China Reform Monitor: No. 1179

August 3:

The prosecutor's office in Russia’s Blagoveshchensk city, Amur Region has demanded that the Confucius Institute associated with the local Blagoveshchensk State Pedagogical University be labeled as a foreign agent. The move, which the Chinese embassy called “unfriendly” and comes ahead of Putin's visit to China, contradicts the Kremlin's line for the strengthening of relations with Beijing, Nezavisimaya Gazetareports. Russia currently hosts seventeen Confucius Institutes.

August 4:

According to information posted on social media sites in China, the alpine sports venues for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics will be built inside the Songshan nature reserve outside Beijing. The posts, which were later deleted by censors, compared photos, satellite images and official geological positions. A Xinhua video report in February 2014 said the Songshan reserve would host the skiing and sledding events and official bidding documents said that the site was the preferred site for downhill skiing events for the Games. Removing trees to building ski trails, grading the land into suitable runs, and intensivesnow-making could damage the "ecological barrier," which helps Beijing conserve water and ward off sandstorms, South China Morning Post(SCMP) reports.

August 5:

Last month, during their forced repatriation from Thailand to China, members of a group of over 100 Uighurs “attacked Chinese and Thai police officers” while boarding the plane, but were quickly subdued. "No one wants to return to China because they know they are putting themselves in great danger," said Dilxat Rexit of the World Uyghur Congress. After returning to China the group has been confined to a government-controlled residence, SCMP reports. Two of those repatriated returned home after confessing how they managed to escape China. “Those who were deceived [by the human smugglers] and fled abroad will be handed over to the authorities of their home county for education. The smugglers will be penalized in accordance with the law," Xinjiang deputy police chief Chen Zhuang told the official Xinjiang Daily.

August 6:

“To ensure absolute loyalty and reliability” the General Political Department of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the Ministry of Public Security have expanded background checks for civilian personnel working for the military. Those convicted of criminal offences or who have been subject to administrative detention are also ineligible to serve, according to the official PLA Daily. Also disqualified are those with close contact to overseas organizations, or persons with "complicated" political backgrounds. “Civilians must be firm in faith and follow the lead of the Communist Party of China at all times, in all circumstances.”

August 9:

At least 40,000 tons of rare earth elements were illegally mined in China last year,”theofficial PLA Daily reports. In response, China will ratchet up efforts to stop illegal production and sales of rare earth elements. In 2011, China started a campaign to crack down on illegal rare earth mining – shutting down 55 companies and seizing 23,000 tons of illegally mined rare earth products. Xin Guobin, vice minister of Industry and Information Technology, said Beijing will strengthen supervision and hold local governments accountable if they fail to enforce the crackdown. Rare earth metals are vital for manufacturing high-tech products ranging from smartphones to electric car batteries.