De Chinese Wouden, maandag 12 februari: Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!
Een rustige nieuwsbrief. In China en Taiwan ligt alles nu stil vanwege het Chinees Nieuwjaar. De relaxte toespraak van ambassadeur Tan bij de nieuwjaarsreceptie laat zien dat het ook op diplomatiek gebied rustig blijft. Drukker was het in Veldhoven, waar ASML zijn nieuwste machine liet zien aan de pers. Het herstel van de Chinese gallium-export laat ondertussen zien dat Peking doorheeft de eigen positie te kunnen schaden door serieuze beperkingen in te voeren.
Onrust is er in Brussel, waar de samenhang uit het China-beleid lijkt te verdwijnen mede dankzij onenigheid over de richting tussen Berlijn en Parijs. In Duitsland had politieke druk klaarblijkelijk wel succes om chemieproducent BASF ervan te overtuigen zich terug te trekken uit Xinjiang.
Chinees Nieuwjaar 🐉🧨
Remarks by Ambassador Mr Tan Jian at the Chinese New Year Reception – Embassy of the People’s Republic of China to the Kingdom of the Netherlands: 🇳🇱
We have achieved a lot of fruitful results, though at the same time facing challenges.
We regard the Netherlands as a large economy, also the gateway to China-EU cooperation.We look forward to working with the new government, once it is formed. Anyone here who knows when, kindly let me know. My many thanks in advance.
In the meantime, we will of course continue to cooperate closely with the current caring-taking government, to promote our ties.
Chinees Nieuwjaar steeds populairder in Nederland: dit is waarom – RTL Editie NL 🇳🇱
Uitgerekend in de hoofdstad van vuurwerkland China knalt het niet op nieuwjaarsdag – Trouw
Chinese jongeren beginnen het Jaar van de Draak zonder familie – de Volkskrant
The Year of the Loong? China’s dragons ‘are not’ the West’s ‘giant reptiles with wings’ – SCMP: ‘Chinese state media outlets have backed a push for the English word “dragon” to be replaced by its Mandarin transliteration loong in references to the Lunar New Year.’
Explainer: Welcoming the Year of the Dragon or the Loong? Insights from the Chinese perspective – Xinhua: ‘With the world becoming more familiar with the Chinese zodiac sign, has the time come to translate the Chinese dragon to loong?’
Dit soort gedoe is in lijn met de oproep van Xi Jinping tot meer ‘cultureel zelfvertrouwen’ – dat internetgebruikers dan gelijk Elon Musk aanvallen om het ‘incorrecte’ gebruik van het woord ‘draak’ is dan weer in lijn met de aard van het digitale Chinese nationalisme.
Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺
Provincie Zuid-Holland gaat minder samenwerken met China – Omroep West: „Zuid-Holland wil bij verzoeken uit het bedrijfsleven nog wel een faciliterende rol spelen, maar vermindert de structurele contacten.” 🇳🇱
EU’s plans for tougher China stance risk coming off the rails as splits emerge on multiple issues – SCMP: ‘Von der Leyen’s flagship de-risking project, unveiled last March, has been put on the back burner amid furious resistance from member states.’ 🇪🇺
De belangrijkste rode draad in dit belangrijke stuk is hoever Duitsland en Frankrijk uit elkaar staan.
EU supply chain law faces scrap amid German coalition row – EU Observer 🇪🇺🇩🇪
German firm BASF to pull out of Xinjiang joint ventures after Uyghur abuse claims – The Guardian: ‘because of “the market environment and product carbon footprints” of the chemicals made at the plants in Xinjiang.’ ‘met a group of legislators including the German MEP Reinhard Bütikofer and the British MP Iain Duncan Smith on Friday.’ 🇩🇪
China-Russia relations: Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin will have ‘several’ meetings, including visit to China this year, says ambassador – SCMP 🇷🇺
NB: zoals ik al in eerdere nieuwsbrieven opmerkte, is één staatsbezoek tussen beide landen per jaar de norm sinds 1999.
Chinese banks ‘refrained’ from dealing with Russia over sanctions fears – SCMP: ‘Russian deputy foreign minister Andrey Rudenko said problems regarding payments between China and Russia “will be solved”, Russian news agency Tass reported on Friday.’ 🇷🇺
Tech War 💽💥
High-NA: zo bouwt ASML het grootste kopieerapparaat ter wereld. Wie gaat ‘m kopen? – NRC: „Chipmachinefabrikant ASML toonde het gevaarte deze week voor het eerst, aan een groep journalisten.”
„Door nu als eerste voor High-NA te kiezen hoopt Intel in één keer weer op voorsprong komen.”
„Volgens ASML hebben alle klanten die nu EUV afnemen toegezegd dat ze High-NA-machines gaan kopen. Naast Intel zou het gaan om vijf klanten: TSMC, Samsung, SK Hynix, Micron en het Rapidus-project waarmee Japan zijn chipindustrie nieuw leven wil inblazen.” 🇳🇱
Dunnere lijntjes vragen om grotere machines, verslag vanuit de ASML-fabriek – NOS 🇳🇱
China’s gallium export volume for December hit highest level since July, customs data shows – SCMP: ‘Despite Beijing’s export rules, there had been no “dramatic reductions” in the supply of gallium and germanium’ ‘China realised that cutting off supplies would be “costly to itself as well as to the US and other countries”, Miller said.’
