De Chinese Wouden, maandag 13 januari: EU-China en Trump, VK, Foxconn in India
In SCMP een goed artikel over de manier waarop de chaos die Trump-Musk nu al scheppen invloed heeft op de focus van de EU op China. Er is verschil van mening tussen (en binnen) de Commissie en de lidstaten over de mate waarin men moet meegaan met Trump (o.a. m.b.t. China) om de Europese belangen te redden, of juist de nieuwe VS als gevaar moet behandelen. Ondertussen valt op hoezeer de nog relatief nieuwe Britse regering de economische banden met China weer aan lijkt te willen halen.
Interessant nieuws van de Taiwanese Apple-bouwer Foxconn (Hon Hai). Het bedrijf maakt goede voortgang met fabrieken in India, maar loopt nu tegen problemen aan. Chinese medewerkers worden teruggeroepen en spullen zitten vast. Het lijkt erop dat de Chinese overheid niet zit te wachten op de export van kennis en technologie naar concurrent India.
In Taiwan was er een groot protest voor de oprichter van oppositiepartij Ko Wen-je. De voormalige burgemeester van Taipei wordt onderzocht voor corruptie en financiële misstanden. Zijn partij en supporters claimen dat het allemaal verzonnen is en dat DPP-president Lai Ching-te de rechtstaat zou manipuleren. Daar is geen enkel bewijs voor – de aanklagers hebben juist veel documenten over Ko. Dat maakt dat Taiwan ook lijkt te lijden onder de mondiale verzwakking van een gedeelde democratische levenswereld. Versplintering is overal.
Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺
Antwoord op vragen van de leden Paternotte, Van der Burg, Van der Lee en Boswijk over de situatie van Oeigoeren in Thailand – minister Veldkamp, Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal 🇳🇱
China falls down EU’s agenda as both sides brace for impact when Trump returns – SCMP: ‘Negotiations on tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles have been parked, with “minimal technical contact”, sources said. They also said media reports suggesting there could be an EU-China Summit in April are wide of the mark.’
‘In Brussels, it is hoped that China is one file on which the EU can work with the incoming Trump government and, while the past week is a reminder of the chaos ahead, that plan remains intact.’ 🇪🇺
Germany charges 3 with spying on naval tech for China – SCMP 🇩🇪
German far-right party AfD rejects involvement of Chinese firms in ports and digital networks – DPA 🇩🇪
Reeves’ drive for growth seeks China lifeline after UK market turmoil – The Observer 🇬🇧
‘Reengagement with China’ to boost British economy by up to £1B, Reeves says in Beijing – POLITICO Europe 🇬🇧
China’s Hé Lìfēng 何立峰 calls for closer financial ties with Britain as both sides seek reset – SCMP 🇬🇧
China and UK vow to strengthen economic and financial cooperation – Xinhua 🇬🇧
China central bank governor Pan meets Bank of England’s Bailey in Beijing – Reuters 🇬🇧
Tougher US sanctions to curb Russian oil supply to China and India – Reuters 🇷🇺
Taiwanese government to donate US$560,000 to repair roads near Kyiv health centre – Focus Taiwan 🇺🇦
Former Lithuanian top diplomat Gabrielius Landsbergis to receive government honour in Taiwan – Focus Taiwan 🇱🇹
British MP Tom Tugendhat visits Taiwan, will meet with officials – Focus Taiwan 🇬🇧
Handel 🚗⚡️
China’s commerce ministry says EU imposed unfair trade barriers on Chinese firms – AFP: ‘The European Commission on Thursday defended the FSR’ 🇪🇺
US government to finalise Chinese vehicle crackdown rules next week, Raimondo says – Reuters 🇺🇸
China hit record trade barriers in 2024 as overcapacity fears spread to developing world – SCMP: ‘Its trading partners announced a total of 160 trade investigations into made-in-China products – a sharp increase from 69 cases in 2023’
Chinese used-car exports surge 45% on strong Russian EV demand – Nikkei Asia 🇷🇺
Storm brewing in China’s solar-panel sector threatens to spiral out of control: Solar industry faces year of reckoning as Opec-style pact falters amid a price war and excess capacity – SCMP
Two major Chinese solar manufacturers have been approved by the local government of Sichuan to build silicon wafer plants in the southwestern province, as tight supply and downstream demand boost domestic prices – Bloomberg
Analysis: Why Southeast Asia is becoming a manufacturing hub for Chinese investments – Caixin Global
Tech War 💽💥
Vooral Chinese kopers bieden op machinepark van laatste Belgische chipfabrikant BelGan – Belga 🇧🇪
Foxconn 鴻海 stops sending Chinese workers to India iPhone factories – Rest of World: ‘Shipments of specialized manufacturing equipment meant for India have also been held up in China, the sources told Rest of World.’
