De Chinese Wouden, vrijdag 22 september: EU naar Peking, Duitse bedrijven blijven
Fijn weekend.
Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺
Overheidsfonds van 100 miljoen euro moet hightechbedrijven beschermen tegen ongewenste eigenaren – NOS: „Met name China is druk bezig een technologische grootmacht te worden, iets wat met argusogen wordt gevolgd door het Westen.” 🇳🇱
EU trade chief Valdis Dombrovskis heads to China for prickly talks amid EV and de-risking disputes – SCMP: ‘Chinese officials have been dismissive of Brussels’ assertion that the relationship needs to be materially adjusted.’
‘The advance party told Chinese counterparts that more than just a photo opportunity was needed, although expectations in Brussels remain low.’
‘The initial goal is a working group that would help clarify and expedite data exports for EU businesses, which are puzzled by sweeping new laws. For its part, China wants to set up an export controls working group’ 🇪🇺
EU envoy Jorge Toledo calls for ‘progress’ on China trade deficit and trade barriers ahead of high-level talks – FT: ‘The trade barriers were “getting worse”, he added.’ 🇪🇺
China’s top climate envoy Xiè Zhènhuá 解振华; decries trade controls on renewable energy products as US and EU diplomats push Beijing on emissions goals – SCMP: ‘EU ambassador Toledo also called China out for its coal usage’ 🇪🇺
Amerika heeft beperkingen op Chinese zonnepanelen en gerelateerde materialen vanwege de betrokkenheid van Oeigoerse dwangarbeid.
Europe’s wind industry calls for support amid mounting struggles and China competition – WSJ 🇪🇺
German industry defies rising pressure to limit China exposure – WSJ: ‘They are seeking to boost local production to rely less on imports from Germany, striking deals with Chinese suppliers to make their supply chains more local and building alliances with Chinese companies.’ ‘German companies with the most to lose from Western efforts to isolate Beijing have doubled down on their involvement, trying to insulate their Chinese factories so they can keep churning out products regardless of the global political climate.’ 🇩🇪
Exclusive: German investment in China eases in first half after record high – Reuters 🇩🇪
Duitse economie steeds afhankelijker van China, ondanks voornemen de-coupling – BNR 🇩🇪
China won’t stand by idly in case of German 5G restrictions, says embassy – Reuters 🇩🇪
Moet de Europese vertegenwoordiging in Peking ook maar omineuze geluiden laten horen over de de facto uitsluiting van Ericsson en Nokia in het voordeel van Huawei in China?
48 Taiwan-donated emergency vehicles delivered to Ukraine – Focus Taiwan: ‘In a pre-recorded clip, Kira Rudik, leader of the liberal Holos party in Ukraine, thanked Taiwan and Pai in particular for donating the emergency vehicles.’ 🇺🇦
Het kleine Holos is ook de belangrijkste bron van eerdere bezoeken aan Taiwan.
Taiwan and UK talk about strengthening cooperation on agriculture – Focus Taiwan 🇬🇧
Tech War 💽💥
China’s Ministry of State Security accuses US of hacking Huawei servers since 2009 – Nikkei Asia
US spy bureau NSA ‘hacked Huawei HQ’: China’s state security ministry confirms Snowden leak – SCMP
Huawei unit HiSilicon ships Chinese-made surveillance camera chips in fresh comeback sign – Reuters
Huawei makes processor breakthrough in flagship smartphone – FT: ‘Four of the eight central processing units in the Mate 60 Pro’s “system on a chip” (SoC) rely purely on a design by Arm, the British company whose chip architecture powers 99 per cent of smartphones. The other four CPUs are Arm-based but feature Huawei’s own designs and adaptations’
Gezien het feit dat Arm China is gekaapt door de lokale directeur en ik niet weet of er al een oplossing is gevonden of dat het zich nog steeds als los bedrijf gedraagt, is controle op het Britse bedrijf Arm niet per se effectief op de producten in China.
