De Chinese Wouden, maandag 30 september: Rusland, bewapening, stimulans, AVVN
Peking pakt steeds meer een assertieve houding in de wereld. Het weet zich gedekt door een afgeleid Westen en een niet-Westerse wereld dat sympathie heeft. Dit neemt vormen aan die meer en meer tegen de Europese belangen in gaan.
De algemene vergadering van de Verenigde Naties is bezig. Dit is altijd een moment waarop Peking wil laten zien hoeveel internationale steun Chinese heeft. Door groepen van ‘like-minded’ landen, financiële steun en omkoping heeft Peking altijd een luide stem voor de Chinese belangen. De AVVN geldt als belangrijk moment voor China om te demonstreren dat het Westen een mondiale minderheid is.
De belangen zijn daarbij groter nu Rusland oorlog voert tegen Oekraïne. Peking werkt hard om steun te verwerven voor het Chinees-Braziliaanse vredesvoorstel. De Oekraïense president Zelensky betitelde het als een ‘koloniaal’ plan in zijn toespraak voor de algemene vergadering.
Ook beschuldigde Zelensky een ‘derde land’ ervan Rusland te helpen Oekraïnes nucleaire energie-infrastructuur tot doelwit te maken door gedetailleerde informatie en satellietbeelden te delen. China zou daarnaast volgens journalistieke bronnen ook inmiddels al aanvalsdrones maken voor Rusland.
Daar komt nog bovenop de uitgekiende Chinese campagne om lidstaten tegen elkaar uit te spelen, met als doel het ondermijnen van maatregelen om de Europese (auto)industrie te beschermen. Duitsland en Spanje bespelen. Toegang eisen voor Huawei tot de Italiaanse kerninfrastructuur in ruil voor een autofabriek daar. Zuivelindustrie inzetten als drukmiddel. Het handelsconflict en de techwar zijn inmiddels ook al toonbeelden van de ondergravende wijze waarop Peking het economische spel speelt.
Het militaire spel gaat ook door, hoewel minder direct van invloed op Europa. Het Chinese Volksbevrijdingsleger testte een intercontinentale raket tot ver in de Stille Oceaan – een duidelijk signaal aan de Verenigde Staten. Er waren raketoefeningen bij de grens met India en elders in China. Rondom een van de Filipijnen gestolen atol waren er militaire bewegingen. Ondertussen bericht Taiwan dat de Chinese druk rondom het eiland onverminderd hoog blijft.
De Hongkongs krant SCMP, eigendom van Alibaba, is de afgelopen jaren een stuk gekleurder geworden – vooral op gevoelige onderwerpen als Taiwan en de Zuid-Chinese Zee. Toch blijft het nog een onmisbare bron. Een recente serie artikelen over de manier waarop Peking de landen van Zuidoost-Azië uit elkaar probeert te spelen is nog een goede herinnering aan de vooruitgang die China boekt op militair-diplomatiek vlak. We kunnen met z’n alleen klagen over wat ik in de bovenstaande alinea’s observeer, maar uiteindelijk kun je dat alleen maar tegengaan als je zelf het spel ook meespeelt.
Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺
Convocatie gesprek Central Tibetan Administration d.d. 9 oktober 2024 – Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal 🇳🇱
Verzoek aan de minister van Buitenlandse Zaken om een stand van zaken-brief over China – Vaste commissie voor Buitenlandse Zaken, Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal 🇳🇱
Can China’s new ambassador to EU Cài Rùn 蔡润 build bridges after doomed efforts in Israel? – SCMP: ‘regarded as a taciturn operator who was never seen without a translator in Israel and has rarely been heard speaking English in public’ 🇪🇺
Remarks by Amb Mr. Tan Jian at the Reception Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China – Embassy of the People’s Republic of China to the Kingdom of the Netherlands: ‘Many fellow Chinese ask me: why it is the Dutch semiconductor company that can make the most complicated machine in the world? Well, maybe it’s partially because Dutch make and eat a lot of wafers(华夫饼,晶圆). ASML’s success could be rooted in your love for wafer.’ 🇳🇱
Ik vond de grap over ‘unforced labour’ in het bijzonder buitengewoon smakeloos.
