De Chinese Wouden, maandag 17 maart: Europa, consumptie
Nieuws over China en Europa, maar geen grote gebeurtenissen om te melden. Het belangrijkste is dat het Centraal Comité van de CCP en de Staatsraad van de PRC (het kabinet) gezamenlijk een actieplan hebben gepubliceerd die de consumptie moet doen groeien. Bill Bishop heeft achter zijn betaalmuur al een vertaling. Ik wac
In het theoretische tijdschrift van de Partij is ook een artikel (=verzameling citaten) van Xi Jinping verschenen, waarin hij de Twee Onwrikbaarheden verkondigt: de onwrikbare steun voor de publieke en voor de private sector.
Het broeit ook in/rondom Taiwan.
Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺
Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 snubs EU-China anniversary summit – FT: ‘The premier usually attends the summit in Brussels, and Xi hosts it in Beijing, but the EU believes the importance of this meeting […]’
‘the initial snub has confirmed the view among many in Brussels that China will not add concrete action to its warm words about the need to co-operate in the face of US President Donald Trump’s assault on the multilateral world order.’
‘“The relationship is on ice,” said a senior EU diplomat. “It is a change of tone not substance. Their policy is not going to change and the same is true for us.”’ 🇪🇺
Huawei 华为’s people banned from European Parliament and Commission premises over bribery probe – POLITICO Europe: ‘A Parliament official told POLITICO the ban is temporary and would be in place at least until the authorities conclude their investigation.’ 🇪🇺
Deze machtige lobbyisten geven Shein 希音 toegang tot Trump en Macron – Follow the Money: „Internationaal leidt dat verdienmodel tot steeds meer weerstand.” „In plaats van het bedrijfsmodel aan te passen, kiest Shein voor de aanval door op grote schaal lobbyisten te rekruteren.”
„Of het nu om de EU, het VK, Frankrijk of de VS gaat, contact met wereldleiders is voor Shein nergens meer dan twee appjes weg. […] volgens Arco Timmermans, lobby-expert aan de Universiteit Leiden. ‘Dat Shein deze mensen aan zich weet te binden om haar belangen te behartigen, heeft alles weg van een zeer getargete strategie.’”
Günther Oettinger, Christophe Castaner, Kamella Hudson, Peter Mandelson, Kash Patel en Cesar Conda 🇪🇺
‘CIA deelde labtheorie in voorjaar 2020 met NL’se inlichtingendiensten, die konden het zelf niet bevestigen (en RIVM achtte het niet geloofwaardig)’ – Huib Modderkolk, Bluesky 🇳🇱
Over de probabilistische bevindingen uit 2020 van de Duitse inlichtingendienst. Zie ook: ‘As I’ve pointed out many times, lab leak theory also depends on the idea that a market spill isn’t embarrassing to China. Whereas it’s deeply embarrassing because they claimed to have controlled wet markets after SARS *and* this wet market was owned by a local tycoon family with strong Xi ties’ – James Palmer, Bluesky
German lawmakers oppose Chinese wind project on sabotage fears – Nikkei Asia 🇩🇪
China state firms curb Russian oil imports on sanctions risks, sources say – Reuters: ‘The scaled-back buying by Chinese state players has weighed on Russian oil prices, eating into Moscow’s revenue and putting additional pressure on Russia ahead of a possible ceasefire deal with Ukraine.’ 🇷🇺
Russian goods seizures cause havoc on China-Europe rail link: ‘big impact’ – SCMP: ‘Many China-based freight companies only heard about the rule change weeks later – by which time Russian authorities had already impounded large amounts of their cargo.’ 🇷🇺🇪🇺
European Parliament resolution condemns deporting 40 Uyghurs from Thailand to China – RFA 🇪🇺🇹🇭
UK hoping to work with China to counteract Trump’s climate-hostile policies – The Guardian 🇬🇧
Cutting Chinese ties would cost Nottingham £100m [€119m], according to report – BBC News: ‘modelling suggested such a move would result in a loss of between £37-80m per year from Chinese students to the [city‘s] universities.’ 🇬🇧
Ex-Denmark, Slovenia PMs to speak at 2025 Yushan Forum – Focus Taiwan 🇩🇰🇸🇮
Wereldhandelsoorlog 📉💥
Commission imposes duties on unfairly subsidised imports of aluminium road wheels from Morocco – European Commission: ‘the investigation showed that China made direct cross-border financial contributions to one of the two exporting Moroccan producers, in the context of BRI cooperation.’ 🇪🇺
