De Chinese Wouden, vrijdag 17 mei: hoofdlijnenakkoord, Poetin in China, elektrische auto’s
Poetin was in China. Ik zit nog te kauwen op de uitkomsten. Tot die tijd verwijs ik door naar de excellente verslaggeving in de Volkskrant en mijn eerdere stuk in de Clingendael Spectator, allemaal gelinkt hieronder. Wel wil ik aanstippen hoe Xi en Poetin zich vinden in elkaars anti-Westerse retoriek.
De manier waarop ze over Oekraïne praten, doet ook vermoeden dat China en Rusland pas samen deel zullen nemen aan een vredesconferentie. Voor Xi ligt de oplossing duidelijk in het tegemoet komen aan de Sino-Russische blik op regionale orde. Niet China moet stoppen met leveren aan Rusland, maar het Westen zou moeten stoppen met wapens geven aan Kyiv en Ruslands ‘zorgen’ tegemoet moeten komen.
Maandag is de inauguratie van de nieuwe Taiwanese president, Lai Ching-te 賴清德 (Lài Qīngdé), vroeger ook wel William Lai. De signalen uit Peking laten zien, dat China zich antagonistisch op zal gaan stellen ten opzichte van zijn regering. Met het ‘Blauwe Kamp’ van KMT en TPP dominant in de Wetgevende Yuan, het Taiwanese parlement, zal Peking zich richten om via die kanalen stappen te zetten.
Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺
Hoofdlijnenakkoord tussen de fracties van PVV, VVD, NSC en BBB – Kabinetsformatie:
Kennis- en studiemigratie […] Nederland mag niet naïef zijn over statelijke actoren die mensen hier naartoe sturen of hier aansturen voor spionage. Er worden maatregelen genomen om onze kennis te beschermen. […]
[…] inburgering en integratie […] Aanpakken van buitenlandse ongewenste beïnvloeding, zoals bijvoorbeeld via weekendscholen.[…]
De energietransitie moet gericht zijn op het verminderen van bestaande en het voorkomen van nieuwe afhankelijkheid. […] Bij de grondstoffentransitie, staat het verminderen van de afhankelijkheid van andere landen centraal.
[…]
De aanpak van digitale dreigingen door statelijke actoren en cybercriminelen wordt versterkt; intensieve samenwerking tussen overheid, veiligheidsdiensten, wetenschap en bedrijfsleven wordt bevorderd. […] Elektronica, zoals scanapparatuur, wordt afgebouwd in strategisch belangrijke sectoren en diensten vanuit landen met verhoogde spionagerisico’s. Spionage wordt strenger bestraft.
[…]
Het handels- en industriebeleid, ook in EU-kader, draagt bij aan vermindering van strategische afhankelijkheden, bijvoorbeeld ten aanzien van China op het gebied van kritieke grondstoffen.
China-linked group uses malware to try to spy on commercial shipping, new report says – NBC News: ‘cargo shipping companies based in Norway, Greece, and the Netherlands’ 🇳🇱🇬🇷🇳🇴
EU launches trade investigation into Chinese tinplate steel – Reuters: ‘another launched on Thursday into wood flooring imports’ 🇪🇺
Testaankoop dient samen met andere Europese consumentenorganisaties een klacht in tegen Chinese webwinkel Temu – VRT NWS 🇪🇺
China strongly condemns violent attack on Slovakia’s prime minister – The Global Times: ‘Some Chinese experts said this incident showed that the current state of unrest in Europe is intensifying, highlighting the increasing internal divisions inside European society that are exacerbating political fragmentation.’
