De Chinese Wouden, dinsdag 22 november: Amerika-China
Vandaag een groot blok nieuws over de betrekkingen tussen de VS en China. De Wall Street Journal heeft bericht dat een groep pro-engagement Amerikanen een bijeenkomst hebben gehad met een Chinese delegatie. Ook blijkt de Chinese speciale vertegenwoordiger voor de CEEC (denk: 17+1), Jiāng Yú 姜瑜, op rondgang te zijn door Oost- en Midden-Europa. Nederlands nieuws is afwezig, maar ook China is druk met Qatar, zoals een LNG-deal laat zien.
Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺
The US and the EU aim to work together to counter what they call non-market policies, including in China, according to a draft statement ahead of high-level talks in Washington – Bloomberg 🇪🇺
Denmark’s largest commercial pension fund PFA has exited two Chinese clothing manufacturers and is discussing how to handle its other China holdings – Bloomberg 🇩🇰
UK police identify offences committed in Manchester Chinese consulate-general incident – Reuters 🇬🇧
China boosts efforts to control Western infrastructure and key industries, says NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg – Reuters
Hard cash and soft power: When Chinese firms win EU contracts – Allison Carragher for Carnegie Europe: ‘Financed by the EU, the construction of the Pelješac Bridge in Croatia has been a resounding success for Chinese soft power.’ 🇪🇺
China in the Balkans: Countering Beijing’s regional influence – Valbona Zeneli and Fatjona Mejdini for per Concordiam 🇪🇺
Taiwan’s National Science and Technology Council focussed on energy cooperation with Germany – Taipei Times 🇩🇪
Lithuania’s new office in Taiwan not a de facto embassy, foreign minister Joseph Wu 吳釗燮 (Wú Zhāoxiè) says – SCMP: ‘He said it was a trade office, with no consular or political functions, when asked during a legislative meeting whether it had any diplomatic role.’ 🇱🇹
US-China 🇺🇸🇨🇳
China turns to back-channel diplomacy to shore up US ties – WSJ: ‘Beijing dispatched a delegation of senior policy advisers and business executives to New York to meet with a U.S. counterpart group set up by insurance executive Maurice “Hank” Greenberg, one of the most successful American businessmen in China.’
‘Among the Americans, according to the people, are Mr. Greenberg, Paul Fribourg [agribusiness CEO], […], former U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman [registered ZTE lobbyist –SEH] and two former U.S. ambassadors to Beijing: Max Baucus, […], and Terry Branstad, […].’
‘The Chinese group indicated it might be desirable for Beijing to work with Washington on geopolitical issues involving Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and North Korea, according to the participants. But the Chinese delegates seemed to condition the cooperation on Washington respecting China’s core interests such as Taiwan and easing restrictions on high-tech sales to Chinese companies.’
We kunnen al zien hoe weinig concreets toezeggingen aan China opleveren bij zoiets universeel belangrijks als klimaat. Bij geopolitieke issues zou ik niet op concrete zaken als Taiwan en high-tech toegeven in ruil voor wat vooral mooie woorden zullen zijn. – SEH
China speculated to be stockpiling gold to cut greenback dependence – Nikkei Asia
South Korea and Taiwan affected by growing US-China high-tech tensions – Nikkei Asia
US kept quiet on warship transit of Taiwan Strait before Biden met Xi – Nikkei Asia
US has ‘unwavering commitment’ to defend Philippines if attacked in South China Sea, says Vice President Kamala Harris – The Straits Times
Head-of-state diplomacy charts course ahead for China-US relations – Zhong Sheng in People’s Daily: ‘It has achieved the intended purpose of having in-depth communication, clarifying intentions, making clear where the red lines are, preventing conflicts, setting the direction, and exploring cooperation.’ ‘China has its own principles and red lines that it has long upheld, and has legitimate and lawful interests that must be firmly protected. China will not yield to any acts of hegemonism or bullying.’
元首外交为中美关系发展指明方向(钟声) – 《人民日报》(2022年11月16日 第04版)
Ik had bovenstaand commentaar in het Volksdagblad over het treffen tussen Biden en Xi onder de gezaghebbende pennaam Zhōng Shēng’ 钟声 (‘geluid van tollende bel’, homonym van ‘Stem van China 中声, gebruikt bij het lezen van een buitenlandse les) vergeten.
Xinhua Headlines: Pooling Asian wisdom for better global governance – Xinhua: ‘The world has been beset with mounting global security threats, including worsening food and security crises, growing attempts to form bloc politics and stoke confrontation, rising protectionism and isolationism, a resurgence of the outdated Cold War mentality as well as arbitrary sanctions that have seriously disrupted international cooperation to shore up recovery.’
Het staatspersbureau Xinhua maakt duidelijk waar de propaganda-afdeling van de Partij de werkelijke crisis vandaan ziet komen.
