THE ESSENTIAL EIGHT

1. Xi urges inclusive development on Ningxia tour – Xinhua No region or ethnic group should be left behind in China’s drive to build a moderately prosperous society by 2020, President Xi Jinping said during a tour of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region that ended on Wednesday. Xi spent three days in Ningxia, a less developed area with a high concentration of ethnic minorities in northwest China. He called on local officials to implement the central authorities’ policies and national development strategies to achieve economic prosperity and unity among ethnic groups…During his tour in Ningxia, Xi arrived in Jiangtaipu in Xiji County, Guyuan City, to visit the memorial site commemorating the joining together of forces in the Long March. He laid a wreath at the monument, and called for carrying forward the spirit of old revolutionaries.

Related: [视频]习近平在宁夏考察时强调 解放思想真抓实干奋力前进 确保与全国同步建成全面小康社会CCTV节目官网-CCTV-1央视网(cctv.com) nearly 17 minutes at the top of the Wednesday CCTV Evening News on Xi’s Ningxia inspection tour…during his visit he commented that China is on a “new Long March”, one toward the two centenary goals (starting at the 2:10 mark in the CCTV Evening News report)…not sure the cadres or populace are ready for the kinds of struggles they faced on the first long march…he also said that China is poised to “burst out 爆发” into its Great Rejuvenation…

Related: 今天新闻联播的主要内容是：习大大视察宁夏释放什么信息，国务院部署稳经济增长系列举措 首先，是级别较以往更高。除了常规要带的栗战书和王沪宁之外，还带上了汪洋，表明扶贫是这次考察的重要主题。事实上，今天新闻联播的第二条也低调披露，在宁夏考察期间，习大大的确召开了东西部扶贫协作座谈会，但为了不冲击今天习大大考察的头条，照例会放到明天的新闻联播中播出..第二，视察的点位有针对性。看红军长征会师纪念碑是既是为了弘扬红色传统，体现习大大一贯对于革命先烈的崇敬心态，另一方面也是引出永远在社会主义建设的长征路上的重要论述。今年是长征胜利80周年，这一论述很有可能成为长征80周年纪念的主题思想…第三，视察牢牢呼应东西部扶贫协作这一主题。这次视察中最重要的部分其实是东西部扶贫协作座谈会，多位地方政治局委员级大佬都有出席，其实这次选择视察宁夏的一个重要原因，就是宁夏与习大大在地方工作时期的福建和浙江都有扶贫项目合作。// a big fan of this Wechat account that analyzes each day’s CCTV Evening News

2. Defining the post-arbitration nine-dash line: more clarity and more complication | southseaconversations 讨论南海 On Monday an article published on p.6 of the PLA’s official newspaper offered a clear and detailed post-ruling definition of the nine-dash line from authors at the Central Party School. One of its main purposes was to refute the Tribunal’s inferred reading of the nine-dash line as a blanket claim to historic rights within the area it encloses…The writing of this article is attributed to CPS Postgraduate Studies Institute Deputy Dean Wang Junmin 王军敏, but the newspaper byline attributes it collectively to the CPS Center for Research on the Theoretical System of Socialism With Chinese Characteristics. It is, as such, not a government statement, but it’s very detailed, takes into account the Tribunal ruling, and could end up being close to the interpretation the PRC goes forward with in the wake of the ruling.

Related: During US Navy visit, China vows ‘never to stop’ island buildup – Pacific – Stripes Richardson said he supports “a continued and deepening navy-to-navy relationship.” “But I will be continuously reassessing my support conditioned on continued safe and professional interactions at sea,” the admiral said. “In this area, we must judge each other by our deeds and actions, not just by our words.”

Related: CNO visits Chinese North Sea Fleet; Underscores Importance of International Law-Navy News During the meeting with Yuan, CNO underscored the importance of lawful and safe operations in the South China Sea and elsewhere professional navies operate. He also reiterated that U.S. forces will continue to sail, fly and operate wherever international law allows–a point emphasized by U.S. officials during recent visits to Asia. “The U.S. Navy will continue to conduct routine and lawful operations around the world, including in the South China Sea, in order to protect the rights, freedoms and lawful uses of sea and airspace guaranteed to all,” said Richardson. “This will not change.”