‘If the final investigation proves that Fico was attacked because of his neutral [sic] position in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, thus angering some people, it would reflect the fact that the Russia-Ukraine conflict has reached a very tense stage in which unconventional methods are being used, Cui noted.’ 🇸🇰
China’s spy threat is growing, but the West has struggled to keep up – BBC News 🇬🇧
UK spy case fuels calls for closure of Hong Kong trade offices – Nikkei Asia 🇬🇧
China commits to supporting peace, stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina, says Chinese UN envoy – Xinhua: ‘Geng called on the international community, particularly the European Union and Western Balkan countries, to continue their support and adopt a “balanced and prudent approach” to promote national reconciliation among all communities. It is crucial to avoid “taking sides,” imposing solutions, or interfering in the internal affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, he said.’ 🇧🇦
Annual Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) summit to be held in Taipei in July – Focus Taiwan: ‘The upcoming event is expected to bring “the largest ever delegation of foreign members of parliament to Taiwan,” Wu said in the 40-second clip.’
IPAC heeft ook Nederlandse leden.
elektrische auto’s 🚗⚡️
Europe eyes car chips as next battleground with China – POLITICO Europe: ‘The European Commission will start to question microchip suppliers and customers about legacy chips and whether there is a dependency on China supplies, it told POLITICO in a statement, with first results expected by the end of summer.’ 🇪🇺
EU under pressure after US levies tariffs on Chinese goods – FT: ‘New US tariffs on Chinese goods are set to redirect shipments to Europe and put increased pressure on Brussels’ 🇪🇺
EU feels heat from all sides as decision on Chinese EV duties looms – SCMP: ‘A decision on whether to impose provisional duties on EVs made in China is expected close to a June 5 deadline, with Brussels thought to have gathered ample evidence that subsidies in the sector exist, and that they have distorted the European market.’
‘US President Joe Biden’s plan to impose 100 per cent import tariffs on made-in-China EVs is seen as a way to force Brussels to act’ ‘said Rem Korteweg, […] “It gives the EU cover to do so. Brussels can point at DC and say it is pursuing a coordinated approach.”’ 🇪🇺
While the presidents were enjoying wine and cheese in the Pyrenees on May 7, meanwhile, Xi dispatched a group of 12 economists to Brussels – led by ex-deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund Zhu Min – for what sources described as a “real discussion” on the spat and other economic concerns with the cabinet of Valdis Dombrovskis, the EU’s trade chief.
In the eight months since the inquiry was initiated, it’s understood that Beijing has made several “political” offers to Brussels in a bid to end it. The commission’s response has always been that the investigation is technical in nature, sparked by China’s own subsidies, and so a political resolution is not up for grabs.
‘#German Chancellor Olaf Sholz and #Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson are in agreement that imposing tariffs is a bad idea, which will dismantle #GlobalTrade. Indeed, European manufacturers succeed in Chinese market and benefit from #China-#Europe trade. (photo: DPA)’ – 王鲁彤 Wang Lutong, Twitter 🇩🇪🇸🇪
China Focus: Sino-German cooperation boosts smart, green auto industry – Xinhua 🇩🇪
China Focus: Popularity of China’s new energy products not due to subsidies: spokesperson – Xinhua 🇩🇪
Xinhua Commentary: China’s booming new energy industry a boon for the world – Xinhua: ‘The increase in carbon emissions reductions from China’s EV and installed renewable energy capacity is a boon for the energy transition of China and the world at large.’