‘The Chinese government may be alarmed by the manufacturing shifts particularly to India’ 🇮🇳
China wil ook graag controle houden op de export van hoogwaardige technologie en kennis China uit.
TSMC 台積電 begins producing 4-nanometre chips in Arizona, Raimondo says – Reuters 🇺🇸
Economic affairs ministry lifts overseas limits on TSMC 台積電 – Taipei Times: ‘no longer be restricted from investing in next-generation 2-nanometer chip production in the US’ 🇺🇸
TSMC 台積電 cuts ties with Singapore firm PowerAIR over chip found in Huawei 华为 processor, sources say – SCMP: ‘following a client check triggered by the discovery of a TSMC chip in a Huawei Technologies artificial intelligence (AI) processor’ 🇸🇬
US and Denmark officials lobbied Greenland rare earths developer Tanbreez not to sell to China – Reuters 🇬🇱🇩🇰
Bye bye TikTok – wat verandert er voor Amerikanen als de app straks verdwijnt? – de Volkskrant 🇺🇸
Kantelpunt 🌍⏱️
Navo-chef Mark Rutte waarschuwt: als Oekraïne verliest, versterkt dat landen als China – AD
Chinese and Russian warship activity surges around Japan’s southwest – Nikkei Asia 🇯🇵🇷🇺
Could South Korea’s political strife bring it closer to China? – SCMP 🇰🇷
China’s mass exodus: Number of asylum seekers surpasses one million under Xi Jinping – Safeguard Defenders
Overige
China buitenland en defensie
Chinese hackers breached US government office that assesses foreign investments for national security risks CFIUS – CNN: ‘The hackers also targeted Treasury’s sanctions office’ 🇺🇸
US has responded to Chinese-linked cyber attacks on telecoms firms, Sullivan says – Reuters 🇺🇸
Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 to send top-level China envoy to Donald Trump’s inauguration – FT 🇺🇸
University of Michigan ends Chinese partnership after intense pressure from US lawmakers – SMCP 🇺🇸
充分认识中美关系互利共赢的本质（钟声） – 《人民日报》（2025年01月13日 第03版）
Commentaar in het Volksdagblad onder de gezaghebbende pennaam ‘Zhong Sheng’ benadrukt de mogelijkheden voor win-win-samenwerking een week voor de inauguratie van Donald Trump.
Exclusive: Beijing resumes disputed ‘fishing support facilities’ installations in West Sea (Yellow Sea) amid South Korea’s turmoil – The Chosun Daily: ‘a disputed area where the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of South Korea and China overlap’ 🇰🇷
China’s MirrorFace hacking group has launched over 200 cyberattacks on Japanese government and firms since 2019, says National Police Agency – The Yomiuri Shimbun 🇯🇵
Singapore police working with Philippine authorities in investigation into ex-mayor Alice Guo – The Straits Times: ‘Her purported associates include Singaporean Zhang Jie, who is said to be the former president of an online casino group in the archipelago.’ 🇵🇭🇸🇬
Uyghurs detained in Thailand say they face deportation and persecution in China – AP: ‘Over 300 Uyghurs fleeing China were detained in 2014 by Thai authorities near the Malaysian border.’ ‘leaving 53 Uyghurs stuck in Thai immigration detention and seeking asylum’ 🇹🇭
Chinese and Indonesian coastguards pledge deeper cooperation after first high-level talks – SCMP 🇮🇩
China’s Wáng Yì 王毅 offers Africa aid against terrorism – Nikkei Asia
Chinese foreign minister Wáng Yì 王毅 calls for China-Africa cooperation on global governance reform – Xinhua: ‘The suffering experienced by African nations throughout history stems not only from colonialism but also from hegemonism and power politics’
China gets major Nigeria rail project back on track by granting key loan – SCMP 🇳🇬
Hundreds protest against illegal mining in east DR Congo – China Global South Project: ‘Local authorities in the resource-rich province say hundreds of mining companies, mainly Chinese, extract gold without declaring profits and often without valid operating permits.’ 🇨🇩
Chinese engineers’ patents reveal aim to cut undersea cables – Newsweek: ‘While the fact that patents were sought for anchor-like devices for cutting submarine cables does not mean that they were used in these incidents, it does indicate an interest in cutting them, marine experts said.’
