The OHCHR’s “Xinjiang Assessment” causes Beijing a practical Headache

^{Probably one of China’s vocational schools (click picture for source)}
There have probably been few high-ranking UN officers who know better what human-rights violations are, than Michelle Bachelet, the 7th United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, who left office yesterday, after presenting the OHCHR Assessment of human rights concerns in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, People’s Republic of China. And if there were statistics, it could well turn out that many of those who attacked her for being slow  (or worse) in publishing the OHCHR Assessment were close ideological neighbors of those “Chicaco Boys” who had Ms Bachelet – and her mother – tortured in Chile, in 1975.

Every paragraph of the Assessment is worth to be read carefully. It provides information about how China’s “judiciary” and extra-judiciary systems work. China itself has no face to lose anymore, but the report also contains a line that must have been really severely contested between the OHCHR and Beijing, because of the practical effects it may have on Chinese officials:

The information currently available to OHCHR on implementation of the Government’s stated drive against terrorism and “extremism” in XUAR in the period 2017- 2019 and potentially thereafter, also raises concerns from the perspective of international criminal law. The extent of arbitrary and discriminatory detention of members of Uyghur and other predominantly Muslim groups, pursuant to law and policy, in context of restrictions and deprivation more generally of fundamental rights enjoyed individually and collectively, may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity.

It is unlikely that any criminal “tigers”, i. e. high-ranking officials, will ever be arrested because of human-rights violations in their capacity as Beijing’s henchmen in Xinjiang – but lower-ranking “flies” have always been a different story. To maintain its system of terror and intimidation, Beijing must keep its “flies” assured that they will be protected by the mighty Chinese Communist Party.

That’s how the OHCHR report may provide a glimmer of hope for Uyghurs, and how it may cause a headache for Beijing.

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Note

“The Journey never ends”, M. Bachelet, August 31, 2022
“Firmly opposes”, PRC Mission, August 31, 2022

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Long Yongtu’s WTO Accession Commemorative Lecture (1)

Long Yongtu (龙永图), born in Hunan Province in 1943, is a former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation and was China’s Chief Negotiator for his country’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Long was also an enthusiastic participant in public debate on domestic issues during the first decade of the new century.

The following is part one of my translation of a lecture “recently” given by Long at a seminar in Beijing.

Main link: Since you are all market economies, can you remove “socialism”? – Absolutely not (既然都是市场经济了，能不能去掉社会主义？“绝对不可能”)

As we discuss the 20th anniversary of China’s accession to the WTO this year, we should put it into the context of this years biggest thing this year, the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party’s establishment. The activities of commemorating the 20th anniversary of WTO accession should be a part of learning the party’s 100 years of history. Only in this fashion will our commemorative activities have clear-cut representative meaning and add to its value and importance.

今年我们谈中国入世20周年，应该把它放在今年最大的一件事情——中国共产党建党100周年——背景之下，把纪念入世20周年的活动，作为我们学习党的100年历史的一个组成部分。只有这样才能使我们的纪念活动具有鲜明的时代意义和时代特色，也赋予它更大的价值和重要性。

This isn’t far-fetched, but rather,the histories of our country’s establishment, of reform and opening up are all part of the party’s history. By putting the commemoration of WTO accession 20 years ago into this big context makes it more significant, and it is very relevant in this context.

这样说不是要牵强附会，而是因为我们的建国史、改革开放史，都是百年党史很重要的部分，我们把纪念入世20周年放在这样一个大的背景下更有意义，也是非常相关的。

I think this history can be divided into two areas. One is the fifteen years of accession negotiations from 1986 to 2001. Why didn’t we enter WTO when we recovered our legitimate United Nations’ seat? That was because at the time, our thinking wasn’t sufficiently intellectually liberated. At the time, it was believed that that was a rich countries’ club, without any advantages for us. In fact, according to GATT regulations, we simply could have written an application and we could have joined, without any need for negotiations, because China had been a founding member. Because of restoring its legitimate UN membership, our re-entry into GATT would have been a matter of course. But at the time, we just felt that GATT was a rich countries’ club, and joining wouldn’t have been of any use. It was all dominated by Western countries, so we decided not to join.

关于这段历史，我觉得可以分为两部分：一部分是1986年到2001年中国复关和入世的15年谈判。为什么当年恢复联合国合法席位后，我们没有进入WTO？因为当时思想不够解放，认为那是一个富国俱乐部，对我们也没什么好处。实际上当时根据《关贸总协定》的规定，我们完全可以写一张申请就进去的，那个时候根本不需要谈判，因为我们中国是创始成员，既然恢复了联合国的合法席位，我们复关也是理所当然的。但是当时就觉得关贸是富国俱乐部，我们进去也没有什么用，都是西方国家主导的，就决定不去了。

Later, it took us until 1986 to apply. Why was that? Because after the beginning of reform and opening in 1978, we saw our country’s foreign trade continuously expand, with the need to be granted quotas, especially because at the time, GATT sill had the “Agreement on Textile and Clothing“, and the “Multi Fibre Arrangement“. Because of the need to apply for quotas for textile exports under the “multi-fibre arrangement” framework, it was decided to apply for re-entry into the GATT. So I think that the history from 1986 to 2001 is also something everyone can study.

后来一直到1986年才提出申请，为什么？因为1978年开始改革开放以后，慢慢觉得我们中国的对外贸易在不断扩大，特别是当时《关贸总协定》还有《纺织品协定》《多种纤维协定》要发放配额。当时为了我们中国的纺织品贸易特别是纺织品出口能够借助多边的《多种纤维协定》框架取得配额，决定开始复关了。所以从1986年开始到2001年，我觉得这一段历史,也是大家可以研究的一段历史。

The second area is the twenty years from entering the WTO in 2001, to 2021. How have we fulfilled our promise to the WTO? How has entering the WTO accelerated China’s reform and opening, how has it enhanced its hard power and soft power? This historical period also needs to be well researched.

第二部分是2001年到2021年中国入世这20年。这20年我们是怎么履行对世贸组织的承诺？是怎么样通过入世这件事加快中国的改革开放，提升了中国的硬实力和软实力？这一段历史也是需要好好研究的。

Therefore, the first point of view under such a special historical background this year, is that by regarding the WTO entry of twenty years ago as part of our studies and research of the party’s 100-years history, we stand on a high ground – not just discussing trade or doing research on an academic level. We look at this matter from a perspective of the entire party and the entire country. As part of China’s reform and opening, thereby moving forward promoting China’s reform and opening, this is significant.

所以我的第一个观点，在今年这样一个特定的历史背景之下，我们把纪念中国入世20周年，看成是我们学习和研究党的100年历史的组成部分，这样站位就高了，我们的讨论就不仅仅是在经贸领域，更不是在学术领域这样一个层面上进行研究，而是从全党、全国的角度来看这件事情。它作为中国改革开放史的一部分，从而进一步推动中国的改革开放，这样就有意义了。

The second [point of view] in my view, when learning the history of China’s WTO membership is to comply with Secretary Xi Jinping’s “Sixteen Characters Policy”. This “Sixteen Characters Policy” is connected with studying the entire party’s history, because we make our studies of 20 years of WTO membership a part of studying the party’s history. Of course, the “Sixteen Characters Policy” also suitably guides our 20-years-WTO activity.

第二，对中国入世20年的历史学习，我觉得要遵循习近平总书记提出来的“16字方针”。这“16字方针”是针对整个党史学习，既然我们把入世20周年作为党史学习的一部分，当然这“16字方针”也适合指导我们入世20周年的纪念活动。

The General Secretary’s “Sixteen Characters Policy’s” first article is to study historical fact.¹⁾ Studying history can help to understand some principles. From China’s 15 years of WTO accession negotiations and its 20-year membership, which principles are there, which experiences can we summarize and use as reference?