China should not prioritise low prices over product safety in drug procurement plan, European lobby group says – Reuters: ‘The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China also questioned China’s recent investigation into quality concerns of off-patent medicines approved for the programme, calling it “unscientific,” and lacking in transparency.’ 🇪🇺
China set for rapeseed meal shortage after 100% duty on top supplier Canada – Reuters 🇨🇦
China access for hundreds of US meat exporters in doubt as Trump 1.0 deal nears end – Reuters 🇺🇸
Senior South Korean and US officials met in Washington to address trade issues including tariff measures – Bloomberg 🇰🇷🇺🇸
Pegatron 和碩聯合 plans production in US amid Trump tariff threats – Focus Taiwan: ‘a leading Taiwan-based artificial intelligence server maker’ 🇹🇼🇺🇸
Techoorlog 💽💥
Staatssecretaris Szabó wil onderzoeken of het bouwen van een autonome ‘rijkscloud’ haalbaar is – NRC: „Partijen van links tot rechts zeggen min of meer hetzelfde, met uitzondering van de PVV die spreekt van een ‘hetze’ tegen de VS.” 🇳🇱
Volkswagen and Renault draw closer to China on EVs despite EU tariffs – Nikkei Asia 🇪🇺
China’s Ecarx in talks with Volkswagen to develop smart cars for Europe and US, CEO says – Reuters 🇪🇺🇺🇸
Afhankelijkheden van Chinese componenten worden nu al gevormd.
Chinese self-driving lidar leader Hesai 禾赛 plans tariff-beating overseas factory – FT: ‘Fan expressed confidence that a recently secured contract with a European automaker could allow the company to install its devices in autonomous vehicles on the road in Europe and the US.’
CATL posted record annual earnings for 2024 on strong EV-battery demand – Bloomberg
Europe faces battery catastrophe as Swedish champion Northvolt goes bust – POLITICO Europe 🇪🇺
Europa braucht Batterie-Nachhilfe aus China – FAZ 🇪🇺
Tesla plans Model Y costing at least 20% less to produce to defend China share, sources say – Reuters 🇺🇸
White House seriously considering deal from Oracle to run TikTok – POLITICO: ‘The deal is being billed as a “Project Texas 2.0,”’ 🇺🇸
Chinese firms embrace open-source chip technology to foster collaborative innovation – Xinhua
China’s Baidu 百度 launches two new AI models as industry competition heats up – Reuters
Eyes in the sky: US Space Force deploys cutting-edge tech to detect Chinese satellite surveillance – Natural News 🇺🇸
Did a US military contractor use a Chinese-made jet engine in ‘Strategic Strike’ missile? – SCMP 🇺🇸
Kantelpunt 🌏⏱️
EU lays out ‘massive investment’ boost in defence to deter Russia – POLITICO Europe 🇪🇺
EU explores new military intelligence satellites to cut reliance on US – FT 🇪🇺
Tough G7 foreign ministers statement drops ‘one China’ reference from Taiwan language – Reuters: ‘[also] mirrored a February Japan-U.S. statement in condemning “coercion” toward Taiwan’
Beijing’s embassy in Canada hits out at ‘arrogant and malicious’ G7 criticisms over South China Sea and Taiwan – SCMP
Xi Jinping: a champion of mutual learning among civilisations – Xinhua: ‘a letter is carefully preserved like a precious, delicate bridge model. It came from Chinese President Xi Jinping […] “It was a delightful surprise to us all,” said Virvidakis, his philosopher’s gaze softening at the memory.’
Japan eyes deploying long-range missiles on Kyushu island – Kyodo News: ‘The southern island prefecture of Okinawa, which lies closer to mainland China, is unlikely to be a deployment site amid concern it could heighten tensions with Beijing, the sources said.’
‘Deployment in Kyushu would put North Korea and China’s coastal areas within range.’ 🇯🇵
S Jaishankar: ‘The virtues of the old world order are exaggerated’ – FT 🇮🇳
Overige
China buitenland en defensie
Donald Trump urged to appoint special envoy to China – FT: ‘Steve Daines, a senator with close ties to Donald Trump, is trying to get the president to name him as a special envoy to China to help secure a meeting with Xi Jinping that could pave the way for a summit between the leaders.’ 🇺🇸
Bill Bishop wees erop dat deze berichtgeving suggereert dat de gesprekken over een top tussen Xi en Trump waarover SCMP en WSJ schreven waarschijnlijk niet zo ver gevorderd zijn.