Advertiser Content: Speech by Chargé d’affaires Zhu Jing at the 2024 National Day Reception – Euractiv (Supported by Mission of China) 🇪🇺
The Chinese Mission to the EU and the Chinese Embassy in Belgium co-host a reception in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China – Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the European Union 🇪🇺🇧🇪
China and Switzerland open talks on free trade agreement upgrade – Xinhua 🇨🇭
Finse dierentuin stuurt panda's terug naar China omdat ze te veel kosten – NU.nl 🇫🇮
Rusland 🇷🇺
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accuses China of pushing a flawed peace plan while simultaneously helping Russia target nuclear infrastructure – Bloomberg: ‘He also said his country’s intelligence services report Russia is receiving images and detailed information on the infrastructure of the country’s nuclear plants from a third country’s satellites.’ 🇺🇦🇷🇺
Zelenskyy slams ‘colonial’ peace proposal to war with Russia in UN speech – POLITICO: ‘directly criticized a Chinese and Brazilian peace proposal’ 🇺🇦🇧🇷
How China plans to get more backers for its Ukraine peace plan at the UN – POLITICO: ‘A Ukrainian government document says Beijing is trying to rally support this week for its peace talks aimed at “preventing Russia from losing” the war.’ 🇺🇦🇷🇺
Joint Communique – Algeria, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Egypt, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Mexico, South Africa, Türkiye, and Zambia:
‘We are worried about the risks and crises arising from this conflict which has caused repercussions affecting many countries, including those in the Global South.’
‘We call on […], respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, respecting the legitimate concerns of states’
‘We call on the parties to the conflict to observe principles for de-escalation and highlight the importance of non-expansion of the battlefield and non-intensification of fighting.’
‘Friends for Peace’ Group on the Ukraine Crisis Set up in the United Nations – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China
China upholds objective, and fair stance on Ukraine issue [sic], Chinese foreign minister says – Xinhua: ‘made the remarks when co-hosting a ministerial meeting of the newly launched “Friends of Peace” platform on the Ukraine crisis.’ 🇺🇦🇷🇺🇧🇷
Exclusive: Russia has secret war drones project in China, intel sources say – Reuters: ‘IEMZ Kupol, a subsidiary of Russian state-owned arms company Almaz-Antey, has developed and flight-tested a new drone model called Garpiya-3 (G3) in China with the help of local specialists’ 🇷🇺
‘Clear evidence’ Chinese companies supplying Russia with military attack drones, Western official says – Sky News 🇷🇺
EU concerned by report of Russia producing attack drones in China – Reuters 🇷🇺🇪🇺
Chinese and Russian coast guards jointly inspect North Pacific high sea vessels – Xinhua 🇷🇺
Hold China responsible for helping Russia, Danish PM Mette Frederiksen says – POLITICO Europe: ‘Frederiksen called for a rethink when it comes to EU trade with China, stating that Europe had become overly dependent on the country.’ 🇩🇰
Japan says it is strongly alarmed by airspace breaches by Russia and China – Kyodo News
Japan fighters fire flares after Russian military plane enters airspace – The Japan Times
Bewapening
China test-fires an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean – AP: ‘It is unclear how often China conducts tests over such a distance. In 1980, China launched an ICBM into the South Pacific.’
The US Pentagon praised China for its transparency before a test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean, a sign military communication is improving – Bloomberg 🇺🇸
Taiwan condemns China’s intercontinental ballistic missile test – Focus Taiwan 🇹🇼
Taiwan on alert over ‘multiple waves’ of missile firing in inland China – Reuters 🇹🇼
China’s PLA launches Scarborough Shoal drills as US and Philippine forces train together – SCMP 🇵🇭
Japanese vessel joins Australia and New Zealand in its first Taiwan Strait transit – SCMP: ‘the first confirmed journey through the Taiwan Strait by a Japanese naval vessel.’ 🇯🇵🇦🇺🇳🇿
China sends ‘deterrent message’ with missile intercept test near Indian border – SCMP: ‘part of a live-fire exercise involving surface-to-air missile operations on the Karakoram Plateau’ 🇮🇳
China and India have reached more consensus on withdrawing troops from some parts of the disputed border between the two countries, Beijing says – Bloomberg 🇮🇳
Peking is niet altijd te vertrouwen als het zulke dingen claimt.