总书记提出的“16字方针”，第一条是学史明理，学习历史能明白一些道理，中国入世谈判15周年、入世20周年，我们有哪些道理、哪些经验可以总结、可以借鉴？

The second article is to enhance faith by studying history – studying history can strengthen our confidence, our continuous promotion of reform and opening, the deepening of reform, and it can expand confidence in opening up.

第二条是学史增信，学习历史可以增强我们的信心，增强我们进一步推动改革开放，深化改革、扩大开放的信心。

The third article is the virtue of studying history. Within the process of the entire history, which spirits are there that can be used? At the time, many comrades actually showed a great sense of responsibility when they completed those [WTO] negotiations.

第三条是学史崇德，我们在整个历史进程当中，有哪些精神是可以发扬的？当时很多同志确实表现了很多的担当精神，来完成这一场谈判。

The third article is to let the studies of history be followed by action which means that the reader must act. To research the WTO’s prospects and China’s role int it actually means to draw from China’s 20 years of membership to promote the solution of the issues that currently need to be solved. We still resolutely support the multilateral trade system represented by WTO and acknowledge the WTO as the core of the entire multilateral trade system. Therefore, the prospect of WTO reform is extremely important, as an important part of China’s participation in global governance.

第四条是学史力行，就是要见诸行动了，今天研究世贸组织前景与中国角色，实际上就是借助中国入世20周年这样一个契机来采取一些行动，推动当前必须解决的问题。我们还是坚决支持以WTO为代表的多边贸易体系，承认WTO是整个多边贸易体系的核心。所以WTO的改革前景就非常重要了，是中国参与全球治理的重要组成部分。这其中，中国发挥什么样的作用，在这里都可以好好地研究。

The third [point of view] is that when we study China’s 20 years of WTO membership, we must know clearly what major problems has WTO entry solved for China? In my view, China’s entry into the WTO has brought China’s reform and opening two major breakthroughs:

第三，我们学习中国加入世贸20年历史的成果，要搞清楚中国入世解决了什么重大问题？我觉得中国入世对于中国改革开放来讲，有两个重大的突破：

The first major breakthrough was that by joining the WTO, we made a promise to the world to practice market economy, which is a major historic turning point in China’s reform and opening, because before 1992, market economy was a restricted area, something you couldn’t discuss because market economy simply was capitalism. But by joining the WTO, we promised to practice market economy.

第一个重大突破是我们通过加入世界贸易组织向全世界承诺我们搞市场经济，这是中国改革开放当中一个重大的历史转折，因为1992年以前市场经济是一个禁区，那是不能谈的，市场经济就是资本主义。但是我们通过入世承诺了搞市场经济。

The second major breakthrough was that, by joining the World Trade Organization, we promised, as a developing country opening its market to the world, relatively big market openings, thus accelerating China’s opening towards the outside world. So, these two breakthroughs are actually two major achievements of China joining WTO, and also crucial points with a certain status.

第二个重大突破是我们通过加入世贸组织，承诺了以发展中国家身份向全球开放市场，在很多领域里做了比较大的市场开放，从而大大促进了中国的对外开放。所以这两个突破实际上是中国入世谈判的重大成果，也是入世在中国改革开放史上具有一定地位的两个关键。

For example, at the beginning, we did not promise a market economy, but came under constant pressure to do so. At the time, this was hard for the participants, taking the measure of saying that while we didn’t recognize market economy, we could still agree to refer to a commodity economy, or a planned market economy, and we could still implement that market-economy rules system of theirs.

比如说市场经济，开始我们是不承认的，后来在谈判当中一直逼着我们要承诺搞市场经济，当时参加谈判的人很痛苦，变着法地想讲我们虽然不承认市场经济，叫商品经济也好，叫有计划的市场经济也好，但是我们能够执行你们那一套以市场经济规则体系为基础的市场经济。

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Notes

¹⁾ Not sure how Long arrives at this interpretation – the 16 characters’ first line goes 科学立法 巩固法治根基 – scientifically legislate and solidify the foundations of rule by law.
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Related

Rare public criticism, SCMP, Nov 18, 2018
Milton Friedman’s Misadventures, The American Scholar, Dec 5, 2016
Long and the Smiling Curve, May 17, 2012

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Before you define your next China policy, learn from Lu Xun

Chinese nationalism has had its share of wishful thinking. But in recent decades, the West has fallen into similar traps, although its humiliations – the 2008 financial crisis and the flat-footed reaction of most Western countries to the Covid-19 pandemic – have been comparatively minor humiliations.

True story

But humiliations they have been, and nothing shows this more clearly than the way some of the West’s governments have reacted to China’s handling of the pandemic. To quote one of the more civil criticisms  – by Iain Duncan Smith, a former leader of the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party -, “the world would have had more time to prepare for the pandemic if Chinese leaders had been more forthcoming”. No worries, though, he switched into another gear right away:

For too long, nations have lamely kowtowed to China in the desperate hope of winning trade deals. Once we get clear of this terrible pandemic it is imperative that we all rethink that relationship,” he said.

Politics, that much is true, must never let a crisis go waste, and there are reasons to “rethink” the West’s, and possibly the world’s, relationship with China.

But China only bears a limited share of responsibility for this global crisis. If people in the West don’t understand that, they don’t understand their own political class.

We don’t need to reconsider our relationship with China because its role in the pandemic was questionable.

We must reconsider our relationship with China because we must not tolerate the way Chinese authorities treat Chinese citizens. Human rights violations often hit “national minorities” like Tibetans or Uyghurs hardest, but the political malpractice doesn’t stop there.

We must reconsider our relationship with China because in Hong Kong, Beijing has shown complete disregard for the rule of law, within Hong Kong’s autonomy (that’s nothing new, China has never understood the concept of autonomy anyway), and complete disregard of international law.

We must reconsider our relationship with China because in the South China Sea and other international waters, China has adopted a policy of annexation.

And we must reconsider our relationship with China, because with his “Resist America, Aid Korea” speech in October, Chinese CPC secretary general and state chairman Xi Jinping has made China’s disregard for international law official, by suggesting that Maoist China’s war against the United Nations had been a “war against imperialism”.

There may be some reason to believe that many within the CPC believe that the speech has been a non-starter, because they haven’t dwelled too much on it in the media since, and because the faces of many of the leaders during Xi’s speech appeared to speak volumes. But there is no reason to believe that Xi’s speech wasn’t an honest attempt at rewriting history, at the expense of truth. This attempt must be taken seriously.

All that said, when reconsidering our relationship with China, we must not walk into the Ah-Q trap. This is something we might learn from China indeed: the way Chinese intellectuals used to be self-critical was part of China’s more recent successes, just as China’s more recent pompousness and triumphalism may earn it serious setbacks.

The same is true for us, and especially for those who consider themselves our “elites”. For decades, China has been described as an opportunity too big to miss, and to justify throwing valuable Western-made technology at it. To make this foreign-trade salad more palatable to the general public (and arguably also to the propagandists themselves), China-trade advocates added that trade and engagement with China would lead to improvements in the country’s human rights practice, or its economic and social system.

“The party is over,” a long-forgotten “expert” crowed in the 1990s, in a huge, long-forgotten book. Others suggested that the CPC might become a “social-democratic” party. But nobody seemed to ask the CPC people if they had any such intentions, at least not seriously. And if they did, they only heard the answers they wanted to hear.

There was never a doubt that China’s political system is a dictatorship. And when that dictatorship began to succeed economically and technogically, quite a number of Western intellectuals, and especially business people, began to admire that dictatorship:

I have fantasized–don’t get me wrong–but that what if we could just be China for a day? I mean, just, just, just one day. You know, I mean, where we could actually, you know, authorize the right solutions, and I do think there is a sense of that, on, on everything from the economy to environment. I don’t want to be China for a second, OK, I want my democracy to work with the same authority, focus and stick-to-itiveness. But right now we have a system that can only produce suboptimal solutions.