Related: 南海仲裁后中国释放三大善意，菲律宾却要对抗到底_凤凰聚焦 倒是是菲律宾方面，仍然坚持拿仲裁结果说事，拒绝中方进行对话的合理建议。如果菲律宾真的要顽固对抗的话，解放军轰6K巡航黄岩岛等岛礁附近空域只是一个小小的警告。

Related: “起底临时仲裁庭”之六：国际法治的“癌细胞”-新华网 Xinhua continues its shameless smearing of the South China Sea tribunal… //  　菲律宾南海仲裁案的肇始、演进、终了和贻害，堪比癌细胞入侵健康机体的过程。《联合国海洋法公约》（以下简称《公约》）好比健康机体，其薄弱处成为“致癌病原体”侵入的突破口，内外诱因促发病变扩散，最终遗毒《公约》乃至国际法治。

Related: 谈判协商才是解决问题之道（钟声）–国际–人民网 People’s Daily Zhongsheng reiterates that the only way to resolve the diferences with the Philippines over the South China Sea is through negotiation and consulation// 人们注意到，菲律宾总统杜特尔特和菲新政府已作出有关妥善处理中菲分歧、推动中菲关系改善的积极表态，这是值得欢迎的信息。人们更期待，菲律宾新一届领导人和新政府展现政治智慧，从中菲两国和两国人民的共同利益出发，为中菲关系未来和两国人民福祉做出正确选择。 南海仲裁案不过是场政治闹剧。中菲切实回到谈判协商解决分歧的正确轨道上，才是对两国关系的长远发展负责，对两国人民的福祉负责。

Related: Netizens demand celebs defend China, boycott foreign goods – Global Times After the arbitration result, Net users have leveled false accusations against public figures and have lead people into boycotting foreign products and brands such as Philippine bananas, iPhones and KFC. “Our online shop will not sell Cebu mangoes from the Philippines and will not sell any snacks imported from the country anymore,” a Shanghai-based Taobao vendor who declined to be identified, told the Global Times. Another vendor in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, put a notice on its online shop, saying that “this shop will no longer sell dried mangoes imported from the Philippines and will give any snacks now in stock to consumers who provide their address for free.” The hashtag “strike down China” has garnered 2.4 million views on Sina Weibo, with some netizens claiming when you type “strike down” in Chinese in an iPhone, the phone will automatically add the word “China.” However, this is an automatic association based on users’ search history rather than a conspiracy led by US-based Apple, the People’s Daily reported Monday.

Related: ‘Patriotic’ Chinese company warns staff they face sack if they buy yet-to-be released iPhone 7 | South China Morning Post Hangzhou Bina Industrial Technology Company, which employs 50 people, issued its stern warning in what it called a “Patriotic Notice”, which was sent to all employees on Monday, the news portal Sohu.com reported…The move appears to be in response to widespread anger on mainland social media over what appeared to be an apparent iPhone software “glitch. When iPhone users typed out the Chinese pinyin word “jichen”, meaning “hit and sink”, the word “China” would automatically appear as the first recommended word of choice.  //  Unfortunately Apple likely has bigger problems than this in China

Related: 河南濮阳：3男子组织网民非法围堵肯德基门店，被行政拘留一号专案澎湃新闻-The Paper three administratively detained in Puyang, Henan, for illegally organizing protest in front of a KFC

3. Brussels prepares market economy compromise for China — FT.com Brussels is drawing up a plan to treat China as a market economy in trade disputes, but only in tandem with US-style anti-dumping duties and big cuts to steel overproduction by Beijing. The European Commission is seeking a middle way between China’s clamour to be treated the same as advanced economies and complaints from European member states and industrial groups that surging imports from China are to blame for the collapse in steel prices.  //  where is the US on this “compromise”?