China’s newest nuclear-powered submarine sank earlier this year, US officials say – CNN
Nieuwste nucleaire onderzeeër China zonk volgens VS in rivier, maar Beijing houdt zich stil – de Volkskrant
China warns Japan against ‘bringing a wolf into the house’ – Xinhua: ‘urged Japan not to align with U.S. plans to deploy intermediate-range missiles in the Asia-Pacific region’ 🇯🇵
Handel 🚗🇪🇺
The EU is planning to vote October 4 on whether to impose tariffs as high as 45% on imported EVs made in China – Bloomberg 🇪🇺
China and EU seek to avoid trade war with talks on minimum EV prices – POLITICO Europe: ‘the European Commission did unexpectedly offer the Chinese a second chance to propose a solution’ 🇪🇺
‘Italian media reporting that Chinese authorities are asking Italy to grant Huawei a role in the countries telecoms infrastructure in exchange for a Dongfeng auto plant investment’ – Finbarr Bermingham, Twitter 🇮🇹🇪🇺
EU launches WTO challenge against China’s European dairy subsidies probe – Reuters: ‘“The EU’s action was prompted by an emerging pattern of China initiating trade defence measures, based on questionable allegations and insufficient evidence, within a short period of time,” the commission said.’ 🇪🇺
After US, European Union probes Chinese car software – POLITICO Europe: ‘One possible route is a draft “ICT supply-chain toolbox” that cybersecurity officials are working to finalize in the coming weeks.’ 🇪🇺
EU seeks to put brakes on China’s fast fashion online retailers Shein 希音 and Temu – SCMP: ‘Germany […] leading calls for the commission to clamp down on the imports.’ 🇪🇺
Met deze strategie wil Chinese koopapp Temu nog meer terrein winnen in België – VRT NWS 🇧🇪
Paint makers say EU tariffs on Chinese imports risk bankrupting them – FT: ‘western TiO2 producers have been badly hit by Chinese competition.’ 🇪🇺
Chinese bestanddelen zijn te goedkoop – daardoor kunnen Europese producenten daarvan niet meer concurreren. Maar invoerheffingen op het bestanddeel betekent dat Europese verfmakers weer niet kunnen concurreren. Dan ook heffingen op verf?
Het gaat slecht met de Duitse auto, maar de problemen worden om nog een ándere reden opgeblazen – de Volkskrant
‘Nightmare’ ahead: EU companies warn of coming regulatory clash with China – SCMP: ‘Businesses will be required to prove their suppliers are in line with EU environmental and social standards, and also that there is no forced labour in their supply chains. Companies fear the new rules will put them in the cross hairs of Chinese authorities.’
Komst Chinese autofabrikanten biedt hoop voor VDL Nedcar – FD 🇳🇱
What a Huawei 华为 laptop reveals about China’s dream of tech self-sufficiency – FT: ‘Automakers, including major European groups which produce cars in joint ventures with Chinese state-owned firms, have been directed to step up their use of domestic semiconductors, according to four people familiar with the matter.’
Europe’s battery champion slashes jobs amid slowing EV sales – POLITICO Europe 🇪🇺
How China’s diversifying overseas investment has swung open doors into the Global South – SCMP: ‘Chinese companies are expanding in less-developed countries to sell goods in untapped markets as capacity balloons at home, and to take advantage of new infrastructure built or bankrolled by China over the past decade.’
China’s car dealers struggle with US$20 billion in losses amid price war – SCMP
Chinese electric vehicle battery supplier CATL reigns as China's top subsidy recipient with 35% jump in first half – Nikkei Asia
China’s market share in key EV battery components tops 80% – Nikkei Asia
VS verbieden bepaalde Chinese technologie in auto’s – NRC
Tech War 💽🇺🇸
On US visit, new Dutch economic affairs minister Dirk Beljaarts talks importance of ASML and China trade – Reuters 🇳🇱
China’s chip-making sees steady progress with new tools, but nothing to rival ASML – SCMP: ‘Multiple analysts told the Post that the new machines likely refer to DCO, meaning they are probably not capable of making chips close to the 8nm level.’
What a Huawei 华为 laptop reveals about China’s dream of tech self-sufficiency – FT: ‘central agencies have transitioned from exclusively purchasing laptops running on Intel and AMD processors last year to now acquiring three-quarters of their devices with chips from Chinese companies’
Beijing is stepping up pressure on Chinese companies to buy locally produced AI chips instead of Nvidia products – Bloomberg: ‘The move is designed to help domestic Chinese AI chipmakers gain more market share while preparing local tech companies for any potential additional US restrictions, the sources said.’
