De Chinese Wouden, maandag 27 januari: gelukkig Chinees Nieuwjaar
Al vast gelukkig Chinees Nieuwjaar aan alle lezers! Morgen dinsdag 28 januari is de vooravond, 除夕 (cn: chúxì, tw: chúxì). Op deze avond komen families bijeen voor een reüniediner. Nu al stroomt Singapore, waar ik ben, vol met terugkerende Singaporezen. In het naburige Maleisië en ook in China en Taiwan neemt de verkeersdrukte al toe.
De eerste dag van het nieuwe jaar is woensdag 29 januari. Dan beginnen alle familiebezoeken. Dit is het jaar van de slang (蛇 shé). Dit volg op het afgelopen jaar van de draak (龙 lóng). Normaal is dat een fortuinlijk jaar voor het krijgen van kinderen. De al genoemde landen hadden hoop dat dit zou helpen tegen de demografische uitdagingen die ze allemaal hebben. De data zal waarschijnlijk laten zien dat de neerwaartse geboortetrend zich doorzet.
Omdat ik nu zelf in Singapore ben, zijn mijn komende dagen ook erg druk met huisbezoeken. (In Maleisië had ik al mijn eerste ‘lo hei’, voor hier moet ik mijn twee tangerines nog kopen. Ik heb in ieder geval mijn nieuwe rode batik al klaarliggen!) Dat betekent wel dat ik minder tijd zal hebben voor de nieuwsbrief. Tegelijkertijd zal er uit China en Taiwan ook minder nieuws komen – dit is de belangrijkste vakantie van het jaar. Washington zal waarschijnlijk wel niet stil blijven zitten.
Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺
Dutch PM Schoof raised human rights and ASML in talks with China’s Dīng Xuēxiáng 丁薛祥 – Reuters 🇳🇱
China and the Netherlands pledge to build open world economy and strengthen green development cooperation – Xinhua 🇳🇱
The EU has resumed its case against China at the WTO over allegations of economic coercion targeting Lithuania – Bloomberg 🇪🇺🇱🇹
Volkswagen open to Chinese rivals taking over excess production lines in Europe – FT: ‘partnering with Chinese makers of EVs, which are looking to expand their footprint in Europe, was one option to address declining sales in the region.’ 🇩🇪
Sánchez refuerza la alianza con China para hacer frente a Trump – El Mundo 🇪🇸
Interview: China's Xinjiang deserves more global media appreciation, says Slovak news portal founder – Xinhua 🇸🇰
China verliest veel invloed in Poolgebied, zorgen over Europese veiligheidsbelangen – BNR 🇪🇺
China’s top diplomat Wáng Yì 王毅 to visit UK in February for talks with David Lammy – The Guardian: ‘One source said the purpose of Wang’s visit was to hold a UK-China strategic dialogue for the first time since 2018.’ 🇬🇧
Shein 希音 tells UK lawmakers it does not allow Chinese cotton in products sold in US – Reuters 🇬🇧
Trump 🇺🇸🟠
Xinhua Commentary: Jointly secure a good start for China-US relations at a new juncture – Xinhua: ‘What matters most is to respect each other's core interests and major concerns and find a proper solution.’ 🇺🇸
China’s Wáng Yì 王毅 tells Rubio to behave himself in veiled warning – AP: ‘employing a Chinese phrase typically used by a teacher or a boss warning a student or employee to behave and be responsible for their actions.’ 🇺🇸
China’s Wáng Yì 王毅 and new US top diplomat Marco Rubio clash over Taiwan in first phone call – AFP 🇺🇸
China and US should find right way to get along in new era, Wáng Yì 王毅 says – Xinhua: ‘The two heads of state have pointed out the direction and set the tone for China-U.S. relations, said Wang.’