Related: Commentary: EU should grant China market economy status – Xinhua The European Commission is set to debate its stance on China’s market economy status on Wednesday, the latest move after a non-binding vote in May rejected the loosening of trade defenses. The EU Parliament said in a resolution in May that China’s excess production capacity and cheap exports are hurting EU employment, urging that China not be granted MES. Facts speak louder than words, however, and, taking the much debated steel industry as an example, China’s steel exports to the EU are small compared with other countries and its low value-added steel products are complementary to the EU’s steel market portfolio.

Related: U.S. warns at WTO of China backsliding on economic openness | Reuters The United States is worried that China is retreating from pledges to open its economy to market forces as it tries to cope with a slowdown in growth, U.S. trade diplomat Chris Wilson told the World Trade Organization on Tuesday. China is undergoing a regular two-yearly review of its trade policies at the WTO this week, in which the body’s other 162 members get to quiz its officials and critique its policies.

Related: Juncker tells China to cut steel production or be frozen out of global trade club Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, used blunt language in a speech in China warning that the country’s chances of gaining market economy status are directly related to its steel exports. “I do not want to dramatise this issue… but there is a clear link between the steel overcapacity of China and the market economy status for China,” Mr Juncker said.

Related: Chinese media view EU crises as sign of failing “Western system” – MERICS Blog The study’s most striking finding was the difference between party-state media and more market-oriented outlets when it came to assessing events in Europe. Commercial media like “Caixin” or blogs like “Sohu” tried to give more differentiated accounts and took a closer look at internal European debates. Party-state media on the other hand clearly used coverage on crisis phenomena to discredit “the West” and its values. “People’s Daily” or “Xinhua” described the EU and Europe as being “in a state of decay, like the West as a whole”, as Lang pointed out. He added that some official commentators went a step further and took “the moral high ground to promote Chinese concepts of authoritarian rule as an alternative to Western ones”.

4. Sinica Podcast: The Kaiser Kuo exit interview This week, Kaiser sits in the guest chair and tells us about his 20-plus years of living in China. He recounts being the front man for the heavy metal band Tang Dynasty and the group’s tour stops in China’s backwater towns, shares his feelings on moving back to the United States with his family, and discusses the future of the Sinica Podcast. The conversation with Jeremy, Ada Shen and David Moser is one of many ‘exit interview’ episodes with journalists who are departing China after a long stay. It took place in June 2016, shortly after Kaiser’s reentry to the U.S.

Related: Bill Bishop: The Exodus-Sinica Podcast my exit interview 11 months ago…anyone know of a service that can produce a transcript of the recording? Apologies if yesterday’s commentary was a bit ranty, I am just deeply frustrated with the trajectory of US-China relations, and sad that it is even worse than I expected when we did this podcast last August  //  While not exactly your requisite “Why I Am Leaving China” blog post, this show gives Kaiser Kuo and David Moser the chance to talk to Bill about the reasons behind his decision, and explore why he sees an increasingly strained relationship between China and the United States over the next few years.

5. Report: More Than 100 Chinese Muslims Have Joined the Islamic State | Foreign Policy A July 20 report from New America, a think tank in Washington, DC, examined more than 4,000 registration records of fighters who joined the Islamic State between mid-2013 and mid-2014. These rudimentary questionnaires asked basic questions of each fighter, including origin, travel history, level of education, former employment, and previous jihad experience. Analysis of the records revealed that at least 114 Chinese Uighurs, a predominantly Muslim Turkic-speaking ethnic group concentrated in the northwestern Chinese autonomous region of Xinjiang, entered Islamic State territory during that time period. Nate Rosenblatt, the author of the report and an independent Middle East/North Africa researcher, obtained the data from contacts made during his previous research in Syria.

Related: Britain adds Chinese militant group to terror list | Reuters Britain has listed the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) as a terrorist organization, pleasing China, which had demanded Western support for its fight against a group it says seeks to split off its western region of Xinjiang.

