De Chinese Wouden, maandag 14 augustus: Xi Jinping op vakantie, William Lai in New York
Xi Jinping was de afgelopen dagen nog altijd op strandvakantie met zijn collega’s. Verhalen over zijn afwezigheid zijn dus nog niet interessant. De natuurrampen die de wereld teisteren deze zomer, treffen ook China. Maar afgezien van propaganda bij Xinhua over Xi als leider van de respons, zien we hem niet in kaplaarzen tussen de mensen. Dat soort leider is hij nooit geweest, ook al leidt dat tot onflatteuze vergelijkingen met zijn voorgangers.
Taiwans vicepresident en DPP-presidentskandidaat William Lai Ching-te is kort in New York geweest op weg naar Paraguay. Op de terugweg gaat hij nog langs San Francisco. China heeft al militaire oefeningen aangekondigd als reactie. Maar het zal deze keer niet zo raar gaan als tijdens de bezoeken van Tsai Ing-wen aan de VS en Nancy Pelosi aan Taiwan. De rang van de betroffen persoon is lager en volgens de berichtgeving doen Washington en Taipei er alles aan om het niet te groot te maken. VS en Taiwan willen geen groot gedoe met China. De DPP wil niet de onruststoker lijken in een campagne waarin ze vooralsnog eerste staan in de peilingen.
Meer concreet zorgelijk nieuws over de Chinese economie.
Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺
Hoe de Nederlandse geheime dienst politieke partijen bespioneerde – NRC: „Monjé en Schrevel begonnen daarna de Kommunistiese Eenheidsbeweging Nederland (marxisties-leninisties) [de eerste naam van de Socialistische Partij (SP)]. De BVD bleef goed opletten en concludeerde dat Monjé in 1970 naar China was gereisd en met geld voor de partij was teruggekomen. Later werd duidelijk dat het om 75.000 gulden (34.000 euro) ging.” 🇳🇱
Chinese ambassador Wú Kěn 吴恳 seeks to reassure Germany over China’s support for peace efforts in Ukraine – SCMP 🇩🇪
Botschafter Ken Wu: „China ist kein Risiko“ – Berliner Zeitung: 🇩🇪
„Es gibt zwei Begriffe in dieser Diskussion – „decoupling“ und „derisking“. Das sind englischsprachige Begriffe, wir alle wissen, aus welchem Land sie kommen.“
„Aber mein Eindruck ist, dass sich die Amerikaner, obwohl sie eine besondere Rolle für die Sicherheit in Europa haben, nicht wirklich für eine schnelle politische Lösung interessieren. Ohne die aktive Beteiligung der USA kann die Ukraine-Krise nicht beigelegt werden.“
Western leaders welcomed China’s presence at Ukraine peace talks. But Beijing’s relationship with Europe is still testy – CNN: ‘An EU official told CNN that Brussels has not “solidified” its position yet on China.’ 🇪🇺
China has its own reasons for being at Ukraine peace talks in Saudi Arabia – The Guardian: ‘“Ukraine’s best-case scenario for the end of this war is also China’s worst-case scenario. Beijing fears regime change in Moscow and its potential security implications for China,” said Alicja Bachulska […].’ […] ‘Instead the gathering in Jeddah offered Beijing a chance to bolster ties with allies in the global south, and attempt damage limitation on China’s reputation in the west, […].’ 🇪🇺
Taiwan seen more favourably than not across 24 countries – Pew Research Center
Nederland: 35% niet gunstig, 52% gunstig, 13% weet niet.
