De Chinese Wouden, vrijdag 21 februari: economie
Fijn weekend,
Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺
Philips ziet winst en aantal orders groeien, maar vraag uit China neemt snel af – NU.nl 🇳🇱
Philips sees lower comparable sales in first quarter on weak China spending – Reuters 🇳🇱
China’s commerce ministry says ‘doing its best’ to push for tariff negotiations with EU – Reuters 🇪🇺
Taiwanese drone firms take part in European trade fair in Dusseldorf – Focus Taiwan
Chinese components in ‘smart’ devices pose sabotage threat to UK, MP warns – FT: ‘Labour MP Graeme Downie urged ministers to encourage UK manufacturing capacity for cellular modules’ 🇬🇧
US congressional committee warns on new Chinese embassy in London – FT 🇬🇧🇺🇸
Exclusive: UK lines up new ambassador to help rebuild China ties – Reuters 🇬🇧
Russia and China foreign ministers discuss relations with US and Ukraine in South Africa – Reuters 🇷🇺
Chinese and Russian foreign ministers meet on bilateral ties – Xinhua 🇷🇺
Wereldhandelsoorlog 📊💥
Trump eyes a bigger, better trade deal with China – The New York Times: ‘the Trump administration has not yet settled on what it wants from China.’
‘According to a former diplomat, who declined to be named to discuss private conversations, one Chinese offer could include investments in the United States that would create an estimated half a million jobs in industries like solar, electric vehicles and batteries. Chinese companies are willing to discuss taking minority stakes in joint ventures or licensing their technology to American partners, the diplomat said.
The proposal could also include substantial Chinese purchases of American exports, as well as cooperation on maintaining peace with North Korea and rebuilding Ukraine.’ 🇺🇸
China’s commerce minister Wáng Wéntāo 王文涛 expresses dissatisfaction over tariffs to new US trade secretary – Reuters 🇺🇸
China strongly opposes US tariff hike, commerce minister says – Xinhua 🇺🇸
Trump’s tariffs prompt Chinese e-commerce giants to expand beyond US – Caixin Global 🇺🇸🇪🇺
Chinese troep? Juist Europa maakt steeds vaker gevaarlijke producten – FD 🇪🇺
EU trade chief hopeful about averting US tariffs after ‘intense’ talks with Trump’s team – SCMP 🇪🇺🇺🇸
Aussenhandelbilanz: China koppelt sich von Deutschland ab – FAZ: „Die deutsche Ausfuhr nach China sank im vergangenen Jahr deutlich. Diese Abkoppelung geht von Peking aus. Deutsche Waren werden nicht mehr so sehr benötigt wie früher.“ 🇩🇪
Trump 🇺🇸🟠
Trump expects visit from Chinese President Xi without giving timeline – Reuters 🇺🇸
Trump says he is speaking to China about ByteDance 字节跳动’s TikTok – Reuters 🇺🇸
US to axe China-based diplomats to cut size of mission by 10%, sources say – SCMP 🇺🇸
Havik Rubio moet zich voor Trump in U-bochten wringen – hoe lang houdt hij dat vol? – NRC: „Als China-havik moest hij erkennen dat de wereld ,uiteindelijk multipolair zal worden’, nu Trump de wereld weer lijkt te willen gaan indelen in imperiale invloedsferen.” 🇺🇸
The Marco Rubio guide to survival is not working well – POLITICO Magazine 🇺🇸
Nepal took a risk on a US$500 million US grant. It may now regret it. – The New York Times: ‘Nepal had to overcome China’s heavy influence to strike the agreement with the United States in 2017’ 🇳🇵🇺🇸
China’s foreign minister promises Latin America ‘trustworthy’ ties as Trump lays out demands – Reuters
Chinese woman recaptured after escape from Panama hotel holding hundreds deported by US – SCMP 🇵🇦🇺🇸
POLITICO’s owner, Mathias Döpfner, chief executive of Axel Springer, praises JD Vance for ‘inspiring message’ to Europe – FT: ‘a self-described contrarian who has railed against the “enslavement” of so-called woke culture’ 🇪🇺🇺🇸
Techoorlog 💽💥
Silicon Valley fights EU tech rules with backing from Donald Trump – FT 🇪🇺
China’s universities get students up to speed on DeepSeek with new AI classes – SCMP
Nederland blijft cruciale metalen verspillen, ondanks kwetsbare afhankelijkheid van landen als China – de Volkskrant 🇳🇱
China proposes new rules to tighten control over rare earth sector – Reuters
President Lai urges democratic chip alliance amid global security challenges – Focus Taiwan: ‘as he addressed a two-day international security forum, HFX Taipei.’