The US and the EU are in discussions to align efforts in their push against China’s dominance in the supply chain for so-called critical minerals – Bloomberg: ‘The aim is to combine the EU’s high-level policy approach with the US focus on specific projects, according to people familiar’ 🇪🇺
Europe is importing a solar boom. Good news for (nearly) everyone – The Economist’s Charlemagne: ‘In 2023 the equivalent of one nuclear reactor of solar power was installed every single week.’ 🇪🇺
Het meest zwaarwegende argument tegen het importeren van Chinese zonnepanelen blijft voor mij de Oeigoerse dwangarbeid. Daarnaast is het vervelend dat Chinese industriepolitiek met hulp van een onverslaanbaar partijstaatvoordeel weer een Europese industrie kapotmaakt. Dat heeft zeker belangrijke nadelen. Alleen heeft Charlemagne gelijk, dat we er ook voordeel van hebben. De kosten van onze energietransitie wordt nu – buiten de Oeigoerse regio om – deels gedragen door de gewone Chinees. Het morele nadeel is dat deze kosten deels bestaan uit de al genoemde dwangarbeid en vormen van de door Michael Pettis beschreven financiële repressie en het door Qin Hui beschreven ‘low human rights advantage’.
The Biden administration is considering restrictions on imports of Chinese ‘smart cars’ and related components that would go beyond tariffs to address growing US concerns about data security – Bloomberg: ‘to prevent Chinese makers from moving cars and components into American markets through third countries like Mexico’
‘US officials are particularly concerned about the troves of data collected by so-called smart cars’
Chinese EVs set to make bigger splash in Europe with huge new ships – Nikkei Asia: ‘Later this month, the first of the roll-on/roll-off (RORO) ships ordered by leading Chinese EV manufacturer BYD will stop at ports in the Netherlands and Germany.’
China’s auto parts import value down 12.4 pct in 2023 – Xinhua
Exclusive: Duke Energy to remove product sof Chinese battery giant CATL 宁德时代 from Marine Corps Base – Reuters
Exclusive: Xiaomi 小米 says India’s scrutiny of Chinese firms unnerves suppliers – Reuters
Boudewijn Poldermans: „Economie loskoppelen van China volstrekt zinloos en onmogelijk” – BNR Nieuwsradio
Loskoppelen is ook niet het beleid.
Kantelpunt 🌏⏱️
Veiligheidsdienst waarschuwt over Chinese cyberspionage. Heb je genoeg kaarsen in huis? – Trouw
Overige
China buitenland en defensie
Beijing accused of using spying, threats, and blackmail against Tibetan exiles – The Guardian
Report reveals Chinese Transnational Repression spreading fear and disempowering exiled Tibetans – TCHRD
Nuclear weapons and poison pills: Washington, Beijing warily circle AI talks – SCMP 🇺🇸
Republican China committee chairman Gallagher retiring from US Congress – Reuters 🇺🇸
China private investment firms face growing US scrutiny, analysts say – Nikkei Asia 🇺🇸
As China ties warm, US military resumes search to bring WWII ‘fallen heroes’ home from southern provinces – SCMP 🇺🇸
Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 and Péng Lìyuán 彭丽媛 extend Chinese New Year greetings to US Lincoln High School teachers and students – Xinhua 🇺🇸
Philippine Coast Guard accuses Chinese vessels of ‘dangerous’ manoeuvres – AFP
Japan repeatedly spots Chinese coast guard and warships near disputed waters – AP 🇯🇵
Japan’s foreign minister urges improved cybersecurity following diplomatic cable leak by Chinese cyber-attack – The Yomiuri Shimbun 🇯🇵
China tipped to keep Mali ties strictly economic as UN peacekeeping mission wraps up – SCMP: ‘although Malian junta leaders have approached China for both development assistance and help with conflict resolution, observers have said it is likely that Beijing will provide only non-military aid.’ 🇲🇱
China economie
China’s middle class, key to Beijing’s economic recovery plan, put spending on hold over wealth, income concerns – SCMP
China’s well-to-do are under assault from every side: Their agonies at the hands of markets and the state will reshape the Chinese economy – The Economist: ‘Even if most got-rich-first keep quiet, however, the current turmoil is unwinding decades of goodwill between the government and its most productive citizens. Whereas previously China’s thriving strivers and the authorities appeared to be on the same side, often in contrast to pampered young people, the state now appears indifferent if not hostile to the problems of the well-to-do.’
As China woes mount, investment banks brace for more Asia job cuts – Reuters: ‘Financial institutions on average have cut roughly 20% of their workforce in Asia last year’
China South City 华南城 flags potential default on October 2024 notes payment – Reuters
China binnenland
🎆
Hong Kong
National security risk test for all Hong Kong visa applicants introduced by Immigration Department – SCMP: ‘The disclosure follows high-profile visa incidents in recent months.’
After public uproar over Lionel Messi’s failure to play in a recent Hong Kong match, China’s Hangzhou city cancels Argentina game – Bloomberg
Hong Kong organiser to partly refund Inter Miami tickets after Messi backlash – Reuters
Taiwan buitenland en defensie
A record eight Chinese balloons detected, says defence ministry – Taipei Times
Taiwan binnenland en economie
Indigenous voters tipped Taiwan’s legislative race to the KMT – Courtney Donovan Smith: ‘The DPP beat the KMT in the popular vote by hundreds of thousands in both the district and party list races. In the district races, the DPP garnered 6,095,276 votes total, compared to 5,481,454 for the KMT plus Chen Chao-ming, a significant gap of 613,822. In the proportional party list vote, the DPP won 4,982,062 votes to the KMT’s 4,764,576, a DPP win of 217,486.’