De Chinese Wouden, dinsdag 31 januari: halfgeleiders, Hoekstra spreekt Qin, Tsjechië, Huawei
Drukke nieuwsbrief, maar de halfgeleiders blijven het belangrijkste onderwerp. Veel meer inhoudelijke duidelijkheid is er nog niet. Wel is de eerste Chinese reactie binnen, en die is – zoals ik verwachtte – vooral gericht op het aanduidden van de VS als aanstichter. Tegen het Eindhovens Dagblad zei ik dan ook, dat ik geen grote vergelding verwacht tegen Nederland, en zeker niet rakende aan voor China essentiële bedrijven als ASML. Onze minister van buitenlandse zaken Wopke Hoekstra sprak met zijn Chinese tegenhanger Qin Gang. De readout van Chinese kant klinkt nog vriendelijk en in lijn met de hoop die leeft in Peking dat men Europa los kan weken van de VS.
Ondertussen zal Den Haag blij zijn met eventuele afleiding voor Peking in de vorm van een gesprek tussen de overwinnaar van de Tsjechische presidentsverkiezingen Petr Pavel en de Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen. In Tsjechië is de premier de regeringsleider, maar controversiële vertrekkend president Miloš Zeman was altijd erg actief in het promoten van de banden met China. Iemand actief binnen de Tsjechische overheid suggereerde mij dat Pavel zich moet laten zien als de anti-Zeman. Of Pavel echt Tsai gaat ontmoeten, zoals hij tweette, dat weet ik niet.
Andere afleiding komt weer uit de VS. Washington overweegt een verdere escalatie in de techoorlog met China. Huawei zou nu helemaal afgesloten worden van Amerikaanse toeleveranciers.
Vanaf vandaag ben ik na zes maanden weer weg uit het noorden en is Den Haag mijn standplaats.
Halfgeleiders 🇳🇱🍪
China noemt exportbeperking chipmachines „ondermijning stabiliteit” in internationale handel – De Volkskrant
Wat zijn de gevolgen van de deal die de VS en Nederland sloten voor ASML? – NRC
Hoe gaat China reageren op het ASML-akkoord? „Ze framen alles als een strijd tussen Amerika en China” – Eindhovens Dagblad met mijn commentaar:
Japan and the Netherlands agree to limit exports of chip-making equipment to China – WSJ: ‘Under the agreement reached Friday, the Netherlands will bar ASML Holding NV, a Dutch maker of photolithography machines, from selling to China at least some immersion lithography machines, the most advanced kind of gear in the company’s deep ultraviolet lithography line. The equipment is essential to making cutting-edge chips. Japan will set similar limits on Nikon Corp., according to one of the people familiar with the discussions.’
Source: Dutch and Japanese join US limits on chip tech to China – AP: ‘It’s unclear when all three sides will unveil the agreement.’
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning’s Regular Press Conference on January 30, 2023 – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China:
The US has been abusing export controls, coercing and roping in countries to form small blocs designed to contain China, politicizing tech and trade issues and using them as a tool and weapon and bringing down market rules and the international economic and trade order, in order to hold on to its hegemony and serve its selfish agenda. China is firmly against this. Such practices serve no one’s interests. They destabilize global industrial and supply chains and have given rise to global concerns. Many from the business community believe that the abuse of export controls will create levels of disruption and affect efficiency and innovation. [Waarschijnlijk verwijzing naar recente opmerkingen van ASML-chef Peter Wennink, volgens Peking dus een ‘good guy’.]
Anyone who attempts to block others’ way will only have his own path blocked. We will closely follow the developments and firmly defend our legitimate interests. Parties concerned need to act with prudence and approach this issue in light of their own long-term interests and the common interests of the international community.
Why the Netherlands should restrict semiconductor tech exports to China – Gerrit van der Wees in The Diplomat
Toeval?
Chinese and Dutch foreign ministers talk over phone – Xinhua: ‘China is speeding up its efforts to promote high-quality development and high-level opening-up, which will bring greater opportunities to China-Netherlands cooperation.’
Dit nieuwsbericht laat het in ieder geval een vriendelijk gesprek lijken.
Tsjechië en Taiwan 🇨🇿🇹🇼
President Tsai Ing-wen 蔡英文 [Cài Yīngwén] congratulates Czech president-elect Petr Pavel in rare call to non-ally leader – Focus Taiwan: ‘The last time President Tsai made public a phone call with a leader of a non-ally was on Dec. 2, 2016, with then U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.’
China contacts Prague over Czech president-elect speaking to Taiwan president – Reuters
Czech president-elect Petr Pavel risks Beijing’s anger for call with Taiwan’s leader Tsai Ing-wen 蔡英文 [Cài Yīngwén] – SCMP ‘In November, the Czech Republic issued its Indo-Pacific strategic policy framework, emphasising further cooperation with the countries in the region and deepening engagement with Taiwan. It also defined Beijing as a systemic rival in the region.’
New Czech president risks China’s rage with call to Taiwanese leader – POLITICO Europe: ‘Chinese diplomats in Prague had been “in contact” with the Czech authorities to try to stop Pavel from making the call to Taipei, Czech media reported.’