The Quantum Panic – Rachel Cheung for The Wire China
Scam Inc
Thousands rescued from illegal scam compounds in Myanmar as Thailand launches huge crackdown – The Guardian: ‘At least 120,000 people across Myanmar and another 100,000 in Cambodia may be held in situations where they are forced to execute lucrative online scams’ 🇲🇲🇹🇭
Chinese court tries Myanmar gang accused of scams, drugs, extortion, and murder – SCMP 🇲🇲
Chinese extricated from Myanmar scam centres fly home from Thailand – Reuters 🇲🇲🇹🇭
Five Taiwanese freed from Myanmar scam rings return to Taiwan – Focus Taiwan 🇲🇲🇹🇭
Online scams may already be as big a scourge as illegal drugs – The Economist
Podcast series: Scam Inc – The Economist 🍎
Ik raad iedereen aan de achtdelige podcastserie van The Economist te luisteren – of in ieder geval de briefing te lezen – over de grootste en meest dynamische techindustrie in Zuidoost-Azië: Chinese oplichterbendes. Het is niet meer één duidelijke mafia, maar een ecosysteem van criminele diensten die honderduizenden arme mensen in zijn greep houdt en miljarden aftroggelt van de mondiale middenklasse.
Kantelpunt 🌏⏱️
US and Russia pursue partnership in a head-spinning shift in relations – The New York Times 🇺🇸🇷🇺
Trump could make China great again – James Crabtree for Foreign Policy: ‘China might not be able to capitalize on these opportunities, of course. But it will certainly attempt to do so.’ 🇺🇸
Chinese foreign minister urges G20 to act as force for world peace and stability – Xinhua
Xinhua Headlines: Xinhua think tank report highlights significance of exchanges and mutual learning between civilisations – Xinhua: ‘By focusing on development, security and civilizational dialogue, China has positioned itself as a key player in driving global progress.’
Chinese foreign minister calls for true multilateralism and more equitable global governance system – Xinhua
PBOC’s Pan says reform of IMF quota system ‘critical’ – Caixin Global
Weekend 🏖️📚
Longreads en achtergrond
Thoughts on the political demise of Miao Hua – Jonathan A. Czin for Brookings: ‘Xi has refocused attention on the problem of political loyalty in the PLA.’
Why Become a Student Cadre Overseas? Chinese Student and Scholars Association’s organisers in the UK, between political pressure and individual incentives – SOAS China Institute Blog
US swings boldly to block China’s AI progress, with fallout for other countries – MERICS
Is China’s military really built for war? New RAND report questions Beijing’s arms buildup – CNN
How the CCP co-opted ancient buddhist monk Kumarajiva – Victoria Jones for The Diplomat
Podcasts
Overige
China buitenland en defensie
US condemns ‘dangerous’ manoeuvres by Chinese navy in South China Sea – Reuters 🇺🇸🇵🇭
China’s foreign ministry opposes Vietnam’s building work on disputed Spratley Islands reef in South China Sea – Reuters 🇻🇳
China woos Bangladesh with healthcare as India ties sour – AFP 🇧🇩
Australia will ‘watch every move’ of Chinese warships detected off east coast – The Guardian: ‘The Financial Times reported the ships were about 150 nautical miles off the coast of Sydney.’ 🇦🇺
Strengthening and developing friendship with China consistent position of DPRK, vice foreign minister says – Xinhua 🇰🇵
China economie
Chinese state media echoes Xi’s speech on private sector with flurry of editorials – SCMP
China’s business innovators say will resist external pressure after meeting with Xi – Reuters
China’s government is renewing its efforts to attract foreign businesses, pledging more engagement and unveiling an action plan to ease restrictions – Bloomberg
China to welcome foreign investment in more sectors of economy – SCMP
China’s government issues action plan to stabilise foreign investment in 2025 – Xinhua: ‘Per the plan, China will support pilot regions in effectively implementing opening-up policies’
Multinationals have strong desire to expand presence in China, commerce official says – Xinhua
Chinese investment into North America crashed before US election – Bloomberg: ‘China’s official data shows that outbound spending is growing rapidly.’ ‘But the transaction-level data compiled by Rhodium doesn’t back up the reported increase.’