‘China has no intention to overtake or replace any country, but must safeguard its legitimate rights to development, he said.’ 🇺🇸
China zit in zijn maag met bestrafte VS-minister Rubio – NOS 🇺🇸
Trump officials say they are reviewing China’s compliance with trade deal – SCMP 🇺🇸
Hegseth is quickly sworn in as defence secretary after dramatic Senate vote – AP: ‘Later, in a emailed message to the American military, […] he singled out the needs “to deter aggression in the Indo-Pacific by Communist China ... and reorient to key threats. […]”’ 🇺🇸
The CIA now believes COVID most likely originated from a lab but has low confidence in its own finding – AP: ‘declassified and released Saturday on the orders of President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the agency, John Ratcliffe’ 🇺🇸
Trump discussing TikTok purchase with multiple people, decision in 30 days – Reuters 🇺🇸
Trump stuurt aan op TikTok-aankoop door Amerikaanse investeerders – FD 🇺🇸
Tech War 💽💥
Productie terughalen uit China: vijf jaar na de pandemie komt er weinig van terecht – FD
How small Chinese AI start-up DeepSeek shocked Silicon Valley – FT: ‘In 2021, Liang started buying thousands of Nvidia graphic processing units for his AI side project while running his quant trading fund High-Flyer.’
Chinese AI startup DeepSeek overtakes ChatGPT on Apple App Store – Reuters
Japan to vet investments by firms under China state influence – Nikkei Asia 🇯🇵
More Chinese companies secure US patents despite trade war – Nikkei Asia 🇺🇸
Overige
China buitenland en defensie
China infiltrating Japan’s Okinawa in preparation for Taiwan invasion – The Telegraph 🇯🇵
Philippines suspends South China Sea survey after China’s ‘harassment’ of fisheries vessels – Reuters 🇵🇭
China expels Philippine vessels for unlawfully entering waters near Tiexian Jiao – Xinhua 🇵🇭
Beijing says Philippines sent provisions to warship at Second Thomas Shoal atoll disputed by China – Reuters 🇵🇭
China Coast Guard monitors Philippine resupply activity at Ren'ai Jiao – Xinhua 🇵🇭
China captures scam centre suspect with Thailand’s help – Reuters 🇹🇭
Thailand and China to set up coordination centre to combat scam call networks – Reuters 🇹🇭
Detained gambling tycoon She Zhijiang, who says he spied for China, alleges abuse in Thai jail – Reuters 🇹🇭
Chinese EV makers push for luxury models in Southeast Asia – Nikkei Asia
China and India should commit to mutual understanding, Chinese foreign minister says – Reuters 🇮🇳
India voices alarm over China’s plans to build world’s largest dam in Tibet – FT: ‘hydropower project in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo [Brahmaputra] river, announced last month’ 🇮🇳
What went wrong with ‘Pakistan’s Dubai’ Gwadar? — inside the Chinese initiative that is prompting terror attacks – The Observer 🇵🇰
Chinese nationals ignore embassy warnings in gold rush to DRC’s troubled east – SCMP 🇨🇩
Ook in het buurland is de Aziatische dissident zijn leven niet altijd zeker – NRC
China economie
China’s government failed to meet its spending target for last year, as the housing market slump left local governments strapped for cash and unable to meet funding commitments – Bloomberg
China urges prudence over plenty in rural projects as local debt clouds linger – SCMP: ‘China has ordered local governments to prioritise fiscal responsibility over excessive spending on projects intended to narrow gaps in quality of life between the cities and the countryside.’
China manufacturing activity contracts for first time since September – FT: ‘A separate NBS data release on Monday showed industrial profits fell 3.3 per cent over the course of 2024, despite rising 11 per cent year on year in December.’
En dit zijn nog de officiële cijfers.
China binnenland
Xinhua Headlines: Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 extends Spring Festival greetings to all Chinese during inspection tour – Xinhua: ‘For more than a decade, Xi, as the Party and the state's top leader, has made it a tradition to spend time with ordinary people, especially those in difficulties, during the holiday season.’
Hú Jǐntāo 胡锦涛 and Zhū Róngjī 朱镕基 on the list as China’s top leaders send 130 Lunar New Year wishes – SCMP
Chinese leaders extend Spring Festival greetings to retired senior officials – Xinhua
Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 extends Spring Festival greetings to all servicemen – Xinhua
Chinese premier Lǐ Qiáng 李强 visits old revolutionary base ahead of Spring Festival – Xinhua
Chinese premier Lǐ Qiáng 李强 holds symposium with foreign experts in China – Xinhua: ‘Foreign experts have made positive contributions to China’s new achievements in development in the past year, Li said.’