China economie
China records 10.7% export surge ahead of Trump’s return – Nikkei Asia
China’s export growth quickens amid trade risks, imports surprise – Reuters: ‘Imports surprised to the upside with 1.0% growth, the strongest performance since July 2024.’
Chinese economist Gao Shanwen questioned Beijing’s ability to boost its economy. Leader Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 ordered him disciplined – WSJ: ‘Xi’s order led to a ban on Gao speaking publicly for an unspecified period, said the people familiar with the matter.’
Outspoken economist Gao Shanwen leaves his Hong Kong financial firm, source says – SCMP
China remains stuck in low consumer inflation for second year, according to official numbers – SCMP
Chinese developer Sunac 融创’s shares tumble 26% after liquidation petition – FT
China steps up defence of renminbi against Wall Street bets – FT
China binnenland
Chēn Wénqīng 陈文清 elected China Law Society director – Xinhua: ‘member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee’
Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 urges law societies to better play their role as bridges – Xinhua: ‘Xi said they must uphold the Party’s overall leadership and continue to serve the broader goals of both the Party and the country.’
Volgens mij is het nieuw dat de hoogste veiligheidschef van China deze rol als baas van het equivalent van de orde van advocaten op zich neemt. Dat dit samenvalt met de oproep van Xi tot het versterken van het leiderschap van de Partij doet vermoeden dat er een controlerende beweging richting de advocatuur wordt gemaakt.
Senior CCP official Cài Qí 蔡奇 highlights Party building in emerging fields – Xinhua: ‘within new types of economic and social organizations, and among groups in new forms of employment.’
China in contact with WHO on respiratory diseases, foreign ministry says – Reuters: ‘In its latest report, China’s Center For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said HMPV cases remained at high levels. That is in line with cases in other parts of the northern hemisphere.’
Former Chinese state media editor Hu Jian lands new foreign ministry role – SCMP: ‘Hu has been named the top-ranked among four deputy directors of the foreign ministry’s personnel department’
China files more than 4,000 disciplinary cases against officials in 2024 – Reuters
People clash with police outside vocational school in northwest China, videos show – Reuters
In Depth: Why China’s judicial system is reforming its rigid evaluation criteria – Caixin Global
Boarding schools in Tibet reshape the ‘souls of children’ – The New York Times: ‘around three-quarters of Tibetan students age 6 and older — and others even younger — are in residential schools that teach largely in Mandarin’
Hong Kong
Hong Kong pollster Robert Chung 鍾庭耀 under investigation over allegedly assisting fugitive, reports say – HKFP: ‘The office of the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (HKPORI) was also searched by national security police on Monday morning’
Hong Kong sends task force to Thailand over cases of residents trafficked to Southeast Asia – HKFP
Term of UK judge Leonard Hoffman, 90, extended on Hong Kong’s top court for another 3 years – HKFP
Taiwan buitenland en defensie
Taiwan’s National Security Bureau releases report on Chinese infiltration tactics – Focus Taiwan: ‘the NSB said China established contacts with criminal gangs, local temples and religious groups, and civilian organizations, as well as helped retired military personnel set up front companies’ 🇨🇳
Chinese spy prosecutions tripled in four years in Taiwan – Taipei Times: ‘In 2021 and 2022, 16 and 10 spies were prosecuted respectively, but that number grew to 64 last year’
‘The NSB said it has found evidence that gangs recruited by the CCP were asked to raise Chinese flags and engage in armed insurrection in the event of an attempted invasion by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.’ 🇨🇳
Veterans Affairs Council warns retired military against helping the enemy – Taipei Times 🇨🇳
Political party head and ex-military officers indicted in China espionage case – Focus Taiwan: ‘for allegedly receiving money to photograph and pass along the GPS coordinates of Taiwanese military installations to contacts in China.’ 🇨🇳
Retired officers indicted over collusion – Taipei Times: ‘They formed spy networks and paramilitary groups, including snipers and assassination squads to kill government officials and politicians during a possible Chinese invasion, [prosecutors] said.’ 🇨🇳
China suddenly building fleet of special barges suitable for Taiwan landings – Naval News: ‘A number of special and unusual barges, at least 3 but likely 5 or more, have been observed in Guangzhou Shipyard in southern China.’ 🇨🇳
Niet vreemd met de deadline van 2027 in het oog wanneer de Chinese strijdkrachten in staat zouden moeten zijn om Taiwan binnen te vallen. De trekker echt overhalen blijft uiteindelijk een politieke beslissing.