Zhong Congwen: Upholding common interests of humanity calls for joint efforts to oppose protectionism – People’s Daily
所谓中国新能源“产能过剩”纯属伪命题(钟声) – 《人民日报》(2024年05月16日 第18版)
China EV makers rush cars to Mexico and Brazil amid tariff concerns – Nikkei Asia 🇺🇸🇲🇽🇧🇷
As US hikes China tariffs, imports soar from China-reliant Vietnam – Reuters 🇺🇸🇻🇳
China slams ‘wrongful’ US tariff hikes as markets await response – Nikkei Asia 🇺🇸
Wang Yi: Unilateralism and Protectionism Are Bound to Be Crushed by the Wheels of History – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China: ‘It seems that some in the United States have lost reason in a quest to ensure U.S. unipolar supremacy.’ 🇺🇸
The China-linked EV battery mega factory dividing a US township – The Guardian 🇺🇸
bezoek Poetin 🇷🇺🇨🇳
Xi en Poetin geven de wereld het goede voorbeeld, vinden Xi en Poetin – de Volkskrant 🇷🇺
Poetins bezoek aan Xi bevestigt Chinees-Russisch verbond, maar in de relatie is Rusland geen gelijke – de Volkskrant 🇷🇺
Poetins bezoek aan Xi onderstreept stevig front tegen het Westen – FD 🇷🇺
Chinese banken zijn bang voor Amerikaanse sancties, merken ze aan de grens tussen Rusland en China – NRC: „Steeds meer handel tussen China en Rusland gaat bijvoorbeeld via Centraal-Azië.” 🇷🇺🇺🇸
Xi and Putin condemn US and pledge closer ties as Russia advances in Ukraine – Reuters 🇷🇺
Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping agree to expand Russia-China military coordination – SCMP 🇷🇺
China renews call for political end to Ukraine war as Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 rolls out red carpet for Russia’s Vladimir Putin – SCMP 🇷🇺
Xi and Putin sign, issue joint statement on deepening China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era – Xinhua 🇷🇺
What is Putin and Xi’s ‘new era’ strategic partnership? – Reuters 🇷🇺
Xinhua Headlines: Xi and Putin hold talks in Beijing, charting course for enhanced ties – Xinhua: ‘China and Russia are committed to strategic coordination as an underpinning of relations, and steer global governance in the right direction, Xi said’ 🇷🇺
Xi holds restrictive meeting with Putin at Zhongnanhai – Xinhua: ‘[Xi] said the core of the Global Security Initiative is advocating the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and the fundamental solution to the Ukraine issue is to promote the establishment of a new balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture.’ 🇷🇺
Het lijkt dat Oekraïne bewaard was voor deze dasloze bijeenkomst in de tuin. Lees mijn oud stuk voor de Clingendael Spectator over wat voor Rusland-vriendelijke implicaties die „new balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture” heeft.
Xi and Putin attend opening ceremony of China-Russia Years of Culture – Xinhua 🇷🇺
Chinese premier Lǐ Qiáng 李强 meets Putin on bilateral ties – Xinhua 🇷🇺
China-Russia: an economic ‘friendship’ that could rattle the world – FT: ‘The burgeoning economic ties are one of the clearest signs of China’s desire to reshape global geopolitics in its direction using trade — and at the expense of the US, analysts say.’
‘In 2023, 60 per cent of Russia’s imports of dual-use high technology goods, as defined by the EU’s trade regulations, came from China, according to FT analysis of Russian trade data.’
‘Almost all of the imported technology used in Russian weaponry is of western origin, with just 4 per cent produced by Chinese companies. Russia has taken advantage of western companies’ lax compliance procedures to ship western-manufactured components via China or obtain them from western subsidiaries and joint ventures in the country, says Ribakova of the Peterson Institute for International Economics.’ 🇷🇺
Why growing China-Russia military ties worry the West – FT: ‘The joint training that Russian and Chinese forces have been conducting for almost 20 years has significantly deepened since 2018.’
‘Most joint naval and air activity has been happening close to Japan’ 🇷🇺
Behind Xi and Putin’s effusive rhetoric, issues remain for China-Russia ties – The Straits Times
inauguratie Lai Ching-te 🇹🇼🐶
Taiwan’s incoming president faces angry China, fractured parliament – Reuters
Zoals ik al voorspelde aan het einde van mijn stuk voor de Clingendael Spectator afgelopen november, is de rol van de KMT als verstoorder in het parlement waar we onze focus op moeten houden.
President-elect Lai Ching-te 賴清德 (DPP) reiterates openness to dialogue with Beijing – Focus Taiwan: ‘“I will not rule out dialogue with China on the principles of mutual respect, mutual benefits, and dignity,” Lai said at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit in a pre-recorded video, adding that such dialogue should be conducted “with no preconditions.”’