Chip designer Arm committed to China, CEO says ahead of IPO – Caixin Global
Eerst moet Arm maar eens de controle over Arm China terug zien te krijgen…
China exported no germanium and gallium in August due to export curbs – Reuters
China approves export licences for chip materials gallium and germanium – Reuters
China beats US in top global scientific ‘hot papers’ ranking, according to report – SCMP
Kantelpunt 🌏⏱️
China wants to be the leader of the global south – The Economist’s Chaguan: ‘China has launched a new, concerted campaign to present itself as a natural leader for the developing world, starting with countries that have painful memories of bullying by colonial powers or by America.’ ‘The goal is to rally non-Western countries around Mr Xi’s favoured vision for global governance.’
New China-Nepal trade route to open soon as Tibet facility gets green light – SCMP
Japan seeks to boost Central Asia relations with 1st summit in 2024 – Nikkei Asia
Weekend
Longreads en achtergrond
Irrational Expectations: Long-term challenges of diversification away from China – Agatha Kratz and Camille Boullenois for Rhodium Group
China’s Language Police: Why Beijing seeks to extend the hegemony of Mandarin – Gina Anne Tam for Foreign Affairs: ‘Its policies of the mid-2010s seem mild by comparison to its attempts today to flatten the complexity of Chinese identity and extend the untrammeled hegemony of Mandarin.’
Has the wounded giant stood up again? An assessment of Huawei’s release of its new smartphone – US-China Perception Monitor
Waarom Xi China’s economische crisis deels aan zichzelf te danken heeft – Trouw
Podcasts
Hoe China Hongkong steeds verder in zijn greep krijgt – NRC Vandaag 🍎 🤖
Overige
China buitenland en defensie
Putin accepts invitation to visit China in October after meeting Chinese foreign minister Wáng Yì 王毅 in Moscow – AP
Russia to safeguard international fairness and justice with China, says Putin – Xinhua: ‘He said Russia has overcome the impact of unilateral sanctions imposed by Western countries and its economy has started to recover and function normally this year, adding that Russia is ready to strengthen planning and deepen practical cooperation with China.’
China, Russia, and Mongolia hold meeting of high representatives for security issues – Xinhua
China en VS mogen niet spreken op klimaatfeestje van de VN. „Guterres toont lef” – Trouw
Onder Chinese druk werd ASEAN’s eerste militaire oefening een rampentraining – NRC
Two mainland China bishops to attend big Vatican meeting after tensions – Reuters
Syrische president Assad bezoekt China voor het eerst in bijna 20 jaar „op zoek naar geld” – VRT NWS
China flirt met Taliban, in hoop op stabiliteit – Trouw
China’s police chief Wáng Xiǎohóng 王小洪 calls for global cooperation on public security at forum – SCMP: ‘Wang met officials from Guyana, Russia, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan’
Chinese BeiDou satellite ground stations installed on disputed South China Sea reefs – SCMP
White House told US ambassador Rahm Emanuel to Japan to stop taunting China on social media – NBC News
China to soon decide whether to arrest Japanese businessman detained since March over spying – Kyodo News
China economie
Xinhua Commentary: ‘New productive forces’ a winning formula for China’s future – Xinhua
China puts priority on tech race with US over broader stimulus for economic growth – Nikkei Asia
China’s vow to rejuvenate markets hasn’t resonated with investors, as initial excitement evaporates in a mire of continued troubles – Bloomberg
Chinese companies are poised to pay out record dividends this year, amid efforts by regulators to boost returns for investors and stem an outflow of foreign funds – Bloomberg
China scrutinises quant strategies as market weakness stokes public anger, sources say – Reuters
Foreign investors still shunning China despite signs of upturn – FT
China’s middle class puts luxury spending on hold as uncertainty swirls – SCMP
China simplifies its visa application process as it looks to attract more visitors from overseas – Bloomberg
China binnenland
Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 inspects Shaoxing in east China’s Zhejiang Province – Xinhua: ‘Xi visited an exhibition hall featuring the “Fengqiao model” for promoting community-level governance to review the evolution of the dispute resolution mechanism’
Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 visits manufacturing hub Yiwu to hear about efforts to boost foreign trade – SCMP
Zuiveringen in Chinese legertop betekenen gezichtsverlies voor Xi, en mogelijk goed nieuws voor Taiwan – de Volkskrant
Questions are being raised over the stability of Chinese President Xí Jìnpíng 习近平’s government, following a series of abrupt personnel moves – Bloomberg: ‘While most analysts don’t see any threat to Xi, who has amassed more power than any leader since Mao Zedong, questions are being raised about his management style. Morale within the Foreign Ministry in particular is very low, with anxiety running high among a group of bureaucrats that see themselves as professional diplomats who don’t want to get caught up in political power plays, according to Chinese officials who asked not to be identified discussing sensitive information.’