Don’t get me wrong either. I don’t think Thomas Friedman argued in favor of the introduction of authoritarianism, let alone totalitarianism. But he didn’t apply any logic – and he’s no exception among Western intellectuals. He’s full of ideas and without a plan when it comes to these issues.

Because if we could be China for one day, we could be China every day. And then we would be the kind of society that we now want to reconsider our relationship with. (OK, maybe not Friedman.)

But the worst thing is to think of ourselves as Santa. The guys who only want the best for China, etc.. I’m pretty sure that half of my fellow Germans, in as far as they have misgivings about China, don’t worry about China’s human rights record. They worry about its economic clout, and the preparedness of a lot of Chinese people to work harder, for less income, then we would.

That’s legitimate self-interest, but nobody should confuse this interest with something like international solidarity. To do that, to suggest that “we are nice, we are generous, we’ve done everything for them, and they are bloody ingrats” is typical Ah-Q thought.

No, guys. Our bosses threw our technology at China, technology developed with support of public institutions we paid our taxes for. That’s what our bosses usually do. Sometimes at the Chinese, sometimes at other promising markets. But as our bosses’ greed for profits from China knew no limits, they fooled themselves, too. Occasionally, they complained once it went wrong. But this wasn’t “Chinese” greed – they only picked up what was thrown at them. And even if they never told us that they would make good use of it, with or against the law, daily practice could have shown us in a year that this transactional model wouldn’t work – at least not for the West.

China – not just the CPC, but most of the Chinese people – have always told us that their rightful global place was at the pole position.

They have always told us that they would “re-take” Taiwan, once they had the power to do so.

Every bloke in the street told us that Hong Kong was no stuff to negotiate about – it had been taken by the imperialists, and had to be retaken by China. Besides, those Hong Kongers shouldn’t think of themselves as “special”. Yadayada.

We played along, one year after another. We still do. I’m afraid we’ll continue to do so. Our governments, for example, keep participating in the diplomatic charade to this day that, for some incomprehensible reasons (depending on what individual Western nation’s memoranda with Beijing have made up out of thin air), Taiwan wouldn’t be quite a sovereign country.

In short: it was hard to get China wrong, but we managed anyway. And if we don’t stop suggesting that our intentions in this relationship had always been honest, we won’t get our next China policy right either.

To reshape our relationship with China, let’s learn from Lu Xun first.

Shangguan: “Anti-corruption campaigns aren’t about wanting to cull all the errant party cadres”

The following is a translation of a “Shangguan” article. Shangguan (“Shanghai Observer”) has been Jiefang Daily‘s (or “Liberation Daily’s”) online news medium since April 1997, according to Wiki Mandarin.

Jiefang Daily is “the official daily newspaper of the Shanghai Committee of the Communist Party of China”. The article translated here probably targets, above all, party cadres.

It mainly contains two messages which – from a totalitarian point of view – probably don’t contradict each other:

• If you have violated party discipline and the law, you can’t escape the organization
• If you have violated party discipline and the law, you should trust the organization and turn yourselves in before your offenses are exposed by the organization – the org will then be comparatively lenient.

Links within blockquotes have been added during translation.

Xi speaking, cadres taking notes – CCTV evening news on July 24, 2013 (archive).

Main Link:
Secretly returning the money, resisting the organization, fleeing abroad with the money, actively turning oneself in … after breaking discipline and the law, they made entirely different decisions. (悄悄退钱，对抗组织，携款外逃，主动投案……违纪违法后，他们做出了截然不同的选择)

Summary: Under high pressure and awe, political appeals and legal case examples, there will be even more errant cadres who will take the road of actively surrender.

摘要：相信在高压震慑、政策感召和越来越多的案例示范下，还会有更多犯错的党员干部走上主动投案这条路。

Recently, some party cadres who had violated discipline and the law have been exposed. They had gone too far on the wrong road of mistakes, and stood on the edge, facing the abyss. Which path should they take from there?

最近曝光了一些违纪违法的党员干部，他们在错误的道路上走得太远，一直走到了悬崖边，脚下临深渊，该何去何从？

Different people made different choices …

不同人做出了不同的选择——

Some people became anxious and worried, looked around undecidedly, wanting to find a secure lane to safety. They reassured themselves by returning the money they had received. Baotou National Rare Earth Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone People’s Procuratorate’s former inspector Li Shuyao and former Guizhou Province’s Duyun city deputy mayor Liu Shengjun both received money and feared afterwards that the matter could fall through and be exposed. So they returned the money to the briber, as if this would unmake it all.

有人惶惶不安，彷徨四顾，想找到一条安全上岸的小路，于是选择了一个自我安慰的方式——把收来的钱原路退回去。包头市稀土高新技术产业开发区人民检察院原检察官李书耀，贵州省都匀市原副市长刘胜军，都是在收了钱之后感觉事情可能要败露了，又把钱退给行贿人，仿佛这样做，就可以当一切都没发生过。

Some people obstinately persisted in handling things the wrong way. The organization had already discovered their issues and reached out to them, but they kept struggling endlessly. Du Changdi, former Anhui Provincial Investment Group chairman of the board and declared expulsed from the party and the office on September 8, “forged evidence, colluded with others to fabricate a story, and resisted organizational investigation.

有人执迷不悟，组织已经发现了他们的问题，伸手想拉他们一把，他们却还挣扎不休。9月8日被宣布双开的安徽省投资集团原董事长杜长棣，“伪造证据，与他人串供，对抗组织审查”。

Some people chose to flee abroad. On September 7, Heilongjiang Provincial Supervisory Commission announced that Jixi city‘s former deputy mayor Li Chuanliang was suspected of embezzling a large amount of public capital¹⁾. accepting bribes, and accumulating money from questionable business over a long period. To avoid investigation, he fled abroad, and diverted some of the stolen funding abroad.²⁾

还有个别人，选择了外逃。9月7日，黑龙江省纪委监委发布消息，黑龙江省鸡西市原副市长李传良涉嫌贪污巨额国有资金、收受他人贿赂、长期搞钱色交易，为了躲避调查，逃至境外，并向境外转移部分涉案赃款。

But there are more party cadres who choose a different path: promptly braking and turning their heads to seek the organization’s help, taking the initiative to surrender.

不过，有更多党员干部，选择了另一条路：及时刹车，回头寻求组织的帮助，主动投案。

Recently, among those who actively surrendered, there were high-ranking party cadres – Qinghai Province deputy governor Wen Guodong, staff with ordinary public posts at Henan Province, Xinyang No. 1 Hospital’s payment counter. There were cadres who had been retired for five years like Chen Xiaohua, Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture former consultative conference deputy chairman Chen Xiaohua, Changchun Municipal People’s Congress standing committee deputy director Shi Changyou, and Handan municipal party secretary Gao Hongzhi …

最近主动投案的人当中，有党的高级领导干部——青海省副省长文国栋；有普通的公职人员——河南信阳一医院收费室的工作人员；有退休五年的老干部——云南省文山州政协原副主席陈晓华；还有长春市人大常委会副主任史长友、邯郸市委书记高宏志……

Secretly returning the money, resisting the organization, fleeing abroad with the money, actively turning oneself in – what is the correct way out?

悄悄退钱，对抗组织，携款外逃，或者主动投案……到底哪条路，才是正确的出路？

Let’s take a look at the quiet return of the money. If the money has been returned before the opening of a case, everything is fine?

先来看悄悄退钱的。案发前把钱退给行贿人，就万事大吉了？

According to the law, when there is the subjective intention to take a bribe, and the office is used to accept others’ property, and this is for the benefit sought by the others, the power for money exchange has been completed, and so is the crime of taking bribes. What’s more, many cadres, when returning the money, their main concern is to conceal the fact that they took bribes. There has been no sincere regret at all.