Taiwan’s new leader must make serious choice between peaceful development and confrontation – Xinhua
Cabinet resigns en masse ahead of reshuffle – Focus Taiwan
Big shoes to fill as Foreign Minister Joseph Wu 吳釗燮 (DPP) to shift posts – Focus Taiwan
First civilian defence chief in a decade, Wellington Koo 顧立雄 (DPP) faces reform challenge – Focus Taiwan
Koo is ook de enige defensieminister die DPP-lid is, afgezien van Michael Tsai in de laatste 85 dagen van de desintegrerende regering van Chen Shui-bian. Defensie is van oudsher een KMT-bolwerk, dus gebruikten DPP-regeringen doorgaans partijloze voormalige militairen.
Opposition’s Itu Aba/Taiping Island trip aimed at pressing incoming Lai Ching-te (DPP) on sovereignty, analysts say – Focus Taiwan: ‘The KMT, therefore, wants to present Lai with the conundrum of whether to remain silent or reassert the country’s territorial claims [in the South China Sea] at the expense of upsetting the U.S., which has sought to choke off China’s military presence in the sea, Liao said.’
US to send two ex-government officials to Taiwan inauguration – Nikkei Asia: ‘Brian Deese, former director of the White House National Economic Council; Richard Armitage, former deputy secretary of state; Richard Bush, senior Brookings Institution fellow; and Laura Rosenberger, chair of the de facto embassy American Institute in Taiwan.’ 🇺🇸
Australian MPs will attend Taiwan president-elect Lai Ching-te 賴清德’s inauguration in Taipei – ABC News 🇦🇺
Chinese reacties 🇨🇳
China’s TAO sanctions Taiwanese five political pundits – Taipei Times
Ahead of Lai inauguration, China sanctions five Taiwanese citizens – New Bloom: ‘what proves unusual is that many of these individuals in fact have pan-Blue political backgrounds.’
China to introduce legal measures against ‘Taiwan independence’ diehards, TAO spokesperson says – Xinhua: ‘Chen made these remarks in response to a question about the new “ruling team” of Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party authorities, which includes several strong advocates of “Taiwan independence.” There are analyses suggesting that the risk of “Taiwan independence” will continue to rise, and the situation in the Taiwan Strait will become more complex and severe.’
China cyberattacks targeting Taiwan on the rise ahead of Lai inauguration – Focus Taiwan
China military incursions inch closer to Taiwan, sources say – Reuters: ‘China’s military has sailed and flown closer to Taiwan in recent weeks than it has before, and staged mock attacks on foreign vessels ahead of the inauguration of the island’s next president on Monday, according to Taiwanese government reports.’
We horen hier misschien ook minder over, omdat het Taiwanese ministerie van defensie tegenwoordig minder gedetailleerd rapporteert over de Chinese militaire bewegingen. Sommige journalisten roepen op tot meer transparantie, maar als verdediging kun je aanvoeren dat je zo de psychologische druk vermindert.
Tech War 💽💥
ASML’s new advanced chip machines have a daunting price tag, according to TSMC 台積電 – Bloomberg 🇳🇱
France backs nickel refinery project to bolster battery supply chain – Mining.com: ‘a private sector plan to develop a nickel and cobalt refinery near Bordeaux’
‘The French government has been negotiating a rescue package for the loss-making New Caledonian nickel sector, including a commitment to supply Europe’s battery supply chain, though talks have stalled amid political tensions between pro-independence and loyalist parties.’ 🇫🇷
French government bans TikTok in overseas territory amid violent protests – POLITICO Europe 🇫🇷🇳🇨
New government plans to set up overseas science parks – Focus Taiwan: ‘in regions where Taiwanese businesses have made major investments, such as Japan, the United States, and Mexico’
‘The goal is to bring overseas commercial opportunities to smaller Taiwanese companies in the supply chain.’
