Name: 巴拿馬文件曝光中國領導人的祕密｜中國無刪改網 (Panama Papers Expose Secrets of Chinese Leaders | China Uncensored)
Uploaded: 2021-01-14T06:04:20.000Z
Duration: 6 min 50 s
Description: 【看影片學英語】數萬部 YouTube 影片，搭配英漢字典即點即查，輕鬆掌握單字發音與用法，長久累積看電影不必再看字幕。

程度副詞

and they’re not looking so good for China.

Hi, welcome to China Uncensored, I’m your host Chris Chappell.

The Panama Papers. The thing everyone’s talking about!

What are they? A sign capitalism is working!

An anonymous source leaked eleven-and-a-half million documents from the world’s fourth

by the avalanche of data coming out in the Panama Papers.

Contained in 2.6 terabytes of data. Or roughly 2 million of these guys.

The Panama Papers reveal a wealth of information about the wealth of some of the wealthy people

They tell us that at least 140 politicians, including 12 national leaders, their families,

have used Mossack Fonseca to dump their money into overseas tax havens.

The Guardian calls it... “offshore pandemonium.”

It allows people and companies to take advantage of low or nonexistent tax rates in places

so they don’t have to pay as much in taxes at home.

Tax havens are also great places to hide money,

There’s a good summary here from TestTube News.

And don’t worry! You benefit from tax havens, too.

They all use them. And since you’re watching this on YouTube, which Google owns,

you’re taking part in the wonderful web of tax havens right now.

"So as for the so-called documents you mentioned

I'm afraid we first must get clarification and understand what it's really about."

Ok, here's some clarification on those so-called documents.

The Panama Papers revealed that one third of Mossack Fonseca's business came just from

They have more offices in China than in any other country.

At least 8 family members of current and former members of China’s supreme ruling body,

the Politburo Standing Committee, have been exposed in the Panama Papers.

But again, this is all technically legal.

Tax havens just make sure that wealthy people don’t have to pay as much in taxes.

Because if wealthy people give their money to the government,

it might be spent on wasteful things, like education, healthcare, and social services.

That’s way less practical than, say, this.

the wealthy and powerful aren’t just trying to avoid taxes.

They have another reason for using offshore accounts, too.

“China’s economy is slowing, and Chinese citizens are getting nervous.

They’re sending money overseas at an unprecedented rate.”

As Willy Lam, a political analyst with the Chinese University of Hong Kong told the BBC,

it’s "simply because there is very little faith in the future of the Party."

"So there is all this insecurity in China for the wealthy people and for the politicians,

of course that created a lot of demand for these offshore companies.

In other words, even the families of top Chinese leaders

don’t want all of their money stored in China

where it could be seized in a corruption investigation,

or the political system could simply just implode.

But this is all a bit embarrassing for Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Especially because it comes in the midst of his anti-corruption campaign;

and especially because he just came out with his Three Stricts and Three Earnests slogan;

and especially because his own brother-in-law was named in the Panama Papers.

So is it hypocritical of Xi to be talking about anti-corruption

when three of the most powerful men in China

have had family members who’ve used offshore accounts?

Xi’s anti-corruption campaign was never really about stopping corruption.

It’s about using these corruption investigations to eliminate his political rivals.

So obviously the Panama Papers have become fairly politically sensitive in China.

"We will not comment on such groundless accusations."

They’re even purging the word “Panama” from the Chinese Internet.

Good thing China has an alternative to Panama.

So while some Chinese netizens are lost...

that is, different characters with the same sound.

“Looks like even Buddha had an account in Panama.”

What we know so far about the Panama Papers is only the tip of the iceberg.

The leaked documents themselves haven't been made public,

so we don't know the extent of what’s in all of those floppy disks.

And Mossack Fonseca is only the fourth largest offshore law firm.

Wealthy Chinese are increasingly moving their money out of China,

“I love China. I sold an apartment for $55 million to a Chinese gentleman.”

...and you don’t ask questions about where the money comes from.

Thanks for watching China Uncensored. What do you think about the Panama Papers?

Once again I’m Chris Chappell, don't forget to like and subscribe, see you next time.