根据法律规定，主观上有受贿故意，在客观上利用职务上的便利收受了他人财物，并且是为他人谋取利益，权钱交易已经达成，受贿罪就既遂了。何况很多干部案发前退钱，心中主要是想掩盖受贿事实，根本不是真心悔过。

When people enter the stage of investigation and they still resist the organization, adding one mistake to the other, adding another violation of political discipline to their record, what is awaiting them will be even more serious consequences.

而那些进入审查调查阶段还在对抗组织的人，错上加错，给自己徒增一条违反政治纪律的情形，等待他们的将是更加严重的后果。

To flee with the money is even more of an impasse.

携款外逃，那就更是绝路一条。

China has lots of practical experience in tracking and recovering stolen goods internationally, with more and more mature mechanisms, and the key: “what escapes must be pursued, what’s pursued must be pursued to the last”. No matter who, those who fled to the end of the earth³⁾ won’t get away. They will not only be brought back, but the money must be reclaimed, too. From 2014 to June 2020, China got back 7,831 people from 120 countries, and 19.65 billion Yuan. China initially built an anti-corruption law enforcement cooperation network that covered all continents and key countries, concluded new extradition treaties with 28 countries, judicial assistance treaties, property restitution and sharing agreements. The National Supervisory Commission has concluded agreements with ten countries’ anti-corruption law enforcement institutions and international organizations …

在国际追逃追赃方面，中国已经有丰富的实战经验，有越来越成熟的机制，关键还有“有逃必追、一追到底”的坚定决心，不管是谁，逃到天涯海角都不会放过，不光把人追回来，还要把钱追回来。2014年至2020年6月，中国共从120多个国家和地区追回外逃人员7831人，追回赃款196.54亿元。中国初步构建起一张覆盖各大洲和重点国家的反腐败执法合作网络，与28个国家新缔结引渡条约、司法协助条约、资产返还与分享协定，国家监委与10个国家反腐败执法机构和国际组织签订了合作协议……

Under such a big net, even if he escapes, chasing and returning him is just a matter of time. Many of those on the interpol list who had escaped, have, one after another, returned and turned themselves in.

在这样一张大网下，就算逃出去，被追回来也只是迟早的事儿。之前那些逃出去的“红通”人员，很多都陆陆续续回国投案了。

So, the only remaining thing is to turn oneself in on ones own initiative. That’s the only correct way out. That has also become the practice of more and more errant party cadres. Why do they make this choice?

那么，只剩下主动投案，是唯一正确的出路，也是现如今越来越多犯错误党员干部的做法。他们为什么要作出这样的选择？

After the supervision law had been issued and implemented, Ai Wenli, the first provincial-level cadre who turned himself in on his own initiative said: “After the 19th National Congress, when one after the other fell of the horse, I had to sort things out. I felt that I couldn’t run, or keep up my wishful thinking. … I’m feeling more and more that this path I’ve taken is the right one, that I must trust the organization …”

监察法颁布实施后首个主动投案的省部级干部艾文礼曾说：“十九大之后，落马的一个接一个，我也把我自己的这些事儿捋了捋，我觉得跑不了，不能再有侥幸心理了。……越来越感到我这条路走的是对的，要相信组织……”

“Trust the organization”, these are the true feelings of many surrenderers. To turn oneself in on one’s own initiative spells trust in the party organization, to submit the issue to the party on one’s own initiative is of political significance. Party members and cadres suspected of a lack of discipline and breaking the law or committing crimes in office will be leniently dealt with in accordance with the regulations, discipline, and the law.

“相信组织”，是很多主动投案者说过的心里话。主动投案，选择的是相信党组织，主动向党组织交代问题，这其中是有政治内涵的。对涉嫌违纪、职务违法、职务犯罪的党员干部和公职人员，如果主动投案，将依规依纪依法从宽处理。

In July this year, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission announced the issue of former Hebei Provincial party committee standing committee member and deputy provincial governor Zhang He having violated discipline and the law. He seriously violated party and organizational discipline. Violating discipline also constituted breaking the law on duty. This was of a serious nature with bad effects and something to be dealt with severely. But considering that that he submitted his offenses against discipline and the law voluntarily, issues which had not been known by the organization, and handed over all the illegal income, showing a rather good attitude of acknowledging his mistakes and regretting them, the organization decided to deal with him leniently, in accordance with the principle of “punishing past things to prevent them from happening again”, punished him by expelling him from the party and [This appears to be something related to Zhang He’s pension rights].

今年7月，中央纪委国家监委公布了河北省原省委常委、副省长张和的违纪违法问题。他严重违反党的组织纪律、廉洁纪律并构成职务违法，性质严重，影响恶劣，应予严肃处理。但考虑到他主动交代组织未掌握的违纪违法问题，上交全部违纪违法所得，认错悔错态度较好，按照“惩前毖后、治病救人”的原则，组织决定对他从宽处理，给予开除党籍处分，按四级调研员确定退休待遇。

In August, Yao Yinqi, a state employee suspected of crimes on duty, was the first case to be extradited by a EU member state⁴⁾. He was sentenced by a first-instance court. Because Yao Yingqi actively cooperated in the extradition procedures, truthfully submitted the case as it was and actively and restituted both the stolen value plus interests, he was given a reduced prison sentence of three years and fined 3 mn RMB.

8月，我国首次从欧盟成员国引渡回来的涉嫌职务犯罪的国家工作人员姚锦旗，受到了一审判决。由于姚锦旗在引渡过程中积极配合，如实交代案件事实，并主动退缴全部赃款及其孳息，依法被减轻处罚，判处有期徒刑六年，并处罚金人民币三百万元。

Honest-practice and anti-corruption campaigns aren’t about wanting to cull all the errant party cadres, but to help them to admit their mistakes and to repent. The goal of these campaigns is to achieve the punishment of the past while curing the sickness to save the patient. Previous lessons have shown time and again that getaways and concealment doesn’t make the past go away, so why not face up to one’s own issues and accept the organization’s remedies?

正风肃纪反腐，不是要把犯错的党员干部都一棒子打死，而是要帮助他们认错悔悟，实现惩前毖后、治病救人的目的。前车之鉴已经反反复复地证明，逃来逃去、藏来藏去还是躲不过去，为什么不正视自己的问题，接受组织挽救呢？

There is reason to believe that under high-pressure awe, inspiring policies and more and more model cases, even more errant party cadres will take this road of turning themselves in voluntarily.

相信在高压震慑、政策感召和越来越多的案例示范下，还会有更多犯错的党员干部走上主动投案这条路。

To remain updated about next week’s major events, see how the next chapter evolves. (Zi Buke)

欲知下周大事，且听下回分解。（子不歇）

Column editor: Gu Wanquan. Text editor: Song Hui. Title picture: Shangguan. Picture service: Zhu Li.

栏目主编：顾万全 文字编辑：宋慧 题图来源：上观图编 图片编辑：朱瓅

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Notes

¹⁾ Literally: state-owned capital. Not sure if this reflects the linked definition of “public-owned capital”.
²⁾ The Epoch Times has a different version of the story.
³⁾ In Chinese words: to Cape Haijiao in Sanya (as if the South China Sea hadn’t been full of Chinese islands since ancient times)
⁴⁾ This probably refers to Bulgaria, where Yao was reportedly arrested in October 2018, and extradited to China about a month (and a few days) later.

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Related

Shanghai police chief investigated, SCMP, Aug 18, 2020
How the fly roared back, Jan 25, 2013
Three Self-Control, April 19, 2009

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“Pragmatic Cooperation”: German and Chinese foreign ministers hold videoconference

The following are three off-the-cuff translations of the news articles published by the FMPRC and the German foreign office earlier today, after a videoconference between the two countries’ foreign ministers. These translations are by no means authoritative and may contain errors – in case of the doubt, look at the originals. If either of them is a comprehensive description of the conference is, of course, impossible to tell.