‘The party’s senior ranks are now being scrutinized for their dealings with foreigners, insiders told the WSJ, adding that the top brass in China’s military were also under the spotlight.’
‘As Xi’s mistrust of his officials grows, the system is showing signs of becoming paralyzed as he tries to micromanage domestic operations.’
Life sentence for Professor Rahile Dawut confirmed – Dui Hua Foundation: ‘Professor Rahile Dawut joins the long and growing list of Uyghur intellectuals — by one count more than 300 — who have been detained, arrested, and imprisoned since 2016.’
China launches five-year plan for anti-graft campaign – Caixin Global
Hong Kong
China says Britain’s plans to disrupt Hong Kong ‘doomed to fail’ – Reuters
Hong Kong Democratic Party endorses 8 candidates for first 'patriots-only' district council election – HKFP
Taiwan buitenland en defensie
A flurry of activity around Taiwan aims to improve the Chinese military’s ability to neutralise the island’s natural advantages against an invader and block US intervention – WSJ: ‘While previous Chinese drills of similar scale were paired with waves of propaganda meant to intimidate the self-ruled island, Beijing has said next to nothing about the recent exercises. That silence is a sign that the recent activity is less about delivering a political message, Taiwanese authorities and defense analysts say, than about training.’
Taiwan and US to expand cybersecurity cooperation – Focus Taiwan
Three allies Guatemala, Paraguay, and Palau back Taiwan at UN debate – Taipei Times
UN should rescind wrongful misinterpretation of UNGA Resolution 2758, Marshall Islands’ Kabua says – Taipei Times
Foreign Minister Joseph Wu 吳釗燮 concludes 3-day official visit to St. Kitts and Nevis – Focus Taiwan
Taiwan verkiezingen
KMT’s Hou Yu-ih 侯友宜 meets US lawmakers and speaks at think tank in Washington – Focus Taiwan
Taiwan to emulate US ‘friend-shoring’ to reduce China reliance, KMT candidate Hou Yu-ih 侯友宜 tells Silicon Valley – Focus Taiwan
One thing Hou Yu-ih 侯友宜 (KMT) wants Taiwan’s voters to know about him as they prepare to elect a new president is that he used to be a great cop – Bloomberg
In doe hoedanigheid o.a. verantwoordelijk voor de arrestatie van activist Nylon Cheng 鄭南榕.
DPP lawmakers critical of Hou Yu-ih 侯友宜, as KMT chair Eric Chu 朱立倫 lauds candidate’s US trip – Taipei Times
Terry Gou 郭台銘 kicks off signature campaign for independent presidential run – Focus Taiwan
DPP nominee Lai Ching-te 賴清德 vows to slash cancer deaths – Focus Taiwan
TPP candidate Ko Wen-je 柯文哲 outlines co-payment-funded 1% GDP long-term care ambitions – Focus Taiwan
Taiwan binnenland en economie
Taiwan’s central bank held its benchmark rate steady as expected, a move that supports the economy less than four months before a presidential election – Bloomberg: ‘Taiwan’s central bank expects the economy to grow this year at the slowest pace since the global financial crisis’
Slecht nieuws voor de regerende partij, nu DPP.
Most ‘America skepticism’ discourse in Taiwan originates locally, finds researcher – Focus Taiwan
Sommige mensen wijzen veel te makkelijk naar ‘cognitieve oorlogsvoering’ van China als het gaat om verhalen in Taiwan dat de VS niet te vertrouwen zijn – dit rapport komt nu met cijfers die een complexer verhaal laten zien.
Cabinet approves linking minimum wage to CPI – Taipei Times
Rail union cancels plan to disrupt holiday weekend – Taipei Times