China calls on the international community to respect South Sudan's sovereignty and dominance in the political transition. Ke Wenzhe is caught in a political donation turmoil, and the Chinese Kuomintang reaffirms commitment to 'blue-white cooperation'. Plus, Fumio Kishida resigns, raising questions about Japan's political landscape. Also, a Democratic political action committee files a complaint regarding the Trump-Musk interview and campaign finance laws.
Sources:
https://www.chinanews.com/gj/shipin/cns-d/2024/08-15/news997337.shtml
https://news.ifeng.com/c/8c40FfwLDFk
https://cn.nytimes.com/asia-pacific/20240815/fumio-kishida-japan-prime-minister/
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/24/8/15/n14311461.htm
Outline:
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:00:52) China calls on the international community to respect South Sudan's sovereignty and dominance in the political transition
(00:03:21) Ke Wenzhe is caught in a political donation turmoil, and the Chinese Kuomintang: The legislature "Blue and White Cooperation" will not back down
(00:05:38) Fumio Kishida resigns, Japan Prime Minister Liberal Democratic Party 该如何赢回民众confidence?
(00:07:28) Trump-Musk interview was complained by the Democratic Political Action Committee | Terminal Citizen Coalition | Federal Election Commission | Campaign Finance Act
Simply Politics, from China
China Urges Respect for South Sudan’s Sovereignty, Political Donation Turmoil in Taiwan
China calls on the international community to respect South Sudan's sovereignty and dominance in the political transition. Ke Wenzhe is caught in a political donation turmoil, and the Chinese Kuomintang reaffirms commitment to 'blue-white cooperation'. Plus, Fumio Kishida resigns, raising questions about Japan's political landscape. Also, a Democratic political action committee files a complaint regarding the Trump-Musk interview and campaign finance laws.Sources:https://www.chinanews.com/gj/shipin/cns-d/2024/08-15/news997337.shtmlhttps://news.ifeng.com/c/8c40FfwLDFkhttps://cn.nytimes.com/asia-pacific/20240815/fumio-kishida-japan-prime-minister/https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/24/8/15/n14311461.htmOutline:(00:00:00) Introduction(00:00:52) China calls on the international community to respect South Sudan's sovereignty and dominance in the political transition(00:03:21) Ke Wenzhe is caught in a political donation turmoil, and the Chinese Kuomintang: The legislature "Blue and White Cooperation" will not back down(00:05:38) Fumio Kishida resigns, Japan Prime Minister Liberal Democratic Party 该如何赢回民众confidence?(00:07:28) Trump-Musk interview was complained by the Democratic Political Action Committee | Terminal Citizen Coalition | Federal Election Commission | Campaign Finance Act
- Duration:
- 9m
- Broadcast on:
- 15 Aug 2024
- Audio Format:
- mp3
Good morning, and welcome to Simply Politics from China. It's Thursday, August 15th. On today's show, China calls on the international community to respect South Sudan's sovereignty and dominance in the political transition. Kewenjae is caught in a political donation turmoil, and the Chinese Kuomintang's legislature, blue and white cooperation, refuses to back down. Plus, Fumio Cashita resigns as Japan's prime minister, leaving the Liberal Democratic Party wondering how to regain the people's confidence. This coverage and more, up next. I'm David, and you're listening to Simply Politics from China. We start off with China's recent address to the United Nations Security Council, Deputy Permanent Representative Dai Bing emphasized the need for the international community to respect South Sudan's sovereignty during its political transition. He also urged against any external pressure, intervention, or imposition of external standards. James, our correspondent for Simply Politics from China, is here to discuss this further. Can you tell us more about Dai Bing's statement? Certainly, David, David. Dai Bing's comments come at a critical time for South Sudan, which is currently implementing a revitalized agreement and advancing its political transition. He stressed that the international community should provide constructive support for South Sudan's peaceful development, rather than imposing external standards or intervening in the country's affairs. What kind of support did Dai Bing suggest the international community should provide? Dai Bing suggested that the international community should support South Sudan in implementing the revitalized agreement, encourage all parties to engage in political dialogue and build more political consensus for holding elections. He also highlighted the challenges South Sudan faces in terms of election funds and suggested that more resources should be provided to key institutions like the Election Commission and the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission. And what about the role of the people of South Sudan in this transition? Dai Bing emphasized that the people of South Sudan have the right to determine the destiny of their country. He acknowledged that South Sudan has its own national conditions and realities, and these should be respected by the international community. What is China's stance on the internal disputes in South Sudan? China supports the South Sudanese government in conducting dialogues with relevant tribes and among various ethnic groups to seek lasting solutions to disputes over land, pastures and nomadism. The aim is to achieve peace and reconciliation as soon as possible. And what role is China playing in the peacekeeping efforts in South Sudan? China is a major troop-contributing country to the United Nations mission in South Sudan or Yun Miss. Dai Bing affirmed that China will continue to firmly