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Subject: The 16-Character Policy and Foreign Dual-Use Sales
Claymore    7/28/2008 2:31:19 AM
Nowhere is the nexus of the military-industrial complex in the PRC more evident than in the codification of the 1997 "16-Character Policy," which makes it official PRC policy to deliberately intertwine state-run and commercial organizations for casting a cloud of ambiguity over PRC military modernization. In their literal translation, the 16 characters mean as follows: Jun-min jiehe (Combine the military and civil); Ping-zhan jiehe (Combine peace and war); Jun-pin youxian (Give priority to military products); Yi min yan jun (Let the civil support the military). ------------------- If the military and civil is combined how then can foreign nations and companies make the distinction between civil and military use? I premise of being allowed to sell military equipment to China is that if it has a civilian use and thus not strictly military it can be sold. However when it comes to China what's the difference?
 
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Softwar       7/28/2008 11:41:20 AM

Nowhere is the nexus of the military-industrial complex in the PRC more evident than in the codification of the 1997 "16-Character Policy," which makes it official PRC policy to deliberately intertwine state-run and commercial organizations for casting a cloud of ambiguity over PRC military modernization. In their literal translation, the 16 characters mean as follows:

Jun-min jiehe (Combine the military and civil);
Ping-zhan jiehe (Combine peace and war);
Jun-pin youxian (Give priority to military products);
Yi min yan jun (Let the civil support the military).


-------------------

If the military and civil is combined how then can foreign nations and companies make the distinction between civil and military use? I premise of being allowed to sell military equipment to China is that if it has a civilian use and thus not strictly military it can be sold. However when it comes to China what's the difference?

There is no difference - if the technology has military applications - then it will be used for military purposes.  This is why one has to examine Chinese firms very carefully - in many cases they are front companies for the military.  Huawei is a good example.  The worst case was the Shangdong Arts and Crafts Company - it was staffed by PLA missile engineers.
 
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YelliChink       7/28/2008 4:00:07 PM

Jun-min jiehe (Combine the military and civil);
Ping-zhan jiehe (Combine peace and war);
Jun-pin youxian (Give priority to military products);
Yi min yan jun (Let the civil support the military).


What it really means is: 
 
1. so that military industry can change gear to produce consumer products.
 
2. so that the factories can keep running on their own while there is no demand from the military.
 
3. so military factories are still part of the military, not military sponsored money making units.
 
4. after making some profit from the market, spare some money to enhance PX quality.
 
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Zhang Fei       7/29/2008 8:09:52 AM
YC's take on it is cynical, but probably true, given that prestige in today's China is measured by the amount of pricey baubles you have on display, not rank or medals.
 
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