6. Behind the Webcam with China’s Live-Streaming Stars – That’s Beijing In recent months, live-streaming apps like the one Jiang uses have exploded in popularity. Douyu TV, YY and Ingkee have 200 million registered users between them, but these are just three out of hundreds of platforms. These apps have spawned ‘streaming stars’ who perform for hundreds of thousands of people every day. Some sing and dance. Some tell jokes. Some play video games. Some teach classes. The result is a new online world that is being subjected to criticism and censorship – but also one that has given entertainers a wide-reaching platform never before seen in China.

7. Investors Seek Liaoning Debt Boycott As Bond Default Battle Heats Up-Caixin Bond holders burned by the defaults of a state-owned steel maker in Liaoning province are calling for a boycott of all new bond issuances by the local government and provincial enterprises amid increasing frustration at local officials’ efforts to resolve the company’s debt problem. They will also ask regulators to suspend the issuance of all debt financing instruments by enterprises in the northeastern province, according to a proposal put together for discussion at an upcoming meeting of investors who hold bonds issued by Dongbei Special Steel Group Co. Sources with knowledge of the matter told Caixin that all bond investors who plan to attend the meeting have agreed on the proposal.

8. Two Trains Running: Supply-Side Reform, SOE Reform and the Authoritative Personage | Hoover Institution by Barry Naughton Tuesday, July 19, 2016 The publication of a new article by “Authoritative Personage” on May 9, 2016, threw into the open two unresolved issues of Chinese policy: Who is making economic reform policy?  What is the mix between reform and growth?  These two unresolved issues lie behind the enormous difficulty policy-makers have had in coming up with a coherent reform strategy lately. This difficulty is most manifest in the case of state-owned enterprise reform, which is floundering.

BUSINESS, ECONOMY AND TRADE

China’s Busiest High-Speed Rail Line Makes a Fast Buck – China Real Time Report – WSJ The link’s biggest shareholder, China Railways Corp., has never released the financial performance of the line, which cost $33 billion to build. Recently, a bond prospectus issued by a minor shareholder offered a glimpse into the rail link’s financial performance. According to Tianjin Railway Construction & Investment Holding (Group) Co., a regional railway builder, the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed rail link last year recorded a net profit of 6.6 billion yuan, or about $1 billion. It’s the first time it made a profit, said Tianjin Railway, which owns a 4.5% stake in the link. Chinese state media has often touted the line as the most profitable high-speed rail route in the world.

China to expand railway network to 150,000 km by 2020 | Reuters The plan will mean a 24 percent increase in the length of China’s railway network from 2015 and a 58 percent expansion in high-speed rail. The government will encourage state-owned China Railway Corp to expand bond issuance to finance its investment, Fei Zhirong, an official at the National Development and Reform Commission, told a new conference. China aims to invest 800 billion yuan ($119.71 billion) in fixed assets in 2016 as part of the effort to expand the railway network.

Uber Investors Said to Push for Didi Truce in Costly China Fight Bloomberg-Several institutional investors are pushing the ride-hailing company to ink a partnership agreement with China’s market leader Didi Chuxing, according to people familiar with the matter, stemming the billions of dollars Uber is spending to expand in the region. Investors in Uber and Didi have discussed a potential deal, though the companies’ own executives would need to negotiate any truce, the people said, asking not to be identified as the discussions aren’t public. One Uber investor said he’s had more than 10 meetings and calls with Didi shareholders that want the companies to cut a deal. He declined to discuss the identity of the investors.

优步数小时连被盗刷4笔费用 地跨广州上海深圳 _ 经济参考网 _ 新华社《经济参考报》官方网站 Uber China accounts have a hacking vulnerability problem?

Pando: Is Didi prepping for a coming regulatory battle in China? Up until now Didi and Uber have been lumped into the same bucket, and potential new regulations in China are said to affect both equally. But with these moves, Didi is carefully carving out what makes it different, more responsible to the Chinese people. It’s less about giving China “a reason” to potentially ban Uber. The former head of the CIAchairs a not at all creepy sounding division called “Uber Military,” and Uber has a history of using drivers to incite political action. State agencies are even direct investors in Didi. There’s no pretense the government would feel neutrally about these two rivals. But Didi is certainly helping make a case for itself that a government regulation that adversely impacting Uber wouldn’tjust be about those things.