Wang Yi also presented the Chinese version of his country’s conflict with the US, but this was published in an extra article by the FMPRC – please refer to the third translation.

“Positive and constructive attitude”

Links within blockquotes added during translation.

The following is a translation of the news article published by China’s foreign ministry.

On July 24, 2020, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a video conference with German foreign minister Heiko Maas.

2020年7月24日，国务委员兼外长王毅同德国外长马斯举行视频会晤。

Wang Yi said that since the outbreak of the epidemic, China and Germany had both upheld close communication through telephone, video and other means, to plan for the next step in the development of Chinese-German and Chinese-European relations. We must actively  implement the political consensus reached by the two countries’ leaders, ensure the sound and stable development of Chinese-German relations, advocate multilateralism together, reject unilateral behavior, and provide more stability and correct energy for the world:

王毅表示，疫情发生以来，中德两国领导人通过通话、视频等方式保持密切沟通，为下一步中德、中欧关系发展作出规划。我们要积极落实两国领导人达成的政治共识，确保中德关系健康稳定发展，共同倡导多边主义，抵制单边行径，为世界提供更多稳定性和正能量：

Firstly, to newly start Chinese-German dialog on all levels and in all fields, actively plan and carry out dialog and consultation mechanisms in a flexible way, with the two foreign ministries taking a role in the resumption of exchanges.

一是要让中德各层级、各领域对话重新启动起来，以灵活方式积极规划实施好各种对话磋商机制，两国外交部可在恢复交往方面发挥作用。

Secondly, to let Chinese-German pragmatic cooperation resume as soon as possible, to jointly maintain international supply chains and their stability. The two countries have already taken the lead in the implementation of “fast-lane travels”, with the need to create better conditions by strengthening prevention and expanding bilateral staff contacts and increasing the numbers of flights.

二是要让中德务实合作尽快恢复起来，共同维护国际产业链、供应链稳定。两国已率先实行“快捷通道”，要通过加强联防联控，为扩大双方人员往来和增加航班创造更好条件。

Thirdly, to let Chinese-German interaction and coordination on multilateral matters, strengthen cooperation on United Nations matters, implement the G20 summit countries’ consensus and promotion of international epidemic prevention, including help for African and other less-developed regions in fighting the epidemic, and strengthen vaccine research and development and sharing.

三是要让中德在多边事务中的互动与协调活络起来，加强在联合国事务中的合作，落实好二十国集团峰会共识，推动国际抗疫合作，包括帮助非洲等欠发达地区抗击疫情，加强疫苗研发合作和分享。

Wang Yi emphasized that China has always looked at the EU and Chinese-EU relations with a positive and constructive attitude, always supported the European integration process, supported the EU’s growth and expansion, and happily watched the EU’s development of a greater international role. To develop Chinese-European relations well, comprehensive, objective and accurate knowledge of each other is the key. Wang Yi reiterated that Chinese-European consensus was much greater than their divisions, and cooperation much greater than competition. The two sides’ contacts should be positive and win-win, not a you-lose-I-win zero-sum game. China and Europe are cooperation partners, not systemic rivals. China expects the term of Germany’s rotating EU presidency to promote the realization of still bigger upgradings of Chinese-European relations and is willing to work with Europe to plan and prepare the next stages of the Chinese-European political agenda, to deepen cooperation on climate change, and to send a positive signal that China and Europe join hands to cooperate in safeguarding multilateralism and improving global governance.

王毅强调，中国始终以积极、建设性心态看待欧盟和中欧关系，始终支持欧洲一体化进程，支持欧盟发展壮大，乐见欧盟在国际上发展更大作用。发展好中欧关系，全面、客观、准确的相互认知是关键。王毅重申，中欧共识远大于分歧，合作远大于竞争。双方的交往应当是互利共赢的良性互动，而不是你输我赢的零和博弈。中欧是合作伙伴，而不是制度性对手。中方期待德国担任欧盟轮值主席国期间推动中欧关系实现更大提升，愿同欧方一道，筹划好下阶段中欧重大政治议程，深化气候变化国际合作，对外释放中欧携手合作，维护多边主义、完善全球治理的积极信号。

Maas first expressed sympathy to the Chinese people suffering the flood disaster. Maas said that Germany places great attention on German-Chinese relations. Close German-Chinese communication, dialog and cooperation in the face of the epidemic challenge had led to good results. Germany highly appreciated China’s pledge to  turn a successfully developed vaccine into an international product after successful development. [Germany] wanted to strengthen cooperation with China in vaccine R & D, and in improving accessibility to such a vaccine. Germany firmly supported multilateralism and supported the WHO. It would substantially increase financial support for the WHO. Germany was willing to make ample use of existing dialog and consultation mechanisms, to strengthen strategic dialog and communication, to cooperate on post-epidemic economic recovery, increase the numbers of business and chartered flights while doing a good job at prevention and control, and promote essential contacts. As rotating president of the EU, Germany placed great attention on European-Chinese relations, was willing to plan the next stages of European-Chinese high-level exchanges, to deepen cooperation on climate change, strengthen third-party cooperation in Africa, and contribute efforts to the promotion of European-Chinese relations’ development.

马斯首先向遭受洪涝灾害的中国民众表示慰问。马斯表示，德方高度重视德中关系。面对全球疫情挑战，德中保持密切沟通，对话与合作富有成果。德方高度赞赏中方承诺在疫苗研发成功后将作为国际公共产品，愿同中方加强疫苗研发合作，提高疫苗的可及性。德方坚定支持多边主义，支持世卫组织，将大幅提高对世卫组织的资金支持。德方愿充分利用现有各种对话磋商机制，加强战略对话与沟通，就疫后经济复苏开展合作，在做好防控的同时，增加商业航班和包机数量，促进必要人员往来。作为欧盟轮值主席，德方高度重视欧中关系，愿同中方共同规划好下阶段欧中重要高层交往，深化应对气候变化协作，加强在非洲第三方合作，为促进欧中关系发展贡献力量。

The two sides exchanged opinions about the China-EU investment agreement negotiations, concurred that with the background of unilateralism and protectionism, efforts to meet half-way and to negotiate needed to be increased, so as to strive for the attainment of a comprehensive, balanced and high-class Chinese-European investment agreement at the earliest possible date.

双方就中欧投资协定谈判交换了意见，一致同意在当前单边主义、保护主义抬头背景下，应加快相向而行，加大谈判力度，争取尽早达成一项全面、平衡、高水平的中欧投资协定。

The following is a translation of the news article published by Germany’s foreign ministry.

Since early June, the worst rains ever since the beginning of keeping records have caused massive floods in China. We are aghast of the pictures and reports about the flood disaster. On behalf of the federal government, I have expressed our deepest sympathy and our solidarity with the population affected by the floods.

Seit Anfang Juni sorgen die schlimmsten Regenfälle seit Beginn der Aufzeichnungen für massive Überschwemmungen in China. Wir sind bestürzt über die Bilder und Berichte der Flutkatastrophe. Im Namen der Bundesregierung habe ich der chinesischen Seite unser tiefstes Mitgefühl und unsere Solidarität mit der von den Fluten betroffenen Bevölkerung ausgedrückt.

For us, China is an important partner, but a competitor and systemic rival, too. Maintaining cooperation matters to us. However, it is also crucial that we keep up dialog especially about critical topics.

China ist für uns ein wichtiger Partner, aber auch Wettbewerber und systemischer Rivale. Für uns ist der Erhalt der Zusammenarbeit wichtig. Gleichzeitig ist es aber auch entscheidend, dass wir im Dialog insbesondere auch zu kritischen Themen bleiben.