Tech War 💽💥
The US-China tech war is a mixed bag for China’s chip champion SMIC—but the China growth slowdown is all bad – WSJ
China’s top chip foundry SMIC reports lower revenue and profit as US sanctions continue to bite amid sluggish demand – SCMP
US investors flag retaliation risks after Biden’s China tech curbs – Reuters
China pushes to dominate trading in clean energy metals – FT
Europe lost to China on solar—now it’s about to do the same with wind – Ann Mettler (VP Europe, Breakthrough Energy) for POLITICO Europe
Kantelpunt 🌏⏱️
US President Biden unlikely to attend Asean summits in September on trip to Asia – Reuters
Japan destroyer tests Sri Lanka shipyard with eye on future use – Nikkei Asia
China ‘winning lion’s share’ of construction projects in Africa, study finds – SCMP
Overige
China buitenland en defensie
Verenigde Staten
China uncovers alleged Chinese spy for CIA, according to state security ministry – Reuters
Voormalig China-expert bij de CIA Dennis Wilder merkte op dat het een reactie zou kunnen zijn op de uitgesproken kritiek van FBI director Christopher Wray op Chinese spionage. Hij had ook kunnen verwijzen naar de Chinese belofte tegenmaatregelen te nemen toen CIA-baas Bill Burns zei dat de dienst bezig is het netwerk in China te herbouwen.
Clock ticks down for China-US science deal amid tech theft fears – SCMP
US and China agree to double weekly flights between countries – Reuters
China a ‘ticking time bomb’ because of economic woes, Joe Biden warns – The Guardian
The White House pushed back on suggestions that Biden is toughening his rhetoric on China, a day after he called its economy a ‘ticking time bomb’ – Bloomberg
China lashes out at US ‘double standards’ at the WTO – SCMP: ‘Releasing the report on Friday, China’s Ministry of Commerce described the United States as a “destroyer of the multilateral trading system”, “bullying hegemonist”, “double-standard manipulator” and “disturber of global industrial and supply chains”.’
Overige
Convoy of Chinese engineers attacked in Pakistan’s Gwadar – AFP
Armed Forces of the Philippines chief: Government plans to deploy naval reservists to counter Chinese maritime militia in West Philippine Sea [South China Sea] – The Inquirer
Hotline between Philippines and China coast guards now defunct, says Philippine Coast Guard – CNN Philippines
Hotlines met China werken niet, want juist wanneer het crisis is, nemen ze de telefoon niet op. Dat blijkt keer op keer.
Philippine President Marcos eyes maritime cooperation deal with Vietnam as South China Sea dispute heats up – ABS-CBN News
Het heeft altijd in China’s voordeel gewerkt dat de landen rondom de Zuid-Chinese Zee ook met elkaar in territoriaal conflict zijn. Als ze die problemen onderling oplossen, dan komt Peking ineens zwakker te staan.
China cultivates transactional Taliban ties as Afghan regime turns 2 – Nikkei Asia
China coast guard says it held maritime enforcement drills with Russia and South Korea – Reuters
Japan and China quietly mark friendship pact 45th anniversary amid tensions – Kyodo News: ‘with no official celebratory events amid tensions’
New Zealand intelligence report accuses China of ‘foreign interference’ – The Guardian
China economie
Country Garden crisis brings new pain to China’s property sector – FT: ‘Country Garden this week confirmed it had missed payments of $22.5mn on two of its international bonds, sending shockwaves through the country’s struggling real estate industry.’
China property woes spread, adding to national economic gloom – Nikkei Asia
Foreign investment in China falls to lowest level on record – Nikkei Asia
China State Council issues guidelines in bid to increase foreign investment – Reuters
China lonkt naar buitenlandse investeerders om economie op te krikken – BNR
China to shift CN¥1 trillion [€126b] of ‘hidden’ local debt to provinces – Bloomberg
China drugmakers axe IPO plans as they face scrutiny in anti-graft drive – Reuters
China sends debt squads to tackle overleveraged regions – FT: ‘One of the biggest sticking points between central and local governments was who should pay for a clean-up.’
Niet de eerste keer dat ze dit proberen…
China has fallen into a psycho-political funk – James Kynge for FT: ‘China’s malaise is only partly economic. The deep context behind several of the impediments to growth is a strange hybrid of psychological and political factors — a sort of psycho-political funk.’