Xinjiang
Bloomberg conducted tests that tied cotton used in Shein clothes to China’s Xinjiang region—where the US has determined the people are subject to forced labour – Bloomberg: ‘Shein faced new questions about its supply chain last month. Britain's Channel 4 and the i newspaper published an investigation that said employees at two Shein suppliers in China work as many as 18 hours a day with no weekends and just one day off per month, practices that would violate China’s labor laws.’
MSCI investors at risk of exposure to Xinjiang allegations, report says – FT
New HKW report finds that 14 US state pension funds are passively funding crimes against humanity in Xinjiang through the MSCI – Hong Kong Watch
Forced marriage of Uyghur women: state policies for interethnic marriages in East Turkistan (Xinjiang) – Uyghur Human Rights Project
Op mijn blog houd ik een bibliografie bij van academische bronnen, rapporten en belangrijke journalistieke producties over wat er gebeurt in Xinjiang.
Overige
China buitenland en defensie
Filipijnen en China vechten op zee om ‘drijvend voorwerp’, mogelijk een restant van een raket – De Volkskrant
China denies using force to retrieve rocket debris in South China Sea – Reuters
In 35 minuten van Jakarta naar Bandung — met dank aan Chinese miljarden – FD
‘More smoke than fire’: China’s Pacific aid falls short of pledges – FT
Cuba’s leader to visit China as island battles struggling economy and energy woes – SCMP
China and Cambodia look to upgrade military ties along with expanded naval base – SCMP
China on course for Africa trade boost as it offers duty-free access to 9 more countries – SCMP
First Lady Péng Lìyuán 彭丽媛 joins diplomatic whirl in first overseas trip since coronavirus pandemic began – SCMP
Kazakhstan expected to tilt to China after president’s ‘landslide’ win – Nikkei Asia
China economie
China slaat grote slag in wereldwijde run op aardgas uit Qatar – NUnl
Sinopec secures one of biggest-ever LNG deals with Qatar – FT
China en Rusland uit de gratie: handel Europa-VS groeit weer fors – Trouw
China’s great debt-for-equity swap: With the dollar carry trade unwinding, Chinese banks are bulking up – FT
China’s central bank asks lenders to stabilise lending to property developers and construction firms, the latest effort by policymakers to contain the real estate crisis and bolster economic growth – Bloomberg
Younger Chinese are spurning factory jobs that power the economy – Reuters
Chinese small businesses bearish on fourth quarter due to virus restrictions, survey shows – Caixin Global
China covid
Na maanden weer coronadoden in China, steden deels in lockdown – RTL Nieuws
Shijiazhuang near Beijing, which was rumoured to be a test case for China dispensing with all virus restrictions, has suspended schools, locked down universities and asked residents to stay at home for five days – Bloomberg
Investeerders die wanhopig in elk sprankje hoop een heropening willen zien zullen nog vaker verliezen.
China COVID cases rise, hard-hit Beijing tightens entry rules – Reuters
China binnenland
China births: which 13 provincial-level populations officially shrank in 2021? – SCMP
Taiwan buitenland en defensie
No need to avoid Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 at APEC, Taiwan envoy Morris Chang 張忠謀 (Zhāng Zhōngmóu) says after rare encounter in Bangkok – Reuters
Chinese fishing boat and crew held by coast guard after poaching in Taiwanese exclusive economic waters – Focus Taiwan
Taiwan’s CPTPP bid ‘unopposed’, says foreign minister Joseph Wu 吳釗燮 (Wú Zhāoxiè) – Taipei Times
No contact yet with likely incoming US House speaker Kevin McCarthy on Taiwan trip, says foreign minister – Focus Taiwan
Taiwan binnenland en economie
TSMC confirms plans to make top-end 3-nanometer chips in US eventually – Taipei Times
TSMC starts construction of new 28nm fab in Kaohsiung, 7nm fab postponed – Taipei Times
Campaign Trail: Crazy Huang Shan-shan 黃珊珊 (Huáng Shānshān) (TPP) rally in Taipei – Frozen Garlic
New Tapei mayoral debate revolves around questions of Hou You-yi 侯友宜 (Hóu Yǒuyí) (KMT)’s future political ambitions – New Bloom
The outcome of Taipei’s mayoral race will not be indicative of overall trends in Taiwan – New Bloom: ‘It is significant to note the significant demographic differences between Taipei and other parts of Taiwan before seeing the Taipei race as a benchmark for Taiwan as a whole.’
Zie ook mijn commentaar in de nieuwsbrief van gisteren over het kleinere belang van de Chinafactor in de lokale politiek.
2022 Elections: DPP targets highly contested voting areas, KMT does the opposite – Taipei Times
Covid-19 rules threaten thousands of votes in Taiwan local elections – SCMP
Transportation Committee freezes 10% of digital affairs ministry agency’s budget over internet platforms threat to Taiwanese media profitability – Taipei Times
Taiwan’s export orders in October drop amid sluggish global economy – Focus Taiwan