The most An important topic of my discussion with Wang Yi was the situation in Hong Kong – as has been in my talks with Great Britain this week, and in EU circles last week. I have presented the common European position and reflectins among EU partners, concerning the treatment of the new legal situation, once again. There, too, there is need for action. To us, it is and remains important that, in accordance with international law entered by China, Hong Kong’s autonomy and the liberties guaranteed by the Basic Law, including freedom of opinion, remain guaranteed. That is why we are watching closely now how the law will be applied in practice, also with reference to the Legislative Council elections. If the principle of “one country, two systems” gets eroded by the security law, there will be consequences for our relations with Hong Kong and China. The human rights situation in China was also a topic in our discussion.

Wichtiges Thema meines Gesprächs mit Wang Yi war die Situation in Hongkong – wie im Übrigen auch schon bei meinen Gesprächen mit Großbritannien diese Woche und im EU-Kreis in der vergangenen Woche. Ich habe Wang Yi nochmals die gemeinsame europäische Haltung und die Überlegungen unter den EU-Partnern zum Umgang mit der neuen Rechtslage dargelegt. Denn auch dort gibt es Handlungsbedarf. Für uns ist und bleibt es wichtig, dass gemäß der völkerrechtlichen Verpflichtungen, die China eingegangen ist, die Autonomie Hongkongs und die im Basic Law garantierten Freiheiten, einschließlich der Meinungsfreiheit, gewährleistet bleiben. Deshalb beobachten wir jetzt genau, wie das Gesetz in der Praxis angewandt wird, auch mit Blick auf die Wahlen zum Legislative Council. Wenn das Prinzip „Ein Land, zwei Systeme“ durch das Sicherheitsgesetz ausgehöhlt wird, hat das auch Folgen für unser Verhältnis zu Hongkong und China. Auch die Menschenrechtslage in China war Thema unseres Gesprächs.

As the EU’s presidency, we also still hope that the EU-China summit, originally planned for mid-September, can soon be catched up with. It is important that we finally reach substantial steps in the EU-China investment agreement.

Als EU-Ratspräsidentschaft hoffen wir nach wie vor, dass der ursprünglich für Mitte September geplante EU-China-Gipfel bald nachgeholt werden kann. Es ist wichtig, dass wir endlich substantielle Schritte beim EU-China-Investitionsabkommen erreichen.

G5 network development was a topic in our discussion, too. I explained that strengthening Europe’s digital sovereignty is an important concern for the German EU presidency. We have a strategic interest in our critical infrastructur’s security. To this end, security criteria will be established that all companies have to fulfill if they want to take part in 5G network development.

Auch der 5G-Netzwerkausbau war Thema unseres Gesprächs. Ich habe erläutert, dass die Stärkung der digitalen Souveränität Europas ein wichtiges Anliegen der deutschen EU-Ratspräsidentschaft ist. Wir haben ein strategisches Interesse an der Sicherheit unserer kritischen Infrastruktur. Dafür werden Sicherheitskriterien aufgestellt, die von allen Unternehmen zu erfüllen sind, wenn sie am 5G Netzwerkausbau beteiligt sein wollen.

In the area of climate change, the EU wants to work closely with China. Without China, we will not be able to achieve sustainable results here. Therefore, it was important that here, too, we remain in a close dialog.

Im Bereich Klimaschutz wollen wir als EU den engen Schulterschluss mit China suchen. Ohne China werden wir hier keine nachhaltigen Ergebnisse erzielen können. Deswegen war es wichtig, dass wir auch hierzu im engen Dialog bleiben.

We have also addressed the situation in Libya and Iran. If we want progress, we need China as a responsible actor in international politics. I have once again made a case for more Chinese support about Libya in the UN Security Council, and for constructive cooperation about Iran. Here, it has to be our main goal to preserve the JPCOA.

Wir haben auch die Situation in Libyen und dem Iran angesprochen. Wenn wir Fortschritte erzielen wollen, brauchen wir China als verantwortungsvollen Akteur in der internationalen Politik. Ich habe mich nochmals stark gemacht für eine weitere Unterstützung durch China zu Libyen im Sicherheitsrat der Vereinten Nationen und für eine konstruktive Mitarbeit zum Iran. Hier muss es unser oberstes Ziel bleiben, das JCPoA zu erhalten.

Of course, we also discussed COVID-19. The pandemic appears to be under control in our two countries for now – a success of our cooperation and solidarity. We agreed that this creates the opportunity for gradual development of travel connections between our countries.

Selbstverständlich haben wir auch über COVID-19 gesprochen. Die Pandemie scheint in unseren beiden Ländern vorerst unter Kontrolle zu sein – ein Erfolg unserer Zusammenarbeit und Solidarität. Wir waren uns einig, dass dies die Möglichkeit schafft, gemeinsam am schrittweisen Ausbau von Reiseverbindungen zwischen unseren Ländern zu arbeiten.

However, we must not relent in our efforts in fighting Corona. The pandemic continues to require international solidarity, especially in a globally fair distribution of a future vaccine. However, it is also important in our view that there will be scientific research [or investigation] of the virus’ origins. Therefore, we also discussed an invitation to the WHO, concerning the deployment of an expert commission.

Wir dürfen in unseren Bemühungen im Kampf gegen Corona aber keinesfalls nachlassen. Die Pandemie erfordert nach wie vor internationale Solidarität, gerade auch bei der global gerechten Verteilung eines künftigen Impfstoffes. Wichtig ist aus unserer Sicht allerdings auch eine wissenschaftliche Untersuchung der Herkunft des Virus. Daher haben wir auch über eine Einladung an die WHO über die Entsendung einer Expertenmission gesprochen.

The following is a translation of Wang Yi’s version of China’s conflict with the US.

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, during a video meeting with German foreign minister Heiko Maas on July 24, 2020, introduced [Maas] to the current [state of] Chinese-American relations on request.

2020年7月24日，国务委员兼外长王毅同德国外长马斯举行视频会晤时，应询介绍了当下的中美关系。

Wang Yi said that the problems in Chinese-American relations are all created by America, their objective is to try to interrupt China’s development progress, by means fair or foul, and even with a lack of any bottom line. Recently, some American anti-China forces also deliberately created ideological antagonism, openly forced other countries to choose the side to stand on, to get into confrontation with China for America’s selfish interest, but no country with an innate sense of right and wrong and an independent spirit would keep that kind of company.

王毅表示，中美关系目前面临的困难完全是美方一手造成的，其目的就是企图彻底打断中国的发展进程，为此可以不择手段，甚至毫无底线。最近美方一些反华势力还蓄意制造意识形态对立，公开胁迫别国选边站队，为了美方的私利与中国对抗，但任何有良知和独立精神的国家都不会与之为伍。

Wang Yi said that China still hopes that non-conflict with America can be reached, without confrontation, with mutual respect, mutually profitable cooperation, but that we will inevitably and resolutely defend national sovereignty and national dignity, resolutely defend our own just development rights, and the principles of international relations. China will not behave like America, but won’t tolerate American trouble-making either.

王毅表示，中国仍希与美国实现不冲突、不对抗、相互尊重、合作共赢，但我们必将坚定维护国家主权和民族尊严，坚定维护自身正当发展权利，坚定维护国际关系基本准则。中国不会随美方起舞，但也绝不容美方胡来。

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Updates / Related

Crunch time, SCMP, July 23, 2020
Subsidies beyond reach, SCMP, July 24

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x

Australian Embassy to Australia: Melbourne’s Travel Warnings are “Fake News”

Main Link:

Australia updates China Travel Warning, China Embassy Spokesperson reacts

China News Service July 8 — China’s embassy to Australia posted an embassy’s spokesperson’s declaration on its website on July 8, stating that Australia’s travel warning update which had said there could be so-called detention hazards in China was ridiculous and complete fake news.

中新网7月8日电 中国驻澳大利亚大使馆网站8日发布驻澳使馆发言人表态称，澳方日前更新关于中国的旅行提醒，其中声称中国可能存在所谓拘留风险的说法，是可笑的，完全是虚假信息。

A spokesperson for China’s embassy to Australia said that foreigners in China, including Australians, only needed to observe the official code of conduct and would then have no need to be worried. Of course, anyone engaging in any sorts of illegal activities such as trafficking drugs, espionage etc. would be dealt with in accordance with the law, just as in other countries.