Stronger Chinese Patent Laws Also Help U.S. Companies – WSJ Chinese courts are increasingly receptive to such patent suits, even when they are lodged by foreign firms. Double Robotics Inc., a Burlingame, Calif., robot maker, last month persuaded a Chinese agency to invalidate patents claimed by a Shanghai-based rival. Western lawyers say that as a result of China’s moves, the country is fairer to outsiders than a few years ago, but still far from a level playing field. Patent infringement remains rampant, and violators aren’t deterred by the small damage awards there, lawyers say.

China’s Consumer Boom Risks Slowing as Income Gains Moderate – Bloomberg Beyond the top-level strength of the headline retail sales figure, some private indicators are showing consumers may be less confident about opening their wallets.  Sales at the nation’s top 100 retailers fell 3.2 percent in the first half versus a year earlier, the government-backed National Commercial Information Center said Monday. Restaurant spending also cooled in the first five months, according to bank card swipe data from China UnionPay Co., the country’s largest payment and clearing network. “A tougher comparison, wetter weather, and reduced effects of policy easing” contributed to slower second-quarter consumption, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. analysts including Joshua Lu said in a report.

河钢集团原董事长王义芳被调查财经新京报网 former chairman of board of Hebei Iron and Steel Wang Yifang is under investigation

China’s Excavator Market Poised for Recovery Says Top Supplier – Bloomberg Share on Facebook Share on Twitter China has cleared its excess of excavators, suggesting that business conditions for construction-equipment makers selling into the world’s second-biggest economy will begin to improve as they boost output, according to a top supplier of machinery parts. China’s slowest growth in decades, and its impact on mining and construction, has hurt sales of firms from Caterpillar Inc. of the U.S. to Japan’s Komatsu Ltd. The industry’s fortunes may be about to turn as supply and demand balances, according to Masao Usui, chairman of Tokyo-based KYB Corp.

In China meeting, G20 has chance to soothe post-Brexit jitters | Reuters Finance heads from the world’s leading economies will confront fresh fears about protectionism when they meet in China this weekend, with Brexit fallout and dwindling policy options to boost global growth expected to dominate talks. The Group of 20 finance ministers and central bankers meeting will put the spotlight on Britain’s new Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, who makes his international debut at the gathering and will need to answer questions about how London will manage its exit from Europe. Also overhanging the G20 meeting in the southwestern city of Chengdu will be Donald Trump’s U.S. Presidential campaign in which protectionist themes are expected to be central, after his official nomination as the 2016 Republican candidate this week.

Peering Into China’s Financial System Through an Unusually Profitable Bank – WSJ For a microcosm of the $31 trillion Chinese banking system, it’s worth examining Bank of Zhengzhou, an immensely profitable business that increasingly looks like a bad-risk warehouse in dire need of a thicker capital cushion. The Hong Kong-listed Chinese provincial commercial bank announced this week it intends to return to investors for fresh equity—via a new listing in Shanghai and share sales in Hong Kong.

State Council Gives Green Light for Debt-to-Equity Swap Trials-Caixin Announcement that financial institutions can hold equity in companies on a trial basis signals government is pushing forward with its strategy to deal with the country’s bad debts

POLITICS AND LAW

CogitAsia Podcast: Understanding China’s Intelligence Services | cogitASIA CSIS Asia Policy Blog Jamestown Foundation Fellow Peter Mattis and CSIS Freeman Chair in China Studies Christopher Johnson rundown China’s key civilian and military intelligence services, describe their origin story (7:59), and discuss their role in service to the Chinese Communist Party and the state (13:15). They also shed light on the tradecraft and tactics of the Ministry of State Security, Ministry of Public Security, and the People’s Liberation Army (24:02), examine China’s open-source intel gathering capabilities (31:26), analytic methods (37:06), and assess the growing professionalism in China’s intelligence services (40:10). Hosted by Will Colson