China travel peaks as millions head home for Lunar New Year – AFP
China’s central bank unleashes record short-term funds ahead of lunar new year – FT: ‘to pre-empt the cash crunch that usually accompanies the lunar new year holiday.’ ‘as millions of residents prepare to travel home, settle tax bills and hand out cash-filled red envelopes.’
China’s Communist Party draws ‘red line’ on virtual Lunar New Year cash gifts for cadres – SCMP
China’s viral year-end bonus buzz takes on a more pessimistic tone – SCMP
Senior CCP official Cài Qí 蔡奇 highlights high-quality Party building in central Party and state institutions – Xinhua: ‘made the remarks at a conference on Party work and discipline inspection work within central Party and state institutions.’
China's government is set to make a flurry of promotions this year, giving a glimpse into the rising generation of officials who will become the nation's next top leaders – Bloomberg: ‘Roughly one-fifth of China’s local leaders are due to retire in 2025’
‘“The longer Xi stays in power, the more likely his eventual successor will be drawn from the ranks of the post-70s generation,” said Neil Thomas’
In China, rare dissent over a programme to save on drug costs – The New York Times: ‘The change has effectively pushed out many foreign pharmaceutical companies that do not want to compete against Chinese companies willing to sell their drugs at rock-bottom prices. Now, doctors are sounding the alarm about the efficacy of some of the domestic drugs’
China’s oil demand near peak as government pushes to cut imports – Nikkei Asia
China verbiedt import van veeproducten vanwege zorgen over uitbraken van veeziekten – de Volkskrant
Chinese authorities speedily resolve recent high-profile violent crime cases – The Straits Times
China punishes officials over deadly May Day highway collapse in rain-hit Guangdong – SCMP
Hong Kong
Hong Kong prepares for influx of listings from mainland China – FT
Taiwan buitenland en defensie
KMT legislator Chen Yu-jen 陳玉珍 celebrates LNY in China with TAO Director Sòng Tāo 宋涛 – Taipei Times 🇨🇳
Taiwan urges China to discuss ‘familiarisation’ trips – Focus Taiwan 🇨🇳
China confirms Taiwan inspection tour applications by tourism operators in Fujian and Shanghai – Xinhua
Taiwan blacklists Chinese-owned ‘shadow fleet’ ships – FT: ‘a blacklist of 52 Chinese-owned ships that use flags of convenience’ 🇨🇳
Washington’s WHO move ‘highly unfavourable’ for Taiwan as uncertainty reigns in new Trump era – SCMP 🇺🇸🇺🇳
Taiwan binnenland en economie
KMT seeks to accelerate timeline on forcing through recall barriers – New Bloom: ‘The fact that the KMT sought to strong-arm the legislation into law indicates that the KMT, in fact, fears the ongoing round of recall campaigns.’
Opposition ‘sneak attacked’ Cabinet, premier Cho says – Taipei Times
Recall drives against 35 KMT and 4 DPP lawmakers begin across nation – Taipei Times
What is the KMT calling for to be cut from the budget? – New Bloom: ‘the KMT seeks to use its current majority in the legislature to wrest powers from other branches of government’
On the constitutional crisis and opposition’s divisive budget cuts in Taiwan –
Undersea telecom cable to Matsu Islands restored – Taipei Times: ‘The Taiwan-Matsu No. 2 and No. 3 undersea communication cables, which link Taiwan and the outlying county, became disconnected following “natural deterioration.”’
Taiwan’s GDP growth hits 3-year high of 4.30 percent in 2024 – Focus Taiwan
Think tank raises forecast of Taiwan’s 2025 GDP growth to 3.42% – Focus Taiwan
President Lai visits Tainan following magnitude 6.4 earthquake – Focus Taiwan
Magnitude 5.7 aftershock keeps Tainan area on edge – Focus Taiwan