中国驻澳使馆发言人表示，在华外国人，包括澳大利亚人，只要遵纪守法，就完全没有必要担心。当然，从事诸如贩卖毒品、间谍等违法活动的，都会像在其他国家一样，依法受到处理。

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Related

Embassy’s original statement, July 8, 2020

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FMPRC Press Conference, June 19, Canadian Hostages Q & A

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Transcript in English

Transcript in Chinese

The Globe and Mail: We’ve seen charges now filed formally against Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. They were arrested 557 days ago. We have seen charges, but we haven’t seen any evidence against them. Can you please tell us what they are alleged to have done? What secrets did they allegedly steal? What secrets did they allegedly and illegally provide to overseas entities?

加拿大《环球邮报》记者：我们注意到康明凯和迈克尔已被提起公诉。他们已被拘押了557天，但我们只看到了指控，并未看到具体证据。他们被指控为境外刺探、非法提供国家秘密，请问他们具体做了什么，刺探并向境外实体提供了哪些国家秘密？

Zhao Lijian: On Michael Kovrig’s case, after due investigation, the Beijing Municipality People’s Procuratorate Second Branch formally prosecuted Michael Kovrig, who is of Canadian citizenship, in the Beijing Municipality Second Intermediate People’s Court on June 19, 2020, for secretly gathering state secrets and intelligence for overseas forces.

赵立坚：关于康明凯案，经依法审查，2020年6月19日，北京市人民检察院第二分院以为境外刺探国家秘密、情报罪，将加拿大籍被告人康明凯起诉至北京市第二中级人民法院。

The indictment charged the accused Michael Kovrig of secretly gathering state secrets and intelligence for overseas organizations with particularly serious circumstances, which violated Article 111 of the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China. The facts are clear and evidence solid and sufficient. The defendant should be held accountable for criminal responsibilities under the above-mentioned charge.

起诉书指控被告人康明凯为境外组织刺探我国家秘密、情报，情节特别严重，其行为触犯了《中华人民共和国刑法》第一百一十一条之规定，犯罪事实清楚，证据确实、充分，应当以为境外刺探国家秘密、情报罪追究其刑事责任。

On Michael Spavor’s case, after due investigation, the People’s Procuratorate in Dandong, Liaoning Province, formally prosecuted Michael Spavor, who is of Canadian citizenship, in the Intermediate People’s Court in Dandong on June 19, 2020, for secretly gathering state secrets and illegally providing them to overseas forces.

关于迈克尔案，经依法审查，6月19日，辽宁省丹东市人民检察院以为境外刺探、非法提供国家秘密罪，将加拿大籍被告人迈克尔·斯帕弗起诉至丹东市中级人民法院。

The indictment charged the accused Michael Spavor of secretly gathering state secrets and illegally providing them to overseas forces during his stay in China with particularly serious circumstances, which violated Article 111 of the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China. The facts are clear and evidence solid and sufficient. The defendant should be held accountable for criminal responsibilities under the above-mentioned charge.

起诉书指控被告人迈克尔·斯帕弗在华期间为境外刺探、非法提供我国家秘密，情节特别严重，其行为触犯了《中华人民共和国刑法》第一百一十一条之规定，犯罪事实清楚，证据确实、充分，应当以为境外刺探、非法提供国家秘密罪追究其刑事责任。

[…]

Reuters: I just want to follow up on the question about the Canadians. We understand from the Chinese envoy in Canada last month that access to consular visits has been cut off during the coronavirus. Now these men have been formally charged. Do they have access to consular visits?

路透社记者：关于加拿大公民的追问，上个月，我们从中国驻加拿大大使处得知，新冠肺炎疫情期间无法进行领事探视。现在这两人已被正式起诉，现在他们能否享有接受领事探视的权利？

Zhao Lijian: The Chinese side provides convenience to foreign consular officials in China in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, relevant bilateral agreements, and Chinese laws and regulations. In light of the ongoing pandemic and out of concern for the safety of the detainees, consular visits to detainees have been suspended, and will be resumed when the situation gets better. I refer you to competent authorities for more specifics.

赵立坚：中方有关部门一贯按照《维也纳领事关系公约》、有关中外双边领事条约或协定、中国有关法律法规为外国驻华领事官员履行领事职务提供便利。疫情期间，为保证在押人员安全，中国有关部门暂缓安排对有关在押人员的领事探视，待疫情缓和后再恢复。具体情况可向主管部门了解。

[…]

The Globe and Mail: I just want to ask you to clarify something about the charges against Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. You used the word that the charges were under “particularly serious circumstances.” In China’s Criminal Law, says in one section on state secrets that such charges can be punished with life in prison. In another section it says such serious circumstances can be punished with the death penalty. Could Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor be sentenced to death for these charges?

加拿大《环球邮报》记者：关于迈克尔、康明凯案，你刚才使用了“情节特别严重”的措辞。根据《中华人民共和国刑法》关于国家秘密等章节，此类罪名可判处无期徒刑。另一章节称情节严重者可判处死刑。那么，这两名加拿大公民是否有可能被判死刑？

Zhao Lijian: I don’t answer hypothetical questions. Charges have been filed now which will then be followed by trials.

赵立坚：我不回答假设性问题。目前是提起公诉，后面才进入审判阶段。

The Globe and Mail: Just to clarify. My question was not a hypothetical question. You used very specific language that the charges are particularly serious, and China’s Criminal Law includes two references to charges that are particularly serious. In one instance, it refers to a maximum penalty of life in prison, and in another instance, it refers to a maximum penalty of the death penalty. And I’m asking to which you are referring.

加拿大《环球邮报》记者：[Just to clarify.] 我刚才的问题不是假设性问题。你用了很具体的措辞，说“情节特别严重”。《中华人民共和国刑法》中有两处提到该措辞，一处最高可判无期徒刑，另一处最高可判死刑。我问的是你指的是哪种情况？

Zhao Lijian: I have made myself clear. Charges have been filed now which will then be followed by trials. I suggest some patience.

赵立坚：我刚才已经说得很清楚了，目前的阶段是对这两名加拿大公民提起公诉，然后才进入审判阶段。请你耐心等待。

Reuters: Just one further question on the Canadians. This comes quite soon after developments in Meng Wanzhou’s case and a lot of people have said that they are linked. Does the ministry have any comment on that and how this decision was coming very close to the recent decision to Meng Wanzhou’s case?

路透社记者：还是关于加拿大公民被提起公诉，中方提起公诉的时间正值孟晚舟相关审理结束不久之后。很多人认为二者之间存在联系。中方对此有何评论？

Zhao Lijian: On the cases regarding the two Canadian citizens Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, China has stated its position repeatedly and I just gave you some updates. China is a country with rule of law. Chinese judicial organs handle the cases independently and protect the two Canadians’ lawful rights in accordance with law.

赵立坚：关于加拿大公民康明凯案和迈克尔案，中方已多次表明立场，刚才我也通报了最新进展。中国是法治国家，中国司法机关依法独立办案，同时依法保障有关加公民合法权利。

China’s position on the Meng Wanzhou case is consistent and clear. The US and Canada abused their bilateral extradition treaty and arbitrarily took compulsory measures against a Chinese citizen. This is a serious political incident that grossly violates the legitimate rights and interests of the Chinese citizen. The Chinese government is steadfast in safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens.

关于孟晚舟事件，中方的立场是一贯的、明确的。美加滥用双边引渡条约，对中国公民任意采取强制措施，严重侵犯了中国公民的合法权益。这是一起严重的政治事件。中国政府维护本国公民和企业正当合法权益的决心坚定不移。

The Globe and Mail: Just one last question. I just wonder what is the Chinese government’s position on hostage diplomacy?