De science parks in Taiwan zijn een succesvolle formule gebleken voor de halfgeleiderindustrie – Hsinchu Science Park en TSMC hangen nauw met elkaar samen, juist omdat het ook de toeleveranciertjes meeneemt.
Kantelpunt 🌏⏱️
China’s fintech footprint in Africa – The Wire China
Weekend 🏖️📚
Longreads en achtergrond
Beijing’s culinary crusade: Erasing Uyghur identity through food – Timothy Grose for ChinaFile: ‘The CCP views many facets of Uyghur life as “backward,” so it seeks to refashion Uyghur cultural expression in a way it finds both intelligible and non-threatening, promoting a set of officially sanctioned “Han” tastes and habits as the standard for hygiene, modernity, and normalcy.’
Europe must beef up China economic intelligence – or accept US bullying – Rebecca Arcesati for CEPA 🇪🇺
China Goes Global — Again: Despite increased scrutiny abroad, Chinese companies have started a second ‘Go Out’ initiative – The Wire China: ‘It’s not just the opportunities abroad that are encouraging Chinese companies to go global, of course. The economic slump at home is contributing as well.’
China doesn’t need to invade to achieve Taiwanese unification – Dan Blumenthal and Fred Kagan for The Hill: ‘China is more likely to pursue a “short of war coercion campaign,” as we call it, centered on political and economic warfare accompanied by limited kinetic action than an invasion of Taiwan’
The Harvard man who became Xi Jinping’s favourite academic – Charles Parton for The Spectator on Graham Allison
How China’s New Left Embraced the State – David Ownby for China Books Review
Rescuing Taiwan’s anxious middle class – CommonWealth Magazine: ‘people in their 40s in Taiwan held a 25 percent share of the population’s total net worth in 2004, about the same as for people in their 50s. Sixteen years later, however, the share for individuals in their 40s had dwindled to just 14 percent.’
Chengyu for Xi Jinping’s New Era (Part 1) – China Digital Times
Podcasts
Finding a European answer to the China-Russia partnership, with Alice Ekman and Helena Legarda – MERICS China Podcast 🍎
Emergency Pod: Setser on Biden’s Electric Curtain –
with Brad Setser 🍎China’s expanding ties with Latin America and the Caribbean – GMFUS China Global 🍎
Overige
China buitenland en defensie
Zuid-Chinese Zee
Filipino activists and fishermen sail in 100-boat flotilla to disputed shoal guarded by China – AP 🇵🇭
Coastguards can detain trespassers without trial, says Beijing as activists converge on Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea – SCMP: ‘this is the first time a specific regulation has clarified the coastguard force’s law enforcement procedure for administrative detentions.’ 🇵🇭
Philippine civilian boat convoy won’t proceed to China-held reef – AFP: ‘after one of their boats was “constantly shadowed” by a Chinese vessel.’
Opposition’s Itu Aba/Taiping Island trip aimed at pressing incoming Lai Ching-te (DPP) on sovereignty, analysts say – Focus Taiwan: ‘The KMT, therefore, wants to present Lai with the conundrum of whether to remain silent or reassert the country’s territorial claims [in the South China Sea] at the expense of upsetting the U.S., which has sought to choke off China’s military presence in the sea, Liao said.’ 🇹🇼
overige
China builds world’s first dedicated drone carrier – Naval News: ‘Whether it is intended for Blue Force simulation or purely research and development remains to be seen.’
Pakistan’s Gwadar port shows China’s Belt and Road can fail – DW: ‘Gwadar, despite being completed in 2007, has only logged 22 ships in its best year to date. It has also failed to attract any regularly scheduled deep-sea shipping lines.’
‘On the Chinese side, Mardell thinks decision-makers might have miscalculated.’ ‘said Mardell, […]. “I think they’ve learned from their mistakes with the BRI and with CPEC, and they’re probably more reluctant to commit capital nowadays.”’