China Constitutionalist Article “Reflections on the Cultural Revolution” Already Being Rectified Behind the Bamboo Firewall | 高大伟 在美国华盛顿人的博客 “Reflections on the Cultural Revolution” an article under the penname Huangfuxinping 皇甫欣平 argues that China needs to think more deeply about the lessons of the Cultural Revolution.  At the deepest level, the problem is not just personality cults or class struggle ideas used in a widely expansive manner despite the victory of socialism.  The problem is the one-party rule of the Communist Party that puts it above the constitution. Power needs to be put in a box, writes  Huangfuxinping. “Reflections on the Cultural Revolution”  is apparently by a Chinese Academy of Social Sciences scholar and former People’s Daily Deputy Editor Zhou Ruijin, [see his Baidu biography in Chinese here]  now in his mid 70s, reflecting on the lessons of the Cultural Revolution.

江苏南通财政局长自杀身亡 家属称其有抑郁症状新闻腾讯网 52岁的江苏省南通市财政局局长陈照东，于7月19日自杀身亡。警方通报称，据其家属反映，陈照东最近情绪低落，有抑郁症状。7月19日晚11：30左右，江苏南通如皋市公安局官方微博发出警情通报，7月19日14时09分，如皋市公安局接到报警称，长江镇如皋港区金岛生态园北侧长江江堤边树林内，有一男子吊在树上。 // head of Nantong, Jiangsu finance bureau kills himself

王林案中案当事民警因通风报信被移送司法新闻腾讯网 江西省公安厅官方网站7月19日在“关于落实省委第一巡视组反馈意见整改情况”的通报中称，“针对萍乡市公安局民警在办案中通风报信、收受贿赂、泄露警务工作秘密问题，已将当事民警移送司法机关处理，并追究6名领导干部责任，其中行政警告4人、记过1人、记大过1人。”目前，省公安厅正以此为题材，拍摄一部警示教育片，教育全省公安民警引以为戒。

锻造中国特色社会主义事业坚强领导核心（深入学习贯彻习近平同志系列重要讲话精神·治国理政新思想新实践）–时政–人民网 主持人： 本报理论部高级编辑 叶 帆 嘉 宾： 全国党建研究会会长 李景田 ; 中共河南省委常委、组织部部长 夏 杰 ; 中央党校中共党史教研部主任、教授 谢春涛 ; 山东大学马克思主义学院院长、政党研究所所长 王韶兴

胡耀邦之子胡德平如何悼念叶剑英之子叶选宁？ purported comments from Hu Deping on the death of Ye Xuanning

用习近平总书记系列重要讲话精神武装全党 from Qiushi…were there ever calls to use the spirit of Hu Jintao’s series of speeches to “arm the whole Party”?

“周滨白手套”一审获刑5年，与周滨1比9分成上亿元贿款 Mi Xiaodong, the “white glove” of Zhou Bin, son of Zhou Yongkang, gets 5 years in jail

FOREIGN AND DEFENSE AFFAIRS

How Should the Republican Party Approach China Policy? | ChinaFile by Peter Navarro, Patrick Chovanec, Sidney Rittenberg, Damien Ma, David Wertime  //  wonder how many of the authors are actually Republican?

China urges U.S. Republican Party to stop groundless charges – Xinhua Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang made the remarks when asked to comment on the 2016 platform adopted at the Republican National Convention on Monday, which contains accusations about China on issues related to Taiwan, Tibet, trade and the South China Sea. “All political parties in the United States should view China’s development in an objective and rational manner and correctly understand the issues that emerge in bilateral ties,” Lu said. “We hope relevant parties stop their groundless accusations against China and interference in China’s domestic affairs and contribute more to bilateral trust and cooperation,” Lu said.