China binnenland
China floods: death toll rises to 29 in Hebei, and authorities warn damage could take years to fix – SCMP
21 doden door modderstroom in Xi'an – NOS
Analysis: Xi opens Beidaihe with no elders but plenty of challenges – Katsuji Nakazawa for Nikkei Asia
Storm clouds gather over Xi Jinping’s summer beach retreat – FT
Bill Bishop merkte tijdens een recente podcast terecht op dat de jaarlijkse strandvakantie van het partijleiderschap tegenwoordig een stuk minder belangrijk is voor het bepalen van de koers. Er is minder collectiviteit en er zijn simpelweg minder levende senioren.
Hong Kong
AP gets rare glimpse of jailed Hong Kong pro-democracy publisher Jimmy Lai 黎智英 – AP: ‘spends around 23 hours a day in solitary confinement in a maximum-security facility while he awaits a trial that could send him to prison for life.’
Hong Kong’s corporate lawyers test boundaries as Beijing’s influence grows – FT: ‘“In 2019 we were advised to reduce our reliance on US law firms as much as possible,” said a source familiar with state-owned enterprises. “This advice became mandatory this year, so we need to respond to directives from our higher authorities.”’
Taiwan buitenland en defensie
President Tsai Ing-wen 蔡英文 [Cài Yīngwén] (DPP) offers aid to Hawaii after wildfires kill 55 – Taipei Times
Purdue University launching centre to advocate for Taiwan, says former Trump official Keith Krach – Taipei Times
Taiwan to reopen its borders to Chinese tourists from third places, says Premier Chen – Focus Taiwan
For Paraguay and its new president, Taiwan ties are weighed against China’s potential economic role – SCMP
Why are three former Indian service chiefs attending a security conference in Taipei? – India Today
Air force developing new jet missiles for proposed next-generation fighter jet – Taipei Times
Taiwan verkiezingen
Vice President William Lai Ching-te 賴清德 [Lài Qīngdé] (DPP) welcomed in New York on way to Paraguay – Taipei Times: ‘A person familiar with the trip’s planning said that William Lai would not meet with US lawmakers, adding that he would keep his visit “low key,” in line with Taipei and Washington’s shared position to “jointly manage risks when facing an authoritarian region at this sensitive time.”’
過境紐約見僑胞 賴清德喊台灣安全世界就安全 – 中央社
China announces military exercises ahead of Vice President William Lai Ching-te 賴清德 [Lài Qīngdé] (DPP)’s visit to Paraguay – Focus Taiwan
China criticises visit of ‘troublemaker’ Taiwan Vice President to US – Reuters
PRC cognitive warfare targets Vice President William Lai Ching-te 賴清德 [Lài Qīngdé] (DPP)’s Paraguay trip – Taipei Times: ‘The Chinese government has signed one-month contracts with Paraguayan media outlets to promote negative coverage’
William Lai Ching-te 賴清德 [Lài Qīngdé] (DPP)’s top aides strategise to counter disinformation – Taipei Times
Ex-Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je 柯文哲 [Kē Wénzhé] (TPP) vows to ‘campaign till the end’ for presidency – Focus Taiwan: ‘quashing the months-long speculation that he could agree to be the running mate of other presidential candidates’
Taiwan needs nuclear energy, Ko Wen-je 柯文哲 [Kē Wénzhé] (TPP) says – Taipei Times
Volgt Hou, maar minder uitgesproken.
Taiwan binnenland en economie
Former New Taipei council deputy speaker Chen Wen-chih 陳文治 [Chén Wénzhì] (DPP) detained on suspicion of embezzling public funds – Taipei Times
Only life sentence or death penalty for narcotics offences ruled partly unconstitutional in Taiwan – Taipei Times
Average life expectancy the lowest since 2014 – Taipei Times
Pandemie en vergrijsde bevolking.
Indonesians set to work on farms, labour ministry says – Taipei Times