China’s fortified air bases will outlast those of US in Taiwan war, according to think tank report – Nikkei Asia 🇨🇳🇺🇸
Chinese ship Shunxing-39 intruded in Taiwan’s contiguous and sovereign waters for 3 months before allegedly damaging undersea cable – Taipei Times 🇨🇳
China-linked shipowner denies Taiwan accusation of damaging undersea cable – Reuters 🇨🇳
China using many kinds of ‘united front’ tactics, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council says – Taipei Times: ‘Cross-strait interaction is becoming increasingly unilateral’ 🇨🇳
Missing Changhua man confirmed detained in China – Taipei Times 🇨🇳
Taiwan to distribute essential supplies to LA wildfire victims – Focus Taiwan 🇺🇸
Taiwanese politicians consider foreign legion of fighters to counter China – The Telegraph
Coast Guard takes delivery of another 600-tonne corvette – Focus Taiwan
New NASAMS missiles to be deployed in Taiwan’s north – Taipei Times
Taiwan binnenland en economie
TPP supporters rally in support of detained Ko Wen-je 柯文哲; decry DPP government – Focus Taiwan: ‘Organizers said in the afternoon more than 50,000 had taken part in the event.’ ‘TPP Acting Chairman and Legislator Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) said the main purpose of the rally was to “call out the green authoritarianism.”’
‘Several lawmakers from the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT), which has worked with the TPP to push through several bills in the current Legislature, also showed their support at the event.’
Ko Wen-je 柯文哲’s supporters rally in defence of embattled TPP founder – New Bloom: ‘Organizers claimed that 150,000 attended the event, though there are allegations that the crowd count was wildly inflated and closer to 15,000.’
‘Participants at the rally largely emphasized their view of Ko as innocent of charges, while alleging that the Lai administration has concocted charges against Ko as a means of political persecution targeting opponents. This occurs despite that prosecutors have provided evidence including data from USB drives, Excel spreadsheets, and chat logs.’
‘In the meantime, the rally demonstrates to what extent the TPP has grown close to the KMT and other pan-Blue political parties, despite having previously emphasized its brand as a “white” political party that is distinct from the pan-Blue camp. 21 KMT legislators, including Hsu Chiao-hsin, May Chin, and others were in attendance. Deep blue political parties such as “White Wolf” Chang An-lo’s Chinese Unification Promotion Party were also present at the rally, though such groups are known for their links to pro-unification organized crime groups.’
Donovan’s Deep Dives: Similarities and differences between KMT and TPP supporters – Courtney Donovan Smith for Taipei Times: ‘In most areas of the country, the top reason given by both KMT and TPP supporters was they “hated” the DPP, and in many places by similar margins.’
In het verleden was ik niet de enige die de KMT in Taiwan wel eens vergeleek met de Republikeinen in de VS. Inmiddels zou je kunnen zeggen dat de TPP leert van de MAGA-beweging hoe je een alternatieve realiteit kunt creëren en mensen/jonge mannen kunt mobiliseren met een beroep op ontevredenheid. De DPP blijft ondertussen moeite hebben geliefd te zijn.
Ko Wen-je 柯文哲 (TPP) corruption investigation uncovers alleged contraventions, Control Yuan says – Taipei Times: ‘uncovered alleged misappropriation of donations purportedly for election campaign expenditure, and has shone a light on loopholes in the Political Donations Act’
High Court rejects appeals by Ko Wen-je 柯文哲 (TPP) and three others against latest detention – Focus Taiwan
Stalemate deepens as lawmakers back Constitutional Court bill again – Focus Taiwan: ‘how any legal battle involving the Constitutional Court can proceed remains unclear because there are only eight justices currently sitting on the 15-seat court’
Civil servants demand pension review – Taipei Times: ‘to match the newly amended replacement ratio ceiling for police officers and firefighters.’