加拿大《环球邮报》记者：最后问一句，中方在“人质外交”上的立场是什么？

Zhao Lijian: That is just one loaded question^*). I have made our position clear. Maybe you can ask the Canadian side about their take on “hostage diplomacy”

赵立坚：你这是一个充满恶意的问题。我刚才已经把中方立场说得很清楚了。你最好去问问加拿大政府什么是“人质外交”。

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Note

^*) Closer translation: “This is an amply malicious question of yours”

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Related

“China Daily” EU bureau chief,
seconding Zhao Lijian

East Turkestan: Deep Awareness of the Party Central Committee’s correct Judgment

The following is a comparatively short article from the “Xinjiang United Front” website, a republication of a Tianshan Net article – see “main link” underneath the following screenshots). It does, however, contain a number of slogans.

Links within blockquotes – including some links to explain said slogans – were added during translation.

Please note that if there haven’t been two meetings of the regional party committee’s expanded standing committee (or two consecutive days of one), there seems to be some confusion about the day it was held.

May 6 according to XNTV …

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… and May 7 according to the press

Anyway, here goes.

Main link: Meeting held by Autonomous Region Party Committee (expanded) Standing Committee

Meeting held by Autonomous Region Party Committee (expanded) Standing Committee

Autonomous Region Party Committee (expanded) Standing Committee conveys the learning of the spirit of Secretary General Xi Jinping’s important speech held at the Central Politburo Standing Committee’s meeting

自治区党委常委（扩大）会议传达学习习近平总书记在中共中央政治局常委会会议上的重要讲话精神

Perfecting and normalizing institutions of prevention and institutions

完善常态化防控体制机制

Continuously improving public health management capabliities

不断提升公共卫生治理能力

Chen Quanguo presides over meeting

陈全国主持会议

Tianshan Net News (All media reporters Yao Tong and Wang Xingrui) — In the afternoon of May 5, the Autonomous Region Party Committee held a Standing Committee’s (expanded) meeting, conveyed the learning of the spirit of Secretary General Xi Jinping’s important speech held at the Central Politburo Standing Committee’s meeting, studied our Region’s suggestions for thorough implementation. The Autonomous Region’s party secretary Chen Quanguo presided over the meeting.

天山网讯（全媒体记者姚彤 王兴瑞报道）5月7日下午，自治区党委召开常委（扩大）会议，传达学习习近平总书记在中共中央政治局常务委员会会议上的重要讲话精神，研究我区贯彻落实意见。自治区党委书记陈全国主持会议。

The meeting pointed out that all the Region’s departments had to learn and implement the spirit of Secretary General Xi Jinping conscientiously, strengthen the “four consciousnesses”, resolutely hold on to the “four confidences”, achieve the “two protections”, redouble the esteem for the major strategic achievements in the fight of preventing, controlling and stopping the epidemic under the forceful leadership of the party central committee with Xi Jinping at the core, develop a deep awareness of the party central committee’s correct judgment of the current epidemic prevention and control situation, conscientiously come up to the central committee’s strategic decision-making and deployment with unity in thought and action, resolutely overcome negligent trains of thought, war-weariness, wishful thinking and negligent attitudes, to put the masses’ life, safety and good health first all along, unvaveringly adhere to preventing the virus from re-entering the country and epidemics flaring up again, move forward to perfecting normalization of prevention and control institutions, adjust implementation of prevention and control measures accurately, sustain improvement of bordercrossing prevention and control capabilities, strengthen prevention and control work in key locations and focal groups of population, guide the masses of all ethnicities to protect themselves well, and resolutely consolidate the hard-won epidemic prevention and control achievements.

会议指出，全区各地各部门要认真学习贯彻习近平总书记重要讲话精神，增强“四个意识”、坚定“四个自信”、做到“两个维护”，倍加珍惜在以习近平同志为核心的党中央坚强领导下疫情防控阻击战取得的重大战略成果，深刻认识党中央对当前疫情防控形势的准确判断，切实把思想和行动统一到以习近平同志为核心的党中央决策部署上来，坚决克服麻痹思想、厌战情绪、侥幸心理、松劲心态，始终把维护人民群众生命安全和身体健康放在第一位，牢牢坚持外防输入、内防反弹不动摇，进一步完善常态化防控体制机制，细化落实精准防控措施，持续提升边境口岸防控能力，
强化重点场所、重点人群防控工作，引导各族群众做好必要的自我防护，坚决巩固来之不易的疫情防控成果。

The meeting emphasized the need to focus on repairing the weakest links, stopping leaks, strengthening weak points, strengthening and perfecting major epidemic prevention and control  institutions and emergency response management systems as well as deepening reform of medical care and health institutions, epidemic prevention and control systems, lawful public health guarantees, and prevention, control, rescue and medical treatment, and conscientiously improve abilities to respond to sudden flare-ups of major public health incidents.

会议强调，要聚焦补短板、堵漏洞、强弱项，加快完善重大疫情防控体制机制和公共卫生应急管理体系，深化医药卫生体制、疾病预防控制体系、公共卫生法治保障、重大疫情防控救治等重点领域改革，切实提高应对突发重大公共卫生事件的能力水平。

The meeting pointed out that it was necessary to effectively develop the Patriotic Health Movement, to keep putting prevention first, to combine prevention and treatment, to innovate ways and methods, to increase propaganda and guidance, to perfect the infrastructure, promote normalization of city and countryside environmental integrated regulation and institutionalization, to strengthen, setting out from the different fields of human habitat and environment improvement, eating habits and social and mental health, continuously strengthen all ethnic masses’ health awareness, cultivate good hygiene habits, to continue cultivating civilizational health, and a green and environmentally protective way of life.

会议指出，要扎实开展爱国卫生运动，坚持预防为主、防治结合，创新方式方法，加大宣传引导，完善基础设施，推进城乡环境综合整治常态化、机制化，从人居环境改善、饮食习惯、社会心理健康等多方面入手，不断增强各族群众的健康意识，养成良好卫生习惯，持续培育文明健康、绿色环保的生活方式。

The meeting emphasized that it was necessary to maintain overall planning of epidemic prevention and control as well as economic and social development, to stick closely to the task to build a moderately prosperous society, maintain the keynote of making progress within stability under the precondition of epidemic prevention and control normalization, do solid and good work at the “six stabilities”, to comprehensively implement the task of the “six guarantees”, to further comprehensively plan economic and social development, escaping poverty, maintaining stability and the other items of work, to resolutely protect the generally stable situation of economic and social development, to ensure the completion of the decisive battle and the determination of victory in escaping poverty and in assaulting fortified positions, and to comprehensively building a moderately prosperous society.

会议强调，要坚持统筹推进疫情防控和经济社会发展，紧扣全面建成小康社会目标任务，在疫情防控常态化前提下，坚持稳中求进工作总基调，扎实做好“六稳”工作，全面落实“六保”任务，进一步统筹做好经济社会发展、脱贫攻坚、维护稳定等各项工作，坚决维护经济发展和社会稳定大局，确保完成决战决胜脱贫攻坚目标任务，全面建成小康社会。

Shohrat Zakir, Shewket Imin, Wang Junzheng, Li Pengxin, Xu Hairong, Erkin Tunyaz, Tian Wen, Sha’erheti Ahan^*), Yang Xin and others attended the meeting.

雪克来提 · 扎克尔、肖开提 · 依明、王君正、李鹏新、徐海荣、艾尔肯 · 吐尼亚孜、田文、沙尔合提 · 阿汗、杨鑫等出席会议。

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Note

^*) Apparently no Kazakh name available. Sha’erheti Ahan is Kazakh, a member of East Turkestan’s party committee, head of the “autonomous” region’s labor union, and (that’s the way I read it) the union’s acting party secretary.
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Related

Xi chairs symposium with dangwais, CCTV, May 9
党外人士座谈会, 三点希望, People’s Daily, May 8

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