‘Still, countries like Pakistan are now stuck paying back large amounts of debt to Chinese lenders.’ 🇵🇰
China calls for ‘upgraded’ CPEC, calls on Pakistan to ensure workers’ safety – SCMP: ‘On Wednesday, Wang called on Pakistan to ensure the safety and security of Chinese workers and investments in the country.’ 🇵🇰
China-Gulf free trade talks stall on Saudi industrial agenda, sources say – Reuters 🇸🇦
US defence chief plans to meet with Chinese counterpart during conference in Singapore, US official says – Reuters 🇺🇸
US questions China’s no-first-use nuclear call given buildup – Reuters 🇺🇸
US bars imports from 26 Chinese textile firms over suspected Uyghur forced labour – Reuters 🇺🇸
Chinese envoy hails vibrant media exchanges for bridging knowledge gap in South Sudan – Xinhua 🇸🇸
China will allow visa-free entry for foreign tour groups that come to the country via cruise ships – Bloomberg
China economie
Exclusive: China considers a proposal to have local governments across the country buy millions of unsold homes in an ambitious bid to aid its property market – Bloomberg: ‘Many of the properties would then be converted into affordable housing.’
Hangzhou, the headquarters of Alibaba and Geely, mulls buying unsold homes to boost market – SCMP
Utility price hikes in parts of China hand another blow to households – Reuters
China’s property ‘whitelist’ lifeline stutters amid sector gloom – Reuters: ‘new funding is only coming by the drip, reflecting the deep-seated caution about the outlook for China’s residential property market’
China’s biggest banks launch first sales of special loss-absorbing debt – FT
Shein 希音 switches focus to London after New York IPO stalls – FT 🇬🇧
China binnenland
Chinese vice premier Dīng Xuēxiáng 丁薛祥 urges efforts to improve graduate employment – Xinhua
Former ICBC anti-graft chief Liu Lixian charged with taking ‘huge’ bribes – Caixin Global
Concerns grow for Chinese citizen journalist Zhāng Zhǎn 张展 after supposed jail release – The Guardian: ‘There are concerns that Zhang may have been released into limited freedom, with restrictions on her movement and communications.’
Hong Kong
‘Glory to Hong Kong’: Google blocks 32 YouTube videos of protest song after court ruling – HKFP
Hong Kong seeks to regain global relevance as it hosts first geopolitical summit – The Straits Times: ‘But the reality is Hong Kong remains held back from its full potential, given its close alignment to the mainland and perceptions that the city might have been preoccupied with national security issues at the expense of global connectedness, said analysts.’
Taiwan buitenland en defensie
China Coast Guard law enforcement patrols near Kinmen waters increase; patrol model can be applied to entire Taiwan Straits: experts – The Global Times: ‘Once the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese fishermen are infringed, the CCG can refer to the “Kinmen model” to establish a normalized law enforcement patrol, said the professional.’ 🇨🇳
Taiwan binnenland en economie
KMT bypassing procedures for bills to expand legislature’s powers, DPP says – Taipei Times: ‘Wu said that TPP legislators were working with the KMT to fast-track the legislation to pass a third reading tomorrow.’
藍委議場守夜白營也加入 黃國昌擔任「民眾黨第一棒」 – 聯合報:「立法院17日院會將三讀通過國會改革五法,國民黨團今早舉行記者會,宣布為防綠營杯葛國會改革,啟動議場守夜,直到17日院會前,黨內立委將不分晝夜排班;」
KMT seeks to remove requirement for new channel license renewal – Taipei Times: ‘In 2020, seven NCC commissioners voted unanimously to reject CTi News’ license renewal application after the channel contravened broadcasting regulations multiple times’
Taiwan drag queens bring their glamour to presidential office celebrating RuPaul win – Reuters
MSCI to hike Taiwan weighting – Taipei Times