State-backed paper Ta Kung Pao’s criticism of CK Hutchison’s Panama port deal shared by Beijing’s office on Hong Kong affairs – HKFP: ‘The author of the Ta Kung Pao article slammed Hutchison for the BlackRock deal, saying it would serve the strategic interests of the US.’ 🇺🇸🇵🇦
CCP delegation visits Panama – Xinhua 🇵🇦
US to install senior diplomat as chargé to oversee China embassy, State Department says – Reuters: ‘Anny Vu, current political section chief at the American Institute in Taipei (AIT), Washington’s de facto embassy in Taiwan, will become chargé d'affaires at the U.S. Embassy on a temporary basis’ 🇺🇸
Republican bill to block Chinese student visas is introduced in US Congress – SCMP: ‘would prevent Chinese nationals from getting any of three main types of student visas issued by the US.’ 🇺🇸
Regering-Trump stopt financiering wereldomroep Voice of America, ook Radio Free Europe getroffen – NRC 🇺🇸
Editorial: Why VOA, known as a ‘lie factory,’ has halted operations – The Global Times
Radio Free Asia set to furlough most US-based staff due to government funding freeze – POLITICO: ‘they will effectively shut down one of the few tools the U.S. government has to combat Chinese propaganda and reach people living under authoritarian regimes across Asia.’ 🇺🇸
De trumpisten beschuldigen VOA en RFA van ‘extreemlinks’ en ‘woke’ werk. Mijn skeet op Bluesky met dit artikel krijgt grote aantallen blije reacties van Amerikaanse en andere linkse/communistische personen, voor wie VOA, RFA en RFE/RL altijd een ‘imperialistische’ boeman waren. Chinese nationalisten en propagandisten zijn ook erg blij. Journalisten en activisten wanhopig om het verlies van een van de weinige plekken waar Oeigoeren, Tibetanen, en anderen vast journalistiek werk konden vinden in hun eigen taal.
US lawmakers urge Trump to address pending adoptions from China when he meets Xi – SCMP 🇺🇸
China and Russia back Iran as Trump presses Tehran for nuclear talks – Reuters: ‘saying dialogue should only resume based on “mutual respect” and all sanctions ought to be lifted.’ 🇮🇷🇷🇺
Xinhua Headlines: China, Russia, and Iran reaffirm dialogue as only viable option for Iranian nuclear issue – Xinhua: ‘the three countries emphasized on the necessity of terminating all unlawful unilateral sanctions’ 🇮🇷🇷🇺
Joint statement of the Beijing meeting between China, Russia, and Iran – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China 🇮🇷🇷🇺
Two Palawan residents detained in China last year over espionage claim – The Inquirer: ‘Both had already graduated from the program and returned [to the Philippines] but later went back to China as migrant workers after receiving job offers from their friends.’ 🇵🇭
China has many options at disposal to protect sovereignty in South China Sea, defence spokesperson says – Xinhua: ‘made the remarks when responding to a media query about comments from the Philippine Defense Secretary.’ 🇵🇭
A delegation from the Thai government will visit China this week to check on the welfare of dozens of Uyghur refugees, after their controversial deportation drew global condemnation and US travel sanctions on local officials – Bloomberg: ‘Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai will lead the delegation to Kashi city [Kashgar] in Xinjiang, which will also include members of the media’
US State Department hits Thai officials with visa sanctions over deportation of Uyghurs to China – Reuters 🇹🇭🇺🇸
2,876 fraud suspects repatriated from Myanmar to China – Xinhua 🇲🇲
Chinese defence spokesperson urges Japan to exercise prudence in military security – Xinhua: ‘responding to a media inquiry concerning Japan’s disclosure of its development of a new ballistic missile with a range of 3,000 kilometers.’ 🇯🇵
China Coast Guard patrols around Senkaku/Diaoyutai Islands – Xinhua 🇯🇵🇹🇼
China supplied 81% of Pakistan’s arms imports in the past 5 years, SIPRI says – SCMP 🇵🇰
China’s planned observatory in Chile in doubt as US raises concerns about potential military use – SCMP 🇨🇱🇺🇸
Niger’s military leadership ordered three Chinese oil executives to leave the country within 48 hours – Bloomberg: ‘saying they failed to meet a new provision to the mining code aimed at promoting the use of local goods and services.’ 🇳🇪
China lays track for stronger regional relations through railway lines to neighbours – SCMP
China amends military regulations to emphasise the need for war readiness – SCMP: ‘a series of amendments to its regulations […], putting a stronger focus on the importance of war readiness and overseas missions.’