Chinese Views on the Presumptive U.S. Presidential Candidates Hillary R. Clinton and Donald J. Trump | Hoover Institution by Michael D. Swaine via China Leadership Monitor Tuesday, July 19, 2016 This year’s presidential election, like past ones, features China and U.S.-China relations as a talking point for candidates from both parties. This article shows that Chinese elite and public views toward Clinton and Trump are varied and divided. Authoritative views tend to be cautious in their commentary on both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. While Trump’s perceived straightforwardness, decisiveness, and strength of character have earned him fans in China, the irrational and irresponsible nature of many of his comments is also well recognized and regarded as a potential threat to stable U.S.-China relations. In comparison, while some Chinese analysts view Clinton’s more predictable and establishment-based foreign policy beliefs as a positive attribute, most Chinese hold very negative views of Clinton’s stance on human rights and maritime security issues, and expect her presidency to pose serious challenges to bilateral relations.

Canadian or Chinese? Foreign Citizenship Brought Into Question | The Diplomat As stipulated in Article 3 of China’s nationality law, China does not recognize dual nationality. This law naturally extended to Hong Kong citizens as per the 1996 pre-handover “Explanations” issued by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. By extension, Article 5 of the nationality laws states that children of Chinese who have settled abroad “shall not have Chinese nationality.” However, the reverse is also true under Article 8, which states any person who applies for naturalization as a Chinese national shall acquire Chinese nationality upon approval of their application — and shall not retain foreign nationality. That means that if these Canadians do indeed apply for Chinese citizenship to travel to Mainland China, then it could be argued that they are renouncing their Canadian nationality.

Canada’s push for closer China trade ties hits problems: sources | Reuters Canada’s push for closer trade ties with China has slowed amid unease with the extent of economic access Beijing is asking for and its human rights record, several sources familiar with the matter said, impeding a top priority for Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Trudeau, whose election win last year was warmly welcomed by Chinese leaders, may also trim plans for a full week visit to China ahead of a G20 summit in September, deciding instead to take a shorter, more symbolic trip with less focus on trade than initially predicted.

美智库称中国政策致百人加入IS 专家：睁眼说瞎话国际新闻环球网 李伟说，美国在国际上的过度军事干预是导致IS兴起的最主要因素。“如果2003年美国没有错误地发动伊拉克战争，就没有今天的IS。美国种下这颗大毒瘤之后，不在中东地区认真反恐，反倒挑动南海争议，说明美国已经成为麻烦制造者，而不是国际社会安全与稳定的维护者。美国政界、智库和媒体这个时候更应该好好检讨自己国家的行为。”李伟说。

When a Rock is Just a Rock: Breaking Down the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea Ruling by CSIS In this episode, we discuss the landmark UNCLOS ruling by an arbitral tribunal constituted under the Convention with Peter Dutton, Director of the China Maritime Studies Institute at the U.S. Naval War College.

HONG KONG, MACAO AND TAIWAN

Tsai Ing-wen Takes Office: A New Era in Cross-Strait Relations | Hoover Institution by Alan D. Romberg via China Leadership Monitor Tuesday, July 19, 2016 In her May 20 inaugural address Tsai Ing-wen laid out in stark terms the daunting economic and social challenges that Taiwan faces in the months and years ahead, as well as her determination to meet those challenges. Addressing cross-Strait relations, which will have a significant effect on her ability to realize domestic goals, Tsai took further steps, in her speech and through actions, to try to allay Mainland concerns about any “Taiwan independence” aspirations. But she still refrained from openly embracing the “1992 Consensus” or any other form of “one China,” and from disowning “Taiwan independence.” In response, Beijing gave her partial credit for her “incomplete test answer” but suspended some links and made clear that it is looking for a more definitive commitment to “one China” before existing institutional relationships can continue unhindered.