Hoewel men Litouwen wel steunt, waren veel andere EU-lidstaten geen grote fan van niet afgestemde Taiwan-avonturen. ‘Onnodige’ Tsjechische onrust met China zal ook geen enthousiasme bekoren.
Russische invasie Oekraïne 🇺🇦
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning’s Regular Press Conference on January 30, 2023 – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China:
The US is the one who started the Ukraine crisis and the biggest factor fueling it, and has kept sending heavy and assault weapons to Ukraine, which has only prolonged and intensified the conflict.
If the US truly wants an early end to the crisis and cares for the lives of the Ukrainian people, then it needs to stop sending weapons and profiteering from the fighting. The US needs to act responsibly by helping the situation deescalate as soon as possible, and create the necessary environment and conditions for peace talks between the parties concerned.
Russia seeks ‘new level’ of China ties – Reuters: ‘The Russian foreign ministry’s comments came shortly after Russia’s Vedomosti newspaper reported that China’s chief diplomat Wang Yi was set to visit Moscow in February.’
Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺
Russia and China weaponised pandemic to sow distrust, MEPs hear – EU Observer 🇪🇺
Convocatie commissiedebat China d.d. 5 april 2023 – Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal 🇳🇱
Tech War 💽
The Biden administration is considering cutting off Huawei from all of its American suppliers, including Intel and Qualcomm, as the US government intensifies a crackdown on the Chinese tech sector – Bloomberg
US halts provision of licences for export to Huawei – FT
Key lawmaker: Biden mulling broad prohibitions on U.S. investments in Chinese tech – POLITICO
China’s JD.com to shut down e-commerce units in Indonesia and Thailand in March – Dealstreet Asia: ‘The moves mark the Chinese company’s official retreat from the increasingly competitive e-commerce arena in Southeast Asia’
Tesla verwacht dat grootste concurrent uit China komt – NU.nl
Germany’s Scholz visits South America in a race with China to get lithium – Bloomberg
Diversification isn’t enough to cure Europe’s economic dependence on China – MERICS
Macron and Rutte agree to disagree on European response to US subsidies – POLTICO Europe 🇳🇱
EU warns of ‘unfair’ Chinese subsidies in Green Deal plan, according to draft – Reuters 🇪🇺
EU recovers appetite for trade in green industry push – Reuters 🇪🇺
India plans measures to curb Chinese imports as trade gap concerns mount, according to sources – Reuters
Zeitenwende ⏱️
US military poised to secure new access to key Philippine bases – The Washington Post
Disillusioned at home, super-rich Chinese set their sights on Singapore - Reuters
Overige
China buitenland en defensie
Chinese coast guard drives away Japanese vessels from disputed waters around Tokyo-controlled Senkaku/Diaoyutai/Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea – Reuters
NB: China claimt wel vaker schepen te hebben verdreven nadat ze gewoon op hun geplande route verder waren gevaren, dus lees niet te veel in de beeldende taal.
India has lost access to 26 of 65 patrolling points in Ladakh, says research paper – Sudha Ramachandran for The Diplomat
China urges ‘restraint’ as death toll in Israeli raid on Palestinian refugee camp rises to 10 – SCMP
China economie
China’s factory activity likely contracted more slowly in January – Reuters
Chinese homebuyers become more cautious, look to Japan’s experience amid Beijing’s efforts to stimulate demand in property market – Zhou Xin for SCMP
Xinhua Headlines: Despite Covid-19 pandemic, China remains important engine for global growth – Xinhua
Zeg maar dankjewel!
China covid
Na de ommezwaai van Xi gaat China over tot de orde van de dag – Trouw
China says covid situation at ‘low level’ after holiday – Reuters
China binnenland
China’s Sichuan frees unmarried people to legally have children – Reuters
Hong Kong
No protest rallies approved in 3 years due to ‘health’ concerns, say Hong Kong security chief Chris Tang 鄧炳強 [Dahng Bíng-kèuhng] – HKFP: ‘disagreed that people were less willing to express their views’
Taiwan buitenland en defensie
Taiwan warnings show US military is preparing for war, Chinese analysts claim – SCMP
Prominente activist vermoord, ‘moordteam’ van de koning in Rusland opgeleid – NRC: „Het voormalige Swaziland, de laatste absolute monarchie van Afrika, kent de laatste jaren steeds vaker serieuzere protesten, die koning Mswati III met harde hand neerslaat.”
Eswatini is de laatste diplomatieke bondgenoot van Taiwan in Afrika. Leden van de koninklijke familie zijn af en toe in Taipei te vinden, vanwege de excellente gezondheidszorg daar.
DPP alleges opposition collusion with China on import ban lift – Taipei Times
Tien-Kung III 天弓三型 and PAC-3 missile systems deployed in northern Taiwan to replace last MIM-23 Hawk systems, according to source – Focus Taiwan
Taiwan binnenland en economie
Full Cabinet lineup settled with appointment of academics and DPP cadres – Focus Taiwan
KMT has ‘low expectations’ for ‘insignificant’ Cabinet – Taipei Times
Presidential Office announces personnel appointments – Focus Taiwan
獨家》國民黨台中市黨部應移轉市有?黨產會2/24召開聽證會 – 自由時報
Consumer confidence in Taiwan rebounds slightly in January – Focus Taiwan