In Depth: China’s policymakers target consumption to kick economy into gear – Caixin Global: ‘The most economically developed provincial-level governments have been called on to “take the lead” in boosting growth’
China issues 3-year action plan on optimising consumer environment – Xinhua
In China, financial stress stalks hospitals and bankruptcies soar – The New York Times
More brokerage mergers may be in the offing after China’s government expands CIC 中投公司’s portfolio – Yicai Global: ‘China’s finance ministry said last week that it will shift ownership of the country's three biggest state-owned bad debt managers to a unit of sovereign wealth fund China Investment Corporation’
Struggling Chinese builder Vanke 万科 turns to state managers to ‘stop the decline’ – FT: ‘made six appointments this month from state-run Shenzhen Metro, while executives were also parachuted in from a government-run asset management arm and a credit guarantee firm’
China binnenland
Chinese local government’s motivational tactic for state workers: public shaming – The New York Times: ‘Trying to frighten already scared officials into action, of course, may not be a recipe for success.’
Local officials in China told to use DeepSeek AI to help them make decisions – SCMP: ‘Senior figures in a number of cities have recently given their staff instructions about the use of the technology.’
China sentences former ICBC 工行 executive Zhang Hongli to death with reprieve for taking bribes – Reuters
Hong Kong
Hong Kong government seeks to tighten labour union laws on national security grounds – HKFP
Hong Kong taxi group halts strike plan after city’s leader warned against ‘drastic action’ – HKFP
Hong Kong’s Democratic Party to set up task force to discuss disbandment steps – HKFP
Hong Kong population up 0.1% to over 7.53 million in 2024 due to net inflow of residents – HKFP
Taiwan buitenland en defensie
Taiwanese government blacklists two Chinese schools from exchanges – Taipei Times: ‘after reports that the institutes are arms of Beijing’s United Front Work Department’ ‘China’s Huaqiao University in Xiamen and Quanzhou, as well as Jinan University in Guangzhou’ 🇨🇳
Taiwan to no longer recognise qualifications from United Front schools – Focus Taiwan 🇨🇳
29 Chinese aircraft cross Taiwan Strait median line, defence ministry – Focus Taiwan 🇨🇳
Thai and Taiwanese police cooperate in NT$730 million [€21m] drug bust, prosecutors say – Focus Taiwan 🇹🇭
Taiwan’s marine corps to rebuild brigade with modern coastal mission – SCMP
Taiwan binnenland en economie
Opposition’s government budget bill passed to Executive Yuan – Taipei Times: ‘The content of the review appears to be the same as the original bill and still does not specify the exact amounts of budget cuts and freezes’
Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Council says opposition’s budget cuts might affect coast guard ship procurement – Taipei Times
DPP pushes for increase in defence spending using extra tax revenue, as KMT calls for cash handouts instead – New Bloom: ‘The tax windfall raises questions as to why the KMT currently seeks to drastically cut the government budget.’
De manier waarop de KMT en TPP de afgelopen maanden loshakken op de Taiwanese overheid doet wel een beetje denken aan de manier waarop Trump-Musk de Amerikaanse federale overheid te lijf gaan.
DPP requests injunction and constitutional interpretation of KMT’s recall act amendments – Taipei Times
Former KMT lawmaker Liao Kuo-tung 廖國棟 indicted for suspected corruption in green energy project – Focus Taiwan
Prosecutors search offices of DPP lawmaker Lin Tai-hua 林岱樺 (DPP) in fraud probe – Focus Taiwan: ‘as part of an investigation into allegations that she had made fraudulent claims for assistants’ salaries.’
KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi 傅崐萁 criticised for traveling to Hong Kong on ‘sick’ day – Taipei Times
Donovan’s Deep Dives: Risks to Taiwan’s democracy – Courtney Donovan Smith in Taipei Times
Taiwan’s manufacturing output hits 10-quarter high – Taipei Times
Taiwan water supply faces rising pressure from tech boom and climate change – Nikkei Asia
Divorce petition rules amended – Taipei Times
Hualien County accused of burying sexual assault – Taipei Times