TECH AND MEDIA

CFI Q&A With Jan Heinze, COO of Global Special Effects Firm Pixomondo – China Film Insider German executive arrived in China in 2009 and has no plans to leave anytime soon Says new money has vast effect on the Chinese film and domestic visual effects industry Believes science fiction films are going to be a big part of China’s future media landscape

百度多地代理商暂停非企消费 警方介入调查综合新京报网 近日，新京报报道“百度搜索深夜推广赌博网站”一事引发关注。据了解，近日来，百度在温州、宁波、河南等地的代理商陆续暂停或自查非企账户消费，警方介入调查。多位从事非企渠道业务员亦暂停非企消费，关闭高危账户。 //  Police also investigating the illegal gambling ads on Baidu…Baidu’s government relations department looks to be failing miserably, sure appears someone much further up the Party chain is unhappy with Robin Li and Baidu

SOCIETY, ART, SPORTS, CULTURE AND HISTORY

[我是演说家]许吉如：《国强则少年强》 高清 – YouTube 许吉如，1992年9月出生，清华大学法学院本科毕业，哈佛大学肯尼迪学院研究生毕业。南京申办2014年青奥会形象大使，2010年2月随中国代表团赴温哥华申奥。 奥冠体育俱乐部形象大使。曾获全国优秀团员、江苏省十佳青年学生、“希望之星”英语风采大赛高中组冠军、全国英语演讲比赛冠军、2008年北京大学模拟联合国最高奖最佳代表奖和单项奖最佳口语奖等。 《我是演说家》是北京卫视联合能量传播模仿安徽卫视大型语言类真人秀《超级演说家》进而出品的大型原创新锐语言竞技真人秀节目。 //  this speech by Harvard grad Xu Jiru on the importance of a strong country is getting lots of play, she is a Party member, has a bright future in the system

哈佛女学霸演讲征服观众走红 曾拿遍中学所有奖项留学环球网 近日，一位从哈佛学成归来的24岁美女学霸走红网络，她叫许吉如，在一档电视栏目上发表了一段题为“国家强则少年强”的演讲，赢得了很多人的共鸣。她在演讲中提到，安全感所带来的自由选择的权利，是一个国家赋予年轻人，最好的礼物。实际上，许吉如的走红并不意外，在登上演讲台之前，她已经拥有了许多“光环”。文/环球时报

Why Taoism Isn’t Suitable for Children | Sixth Tone Of course, Taoism is still an organized religion. Followers of the faith must study Taoist scripture, pay respect to the gods, and follow a priest’s mentorship. There are all sorts of rules, like dietary restrictions, that followers of the faith must adhere to. Converting to a religion is a serious commitment. People need to be resolute when choosing a new faith — it’s a huge responsibility, and there’s a lot that you need to give up. This is why I strongly objected to my disciple’s choice to convert her young child. I believe becoming a follower of Taoism is something that a person needs to decide on their own, and I can’t accept an adult forcing a young, unsuspecting child into the religion.-Liang Xingyang is a senior Taoist priest and the secretary-general of the Changan District Taoist Association.

ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT, SCIENCE AND HEALTH

Xi stresses safety in fighting floods – Xinhua He underscored effective organization of rescue teams, relocation and resettlement of people in flood-threatened areas, and supplies. Those whose dereliction of duty results in heavy casualties and property loss will be held accountable, Xi said. Xi also highlighted close monitoring of weather changes and rainfall, better analysis of the flood situation, prompt issuance of early warnings, and the timely launch of emergency response measures. Xi stressed ensuring the safety of important dikes on major rivers, medium and large reservoirs, and key infrastructure, as well as reducing losses near small and medium rivers or due to mountain floods, flooding of cities and typhoons.

BEIJING

Torrential rain hits Beijing, disrupts traffic – Xinhua Beijing was hit by heavy rainfall rarely seen in years on Wednesday, with traffic on the rails, roads and in the skies disrupted. The capital raised its storm alert to orange, the second-highest of China’s four-tier warning system, as the city’s meteorological station forecast that the rain would continue until Wednesday night. As of 4 p.m., the average precipitation in the capital reached 154.9 mm, with the maximum precipitation of 392.4 mm recorded in the suburban district of Fangshan, according to the meteorological station.

JOBS AND EVENTS

Employment Opportunities | Foreign Policy Asia Editor, Foreign Policy-Asia-based

ChinaFile Presents: Feminist and LGBT Activism in China-A Conversation with ‘Feminist Five’ Organizer Li Maizi | Asia Society Thu 28 Jul 2016, 6:30pm – 8:00pm, 725 Park Avenue, New York, NY

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