Western nations join forces to break China’s grip on critical minerals – FT: ‘The Minerals Security Partnership, a coalition of 14 nations and the European Commission, will unveil a new financing network at an event in New York on Monday’ 🇪🇺
Metals producer backed by Canada province vows to compete with China in rare earths – Reuters 🇨🇦
TSMC 台積電 denies new overseas plans following report of UAE project – Taipei Times 🇦🇪
China’s accelerating green transition – FT: ‘Reducing the need for cheap gas from Russia complicates Vladimir Putin’s close relationship with Xi’ ‘It also changes the dynamic between Beijing and the oil-rich Arab world’
China tightens military-civilian export controls ‘just in time’, Chinese experts say – SCMP
‘Huawei too closed, monopolistic’: Chinese academic’s rare outburst signals emerging rift – SCMP: ‘Huawei tended to have more advantages and preferential treatment than other bidders in competing for many government orders.’
Are Chinese scientists inflating their influence through ‘biased’ citations? – SCMP
Stimulans
Chinese kapitaalinjectie van 142 miljard dollar, „Regering kijkt weer naar vraagzijde” – BNR
China announces new measures to arrest housing slump and boost growth – The Guardian
China rolls out broad rate cuts and other stimulus to spur weak economy – Reuters
China to give one-off handouts to needy ahead of national holiday week – Reuters
China unleashes stimulus to keep economic growth targets in reach – FT: ‘the People’s Bank of China also announced government funding to boost the stock market and aid share buybacks’
China admits economy facing new ‘problems’, vows to fix long-running property crisis – AFP
Banks may become collateral damage as China’s ‘big bang’ squeezes margins, degrades assets – SCMP
In Depth: Mounting debt defaults fuel crisis in China’s construction industry – Caixin Global: ‘China’s construction industry is reeling from a wave of defaults and financial turmoil as delayed payments and rising bad debts cascade through the sector.’
Cash-starved China local governments step up fines with ‘grabbing hands’ – Nikkei Asia
Chinese overheden houden grote uitverkoop om schulden te reduceren – FD
Cover Story: China’s record class of college graduates faces final test in shrinking job market – Caixin Global
A new class struggle is brewing in China – The Economist
A prominent economist at one of China’s top think tanks, Zhu Hengpeng, was detained and removed from his posts after he allegedly criticised Xi Jinping’s management of the economy – WSJ: ‘The probe coincided with an indoctrination campaign for CASS staff’
Xi Jinping wants to stifle thinking at a top Chinese think-tank – The Economist
China tries to rally risk-averse officials to ignite economy, promising to tolerate mistakes – SCMP
Al het bovenstaande is in tegenstelling tot elkaar. Stimulans van de huizenmarkt, gebrek aan financiering van lokale overheden, beetje contant geld voor huishoudens, oproep tot meer risico’s, straffen van onafhankelijk denken.
Algemene vergadering VN 🌏🇺🇳
Building on Past Achievements and Forging Ahead Together Toward a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China: ‘An end to the Ukraine crisis remains elusive. The top priority is to commit to “no expansion of the battlefield, no escalation of fighting and no provocation by any party,” and push for deescalation of the situation as soon as possible.’
China willing to enhance cooperation with UN in promoting world peace and development, Chinese foreign minister says – Xinhua: ‘Upholding the authority of the UN and letting the UN play the core role in international affairs is more important than ever, now that the international landscape becomes increasingly complicated and global challenges and risks are highlighted, Wang said.’ 🇺🇳
Taiwan blasts China over ‘distortion’ of Resolution 2758 at UN – Focus Taiwan 🇹🇼
Peking liegt tegenwoordig glashard over AVVN-resolutie 2758 – die Taiwan bewust niet noemt in wat toentertijd een expliciet compromis was.
After China meeting, Blinken says Beijing’s talk of Ukraine peace ‘doesn’t add up’ – Reuters 🇺🇸
China expects rational perception from Washington about bilateral ties – Xinhua: ‘Instead of having it both ways by seeking containment on one hand and requesting cooperation on the other’ 🇺🇸
Japan and China foreign ministers to meet in New York – Reuters: ‘Kamikawa will request that security be enforced following the stabbing of a Japanese schoolboy in China, public broadcaster NHK reported.’ 🇯🇵
Overige
China buitenland en defensie
In global game of influence, China turns to a cheap and effective tool: fake news – AP: ‘The key tactic: networks of websites purporting to be legitimate news outlets, delivering pro-China coverage that often parallels official statements and positions from Beijing.’
Exclusive: Inside Beijing’s app collecting information from Belt and Road companies – The ASPI Strategist: ‘China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs operates a secure digital platform that connects it directly with Chinese companies operating abroad, requiring participating companies to submit regular reports about their activities and local security conditions to the government, internal documents reveal.’