Our best look yet at China’s new ‘invasion barges’ – The War Zone: ‘The development of jack-up barges is widely seen as part of preparations for a possible invasion of Taiwan by the People’s Republic of China.’ 🇹🇼
Chinese navy fighter jet crashes during training exercise in Hainan, pilot escapes unhurt – SCMP
China economie
China unveils 30-point toolbox to lift consumption – SCMP: ‘The action plan was jointly released by the general office of the ruling Communist Party’s Central Committee, and the State Council, China’s cabinet.’
China’s government unveils plan on special initiatives to boost consumption – Xinhua: ‘as the world’s second-largest economy moves to make domestic demand the main engine and anchor of economic growth.’
Xí Jìnpíng 习近平’s article on public and non-public sectors to be published – Xinhua: ‘on unswervingly consolidating and developing the public sector and unswervingly encouraging, supporting and guiding the development of the non-public sector’
习近平：坚持和落实“两个毫不动摇” – 《求是》2025/06：“党和国家坚持和完善社会主义基本经济制度，毫不动摇巩固和发展公有制经济，毫不动摇鼓励、支持、引导非公有制经济发展；”
China consumer watchdog show has no bite for foreign brands for a change – Nikkei Asia
China courts global CEOs for meeting with Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 on March 28 – FT: ‘Authorities in Beijing have approached chief executives planning to attend the China Development Forum, the country’s premier business assembly’ ‘held on March 23 and 24.’
Verwacht men dat deze drukbezette mensen nog een dikke halve week gaan wachten in Peking tot Xi tijd heeft?
China should choose ‘right timing and strength’ for monetary easing, state media says – Reuters: ‘The series of comments could further dampen expectations for an imminent cut in interest rates or in banks’ reserve requirement ratios.’
China’s stock benchmark rallied to reach its highest level this year, with consumer shares leading gains on expectations of more policy support – Bloomberg: ‘Officials from the finance ministry, commerce ministry, the central bank and other government bodies plan to hold a press conference Monday on measures to boost consumption.’
China’s central bank to create ‘more tools’ to shore up economy – SCMP: ‘looking into creating more structural tools to support innovation, domestic consumption and exporters’
Signs of recovery in China’s property market as prices in key cities stabilise, but challenges remain – The Straits Times: ‘China’s geographical divide means that improvements are largely concentrated in first- and second-tier cities, while less-developed areas are still falling behind.’
Tech start-ups all the buzz, but many young Chinese prefer stable government jobs – SCMP: ‘Seven central government ministries, […], issued a joint guideline late last month urging local governments to promote employment through entrepreneurship.’
China binnenland
China’s State Council studies Xí Jìnpíng 习近平’s speeches from Two Sessions and outlines key work priorities for 2025 – Xinhua: ‘launch special initiatives to boost consumption, build a unified national market, advance the AI Plus initiative, and promote the transformation and upgrading of the manufacturing sector’
China will take steps to revive consumption by boosting people’s incomes, the official Xinhua News Agency reported on Sunday, citing a statement from the State Council – Bloomberg
What does China Islamic Association’s rebrand reveal about Beijing’s integration drive? – SCMP: ‘the official website of the China Islamic Association is now devoid of any logos or Islamic imagery’
Chinese local governments turn to DeepSeek’s AI to identify suspected corruption cases and inefficiency – SCMP: ‘used the AI platform and big data technology to identify suspected welfare benefit fraud.’
Foreign investment difficulties for Chinese agribusinesses – Dim Sums
China spent 43 years engineering the perfect cattle, and Laos deal marks its first export – SCMP
Chinese cities call for bids to dismantle makeshift Covid hospitals and recycle materials – SCMP
‘All the birds returned’: How China’s Loess plateau led the way in water and soil conservation – The Guardian
Hong Kong
Independent Hong Kong filmmakers ‘forging new path’ with community screenings – HKFP
Taiwan buitenland en defensie
China’s Zhào Lèjì calls for legal improvements to fight Taiwan independence and foreign forces – SCMP: ‘during a symposium in Beijing marking the 20th anniversary of the country’s Anti-Secession Law.’
‘Lin Xiangyang, commander of the Eastern Theatre Command, which oversees the Taiwan Strait, also took part in the meeting, marking the first time that a PLA frontline commander delivered a speech at such a meeting.