support the work of Yun Miss and contribute to the peace and prosperity of South Sudan. Thanks for that report, James. Shifting our focus to another political story, people first party chairman Ko Wenjae is currently facing controversy over alleged irregularities in his political donation accounts. This incident is believed to potentially impact the future electoral blue-white alliance, with Lyching Tae possibly reaping the benefits as a third party. Here with us to discuss this further is Michael, a correspondent for Simply Politics from China. Can you tell us more about this controversy surrounding Ko Wenjae? Certainly, David. The people first party has recently been accused of handling multiple political donations in violation of regulations. This has raised concerns among some, including Shao Shuchen, the chief executive of Mayang Jo, who believes that if Ko Wenjae's personal reputation suffers a heavy blow, it may affect the future blue-white alliance model. And what has been the response from the Chinese Nationalist Party, or KMT, to this controversy? KMT's Deputy Secretary General, Li Yenshu, has stated that while they respect and support the people first party's legal efforts to fight for their own rights and interests, the future blue-white cooperation in the legislative body remains firm and will not retreat in any way. She also pointed out that Taiwan's political situation changes rapidly, and it may be a bit early to discuss 2026 and 2028 now. What does this mean for the opposition parties? Li Yenshu emphasized that the opposition parties must firmly cooperate in order to have sufficient strength to supervise the Democratic Progressive Party. She also pointed out that for a political party, in addition to the legal aspect, the trust of party supporters is also very important. Every political party has its highs and lows. And how is the people first party responding to these challenges? Li Yenshu expressed hope that the people first party can communicate and clarify, strive to defend their own rights and interests, and quickly overcome the difficulties. This is certainly a challenging time for the party, and how they handle it could have significant implications for the future political landscape in Taiwan. Thanks for that report, Michael. Turning our attention to Japan now, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has announced his resignation, adding to a growing list of unpopular leaders who have been replaced in the country's rigid political system amid increasing public dissatisfaction. Here to discuss this further is Celeste, a correspondent for Simply Politics from China. Can you tell us more about Kishida's resignation? Certainly, David. Fumio Kishida, who is 67, announced at a press conference that he would not run in the ruling Liberal Democratic Parties, or LDPs, presidential election in September. The winner of that election will serve as Prime Minister. Kishida, a moderate mainstay of the party, was unpopular even when he took office as Prime Minister in October 2021, and his approval rating has hit new lows in recent months. What has been the public's response to the LDP's leadership? The LDP has been in control of Japan's parliament since 1955, with the exception of four years. However, in recent decades, the party has been plagued by scandals, and has struggled to address many of Japan's deep-rooted challenges, triggering widespread discontent among voters. Despite this, the Japanese public's dissatisfaction with the ruling party rarely translates into the ballot box due to low voter turnout and a weak political opposition. What does this mean for the future of the LDP? The LDP is at a critical juncture. With Kishida's resignation, the party will need to select a new leader who can win back public trust and effectively address the country's challenges. However, the party's dominance in parliament has largely insulated it from the pressure of potentially losing nation-wide, so it remains to be seen how this will play out. Thanks for that report, Celeste. Shifting our focus to the US now, the Democratic Political Action Committee and Citizens United has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission, or FEC, regarding an interview between former President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk. The committee claims that the interview was essentially a corporate donation, thus violating campaign finance laws. Here to discuss this further is Abby, a correspondent for Simply Politics from China. Can you tell us more about this complaint? Certainly, David. The complaint was filed on Tuesday following the interview between Trump and Musk on Monday. The Political Action Committee and Citizens United argues that the interview constituted an illegal corporate donation to Trump's campaign. Tiffany Mueller, the committee's chair, has called for the Federal Election Commission to investigate the matter. What are the implications of this complaint? If the FEC finds that the interview did constitute a corporate donation, it could potentially be a violation of campaign finance laws. This could have serious implications for both Trump and Musk. However, it's important to note that the FEC's investigations can take time, and it's not yet clear what the outcome will be. What has been the response from Trump and Musk to this complaint? Because of now, there has been no public response from either Trump or Musk regarding the complaint. It's likely that any response will come through their respective legal teams. Thanks for that report, Abby. It's certainly a significant development. And with that, we wrap up our stories for today. Thanks for listening to Simply Politics from China. We'll see you back here tomorrow. [MUSIC] You