China urges Israel to ‘de-escalate’ after air strike kills Hezbollah leader in Lebanon – SCMP 🇱🇧🇮🇱
China ‘firmly supports’ Lebanon in safeguarding its security – Reuters 🇱🇧
China urges citizens in Israel to leave ‘as soon as possible’ – AFP: ‘China last month asked its citizens in Lebanon to leave after an Israeli strike in the country killed a senior Palestinian militant.’ 🇮🇱
Beijing uses ‘divide and conquer’ tactic with Asean as South China Sea tensions heat up – SCMP: ‘Beijing has launched a charm offensive to woo its Southeast Asian neighbours, with a flurry of high-level diplomatic exchanges and defence engagements, such as joint drills.’
China’s military in ‘competition for partnerships’ with US in Southeast Asia – SCMP: ‘China became the biggest exporter of arms to Thailand from 2019 to 2023, accounting for 44 per cent of its major weapons imports’
Why China’s Southeast Asia belt and road push could give it edge in critical battleground – SCMP
‘From hell to limbo’: Michael Kovrig describes more than a thousand days as China's prisoner – CBC News: ‘The torture, he said, was psychological, not physical.’ 🇨🇦
China says it ‘supervised’ Philippine supply mission to reef disputed by Beijing – AFP 🇵🇭
Japan and Mongolia leaders affirm defence equipment accord – Jiji Press 🇯🇵🇲🇳
China economie
China’s beef and dairy farmers running out of money – Dim Sums: ‘shrinking profits due to falling prices and rising costs’
China binnenland
Xi Focus: Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 stresses consolidating unity of Chinese nation – Xinhua: ‘made the call at a grand meeting in Beijing to honor role models for ethnic unity and progress.’ ‘Additionally, he urged efforts to fully promote the use of the standard Chinese language.’
Hong Kong
Associated Press photojournalist denied entry to Hong Kong after visa renewal rejected – HKFP
Taiwan buitenland en defensie
US-Taiwan Defence Industry Conference begins in Philadelphia – Focus Taiwan: ‘Representatives from Taiwan’s defense ministry and three biggest political parties are attending’ 🇺🇸
在美台國防工業會議傳出失態爆走 徐巧芯回應了 – 自由时报 🇺🇸
Troops from Taiwan training at Michigan base, former US diplomat says – Focus Taiwan: ‘a proposed factory by Chinese lithium-ion battery maker Gotion was about 70 miles away from Camp Grayling’ 🇺🇸
China fails to promptly notify Taiwan on detention of citizens, MAC says – Focus Taiwan: ‘“Since May 20, 2016 (the date when former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) took office), the implementation of these cross-strait agreements has been disrupted by political interference from the Chinese authorities,” Liang added.’ 🇨🇳
China’s MSS urges vigilance against Taiwanese ‘cyberattacks’ – Reuters: ‘urging people to report “anti-propaganda sabotage.”’ ‘Anonymous 64 — which China’s national security ministry said belonged to Taiwan’s cyber warfare wing’ 🇨🇳
China lifts restrictions on Fujian residents traveling to Kinmen – Focus Taiwan 🇨🇳
TPP’s Lin Yi-chun 林憶君 appointed co-chair of foreign and defence committee – Taipei Times: ‘Asked afterward if the budget would be cut for the Indigenous Defense Submarine program, Lin said that legislators would increase discussion and investigation of the matter.’
Taiwanese government-backed drone industry alliance to seek overseas orders – Focus Taiwan
Taiwan investigators widen probe into Lebanon device blasts – AFP: ‘The island’s economic minister had said the authorities were “certain” that the exploding pagers in Lebanon were “not produced in Taiwan”.’ 🇱🇧🇮🇱
Taiwan binnenland en economie
Two detained in Core Pacific City scandal – Taipei Times
Kaohsiung councillor Huang Shao-ting 黃紹庭 (KMT) leaves for China amid corruption investigation – Taipei Times
Kaohsiung councillor arrested after returning to Taiwan – Taipei Times
KMT mulls street protests and plebiscites over Constitutional Court’s death penalty decision – Taipei Times: ‘People should not demand that the family members of murdered people respect the rights of the perpetrator, KMT lawmaker Wu Tsung-hsien said’
Notes from Central Taiwan: The Ko disaster – Michael Turton for Taipei Times: ‘Taiwan lost a great opportunity for political growth, likely reinforcing the views of many disgruntled voters that all parties are the same’