Wang Xiaohong, the minister of public security, also attended the symposium, marking the first time a public security minister had taken part in the event.’ 🇨🇳
China’s PLA ‘ready to fight’ for Taiwan at any time, Eastern Theatre commander warns – SCMP 🇨🇳
Xinhua Commentary: Anti-Secession Law a strong and effective deterrent to ‘Taiwan independence’ – Xinhua: ‘The law has brought powerful deterrent effect on separatist forces. Over the past 20 years, they have not dared to cross the red line, though they have tried various plots and tricks.’ 🇨🇳
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council slams China for using Anti-Secession Law to justify annexation – Focus Taiwan 🇨🇳
Taiwan’s DPP slammed for soliciting US support for separatist agenda – Xinhua 🇨🇳
Taiwanese police investigating threatening letters from China sent to local officials – Taipei Times: ‘The postmark on the envelope indicates it was sent from China’s Hainan Province from the Communist Youth League of China.’ 🇨🇳
Sale of Taiwanese passports in China probed – Taipei Times: ‘illegal sales of Taiwanese passports to Chinese groups by seeking out impoverished people and paying them to apply for travel documents’ 🇨🇳
China-based Taiwanese entertainers to be probed – Taipei Times: ‘would have their Taiwanese citizenship revoked if they are holding Chinese citizenship’ ‘Several Taiwanese entertainers […] shared a picture saying that Taiwan would be “returned” to China’ 🇨🇳
SEF monitoring China's rumoured indictment of Taiwan-based publisher Fu Cha 富察 (Li Yanhe 李延賀) – Focus Taiwan: ‘senior prosecutor in China, said that authorities had handled an important “incitement to secession” case involving Li.’ 🇨🇳
Taiwan protests representative office name change on South African government website – Focus Taiwan: ‘now listing the “Taipei Liaison Office” as the “Taipei Commercial Office”’ 🇿🇦
Taiwan’s defence ministry pledges to look into remote wiping for phones – Taipei Times: ‘after a cellphone allegedly belonging to a former soldier in the army’s 137th Infantry Brigade was bought secondhand in China.’
Taiwan binnenland en economie
KMT discusses possible referendum on military tribunal revival – Focus Taiwan: ‘Voters would be asked: “Given that President Lai has designated China a foreign hostile force, placing cross-strait relations in a quasi-war state [sic], do you support following Ukraine’s example by implementing martial law [sic] and reinstating military tribunals?”’
Laat het maar aan de KMT om een belangrijk debat over een beladen onderwerp om zeep te helpen met misleidende hyperbool. Er is geen sprake van noodtoestand, hoe graag het Blauwe Kamp de DPP – opgericht in verzet tegen de noodtoestand van de KMT-dictatuur – graag wil vergelijken met de Zuid-Koreaanse president Yoon.
KMT chair Eric Chu 朱立倫 seeks apology from President Lai for ‘stigmatising military’ – Taipei Times: ‘Lai’s proposed changes are “tantamount to an accusation that the armed forces have been infiltrated by China,” he wrote. “It is a political maneuver to target internal enemies.” […] The Lai administration should answer to history and the public over the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) support for the abolishment of military tribunals, which weakened the armed forces and allowed communist infiltration, he said’
Timeline for military courts reinstatement plan outlined – Taipei Times: ‘The Ministry of National Defense is proposing amendments to legislation to ensure that courts martial would not be seen as an extension of an authoritarian regime and are instead part of a system that maintains military discipline while upholding human rights, Koo said.’
Pan-Blue camp continues to target Kuma Academy sanctioned by China, focusses on links with AIT – New Bloom: ‘The [KMT’s] attempt seems to be claiming that the DPP aims to strengthen civil defense efforts and allocating funding toward whole-of-society resilience efforts only simply in order to line its pockets.’
Authorities search Hualien locations linked to KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi 傅崐萁 – Taipei Times: ‘Authorities are investigating after complaints were filed accusing Fu of illegally receiving funds from foreign sources and vote-buying during campaigning for last year’s legislative elections.’
‘The merchandise for Fu’s campaign, including the gifts, were allegedly supplied by the two companies, which imported the goods from China, the complaint filed by Wen said’
查辦「競選小物修容組」直搗花蓮 北檢：未搜傅崐萁住處 – 自由時報
花蓮員工宿舍遭搜索 傅崐萁：賴總統不要再追殺在野黨 – 聯合報
DPP dedicates bulk of budget-cut event to attacking opposition – Focus Taiwan: ‘the DPP had said that the eight-date tour would be centered on Cabinet members addressing the budget cuts and freezes, and urged the public ”not to confuse” the events with campaigning to recall opposition lawmakers.’
KMT vows 100 ‘policy briefings’ to counter 8 DPP ‘policy briefings’ – Focus Taiwan
De recall elections brengen een soort van campagnestemming in Taiwan.
Taiwan-Matsu dual submarine cable telecommunication restored – Focus Taiwan
Taiwan’s maternal mortality rate is high compared to OECD – Taipei Times