years. In short, China may be offering a new way of thinking about solving the problems in the Middle East, but more information about how this way of thinking will be achieved has yet to be revealed.（Read The Original Text）Politics (Public Opinion Within the Great Firewall) There is No East Asian Alliance to “Contain China”Kang Canxiong – National Politics Scholar – March 12, 2023Abstract: Many scholars believe that a multinational East Asian alliance already exists, or will likely emerge, to “contain China.” In an analysis from the perspectives of the East Asian military responses to China, economic and trade relations, the principle of “not choosing sides,” and the influence of the United States, the author points out that there is insufficient evidence to support the view that a so-called East Asian “anti-China alliance” currently exists. Most East Asian countries hope to maintain good relations with both China and the United States, and therefore they have not challenged the rise of China. If in the future the United States is to form an alliance to contain China, it is likely that few East Asian countries would choose to join. Therefore, U.S. policy makers should immediately update their thinking about East Asia.（Read The Original Text）Finance and Business (Public Opinion Within the Great Firewall) To Reinvigorate China’s Medium- to High-Speed Growth, We Must First Clarify Some Misconceptions Lu Feng – Bottom Line Thinking – February 27, 2023Abstract: How should the Chinese economy be restructured after the pandemic? This article argues that, in the face of the profound changes unseen in a century, including U.S. containment and acceleration of a multi-level world structure, the Chinese economy should be revived by abandoning its contractionary policies and by pursuing aggressive tactics under the paradigm of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. This process must respect the laws of industrial development, promote broad-based industrial upgrading, and stimulate the creativity of the entire population. On this basis, it is necessary to redefine high-quality development and to guide China’s economy back on a track of medium to high-speed growth.（Read The Original Text）

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