Daily Briefs


Photo : Global Times

28 July 2022 | Thursday | China Reader Evening Brief | Vol.1, No. 244

Chinese Foreign Ministry responds to South Korea's statements on deployment of THAAD

The Foreign Ministry Spokesperson urges South Korea to stick by the commitments made by the preceding government on the deployment of the THAAD and the Three No's Policy.

IN BRIEF
By Avishka Ashok

REGIONAL
South Korea: China’s Foreign Ministry responds Seoul’s recent statements on THAAD 
On 27 July, China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian referred to South Korean Foreign Ministry’s statement on the ‘Three No’s Policy” and the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) and urged the country to stick to the commitments made by the country previously. The South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin addressed the National Assembly and said that the preceding government’s agreement on the policy was not a promise to China. Political experts and analysts in China believe that the statement by Moon Jae-in’s government on the THAAD in 2017 saved the bilateral relations and sustained the trade ties. Zhao said: “No matter which party takes office, no matter what political needs it has domestically, it needs to ensure basic continuity and stability in its foreign policy.” Zhao further explained that China’s position on the US deployment of the THAAD in South Korea was aimed to protect its own national security and prevent the US from harming China’s strategic interests.  (“China urges SK to stick to commitment despite change of govt, as ‘Three No’s’ on THAAD ‘plays key role in mutual trust’,” Global Times, 27 July 2022)

INTERNATIONAL
United Nations: China calls on countries to respect sovereignty of post-conflict countries
On 27 July, China’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Zhang Jun addressed the Security Council Briefing on Peacebuilding Commission and asked the member countries to respect the sovereignty of post-conflict countries and provide constructive assistance when requested by the countries. Zhang said: “National conditions vary greatly among post-conflict countries and even evolve within the same country as it goes through different stages. The international community should support the countries concerned in exploring development paths that fit their own national conditions and engage in peacebuilding in a targeted manner, aligned with the priorities of the said countries.” He further stressed on development in post-conflict countries and urged the countries to assist them in improving people’s livelihood and developing the economy. (“Chinese envoy urges respecting sovereignty of post-conflict countries,” Xinhua Net, 28 July 2022)

INTERNAL
Communist Party of China: President Xi calls for planning country’s goals and challenges in the next five years 
On 28 July, the Strait Times reported on President Xi Jinping’s statements at the meeting of top political leaders in the country during the week. Xi called for planning for risks in the coming five years and beyond as the 20th Party Congress is scheduled to take place later this year. He asked the party to prepare goals, tasks and policies for China until 2027. He said: “Against the backdrop of accelerating global changes unseen in a century, and more complex risks, challenges, contradictions and problems, the fundamental task is to run our own affairs well.” (“Xi urges plan to tackle risks for next 'five years and beyond',” The Strait Times, 28 July 2022)

Hong Kong: City houses highest number of women prisoners in the world
On 28 July, the Strait Times reported that more than a quarter of Hong Kong’s prisoners are women, out of which a record high percentage were accused of trafficking drugs. However, in most cases the women were duped or coerced into transporting packages by a third party. Hong Kong Correctional Services said that 37 per cent of the foreign inmates female and are a majority in the female prison wings in the city. The World Prison Brief also reported that the number of women in prisons in Hong Kong was the highest in the world. The prison chaplain Father John Wotherspoon who has worked with convicted drug smugglers for decades referred to the issue and said: “Coercion is a big problem and it can come in many forms, economic, physical, emotional.” (“Easy targets: Drug mules fill women's jails in Hong Kong,” The Strait Times, 28 July 2022)

Heatwaves: National Meteorological Centre extends orange alert in a few regions across China 
On 28 July, China’s National Meteorological Centre continued its orange alert for heatwaves across various parts of the country. The state body alerted that some parts of Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and some of the southern parts could experience temperatures as high as 35 degree celsius. Some regions of Zhejiang, Jiangxi and Xinjiang could even experience temperatures as high as 40 degree celsius. The government has advised the people to remain indoors and reduce continuous outdoor activities in the coming week. (“China renews orange alert for high temperatures as heatwaves linger,” The Strait Times, 28 July 2022)

Hong Kong: UN Human Rights Committee urges China to repeal the National Security Law 
On 27 July, the United Nations Human Rights Committee expressed its concern over the deteriorating state of human rights in Hong Kong and called on the Chinese government to repeal the National Security Law which was imposed in 2020. The international body published a report on the issue and strongly advised China to “take concrete steps to repeal the current national security law and, in the meantime, refrain from applying the law." The report claimed that over 200 citizens had been arrested over concerns of endangering national security since 2020. The Committee consists of 18 independent experts who are appointed by the United Nations. The committee does not review the human rights situation in the rest of the country as China is not a signatory of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. However, Hong Kong is considered to be a party to the covenant through the Basic Law that gave the city its autonomous status in 1997. The Hong Kong COnstitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau has expressed its discontent and objection to the report on the city and said that they were unsubstantiated criticisms. (“Hong Kong must repeal national security law, says UN rights watchdog,” The Strait Times, 28 July 2022)

Xinjiang: Xinhua reports that voluntary emails were written to UN High Commission for Human Rights 
On 28 July, Xinhua Net reported that citizens from the Xinjiang Autonomous Region had voluntarily sent email-letters to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, explaining their experiences and attempting to discredit the anti-China narratives being formed in the international order. The report claimed that people who suffered from terrorist attacks in Xinjiang, students and graduate trainees from the centres in the region, the religious minorities, scholars and public representatives, and migrant workers had written to the Human Rights Chief ecplaining the positive changes in the region in the past decades. (“People of Different Ethnic Groups in Xinjiang Express Legitimate Concerns through Real-life Experiences in Their Letters to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights,” Xinhua Net, 28 July 2022)

TECHNOLOGY
Space: Tianzhou-3 re-enters earth’s atmospheres, debris falls in South Pacific 
On 27 July, China Manned Space Agency announced that the Tianzhou-3 cargo craft had re-entered the earth’s atmosphere in a controlled manner. The agency explained that most of the spacecraft’s components had burned upon entry while small bits of debris fell into the scheduled safe waters of the South Pacific. The report further explained that the cargo craft had delivered six tonnes of supplies to Tiangong, the Chinese Space Station. The cargo craft also assisted in two rendezvous and docking operations and carried out a few space technology tests. (“China's Tianzhou-3 cargo craft re-enters atmosphere under control,” Xinhua Net, 27 July 2022)

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