De Chinese Wouden, vrijdag 23 augustus: Rusland
De Chinese premier Li Qiang was in Rusland voor het 29e vaste overleg tussen de Chinese en Russische regeringsleiders. Het Chinese staatspersbureau licht toe dat dit vanaf 1996 elk jaar gehouden is.
Rusland is het land waar China misschien wel de meeste diplomatieke interactie mee heeft. In mijn database van wederzijdse bezoeken zie ik dat er in ieder geval vanaf 1999 ook elk jaar een staatsbezoek is. Daarnaast gaan er elk jaar ook veel andere hoge functionarissen heen en weer. Er is een vaste structuur van reguliere dialogen en verbanden, niet geraakt door de aanval op Oekraïne.
Li Qiang sprak deze keer zowel de Russische premier als president Poetin. De readouts spreken niet over Oekraïne. Een gezamenlijk communiqué noemt wel beider tegenstand tegen buitenlandse inmenging en pogingen om de ‘normale ontwikkeling van bilaterale betrekkingen te verhinderen’. Westerse oproepen aan Peking om te matigen zijn dus niet welkom.
Men wil samenwerken bij het ontwikkelen van de noordelijke zeeroute langs de poolcirkel. Ook belooft men de economische banden tussen beide landen te verstevigen. Daar heeft het door sanctie getroffen Rusland veel aan in de oorlog tegen Oekraïne.
Maar één ding ontbreekt. Moskou hoopt met de zogeheten Power of Siberia 2-pijpleiding de weggevallen westerse vraag voor aardgas te vervangen door de Chinese markt. Eerder verdween het project al uit de Mongolische planning. Nu wordt het ook niet genoemd. Peking is niet bijster enthousiast hierover, zeker niet met de prijzen die Rusland graag wil hebben. Dit grondstoffenspel speelt China keihard.
Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺
Wordt gemeente bespioneerd via Chinese auto’s? – Den Haag FM 🇳🇱
China and Egypt hold joint naval exercise in Mediterranean Sea – The Global Times 🇪🇬
France needs to be wary of China’s influence in New Caledonia, report says – POLITICO Europe 🇫🇷🇳🇨
Rusland 🇷🇺
Russia-China partnership ‘yielding results’, Putin says – AFP: ‘as he welcomed Chinese Premier Li Qiang to the Kremlin.’ 🇷🇺
Chinese premier says China ready to join Russia for cooperation in emerging areas – Xinhua: ‘The steady development of China-Russia relations […] also contributes to regional and world peace, stability and prosperity, Li noted’ 🇷🇺
China and Russia eye closer all-round cooperation – Xinhua: ‘Li made the remarks when co-chairing the 29th regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of government with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.’ 🇷🇺
China and Russia to expand bilateral economic, trade cooperation – Xinhua: ‘create new growth points for the two countries’ economies and bilateral trade volume’
‘expand mutually beneficial cooperation in the Arctic’ 🇷🇺
China-Russia relations based on non-alliance and non-confrontation, not targeting any third party: joint communique – Xinhua:
The two sides pledged to firmly safeguard their legitimate rights and interests, and oppose any attempt to obstruct the normal development of bilateral relations, interfere in the internal affairs of the two countries, or restrict the economic development, technological progress, and international development opportunities of the two countries.
[…]
The two sides agreed that it is essential to fully adhere to the UN Charter, international law, and the basic norms governing international relations, and to promote the formation of a more just and stable multipolar world order.
The two sides pointed out that certain countries cling to hegemonism and neocolonialism, attempt to use the so-called “rules-based order” to maintain their own privileges, infringe upon the sovereignty of other nations, interfere in their internal affairs, suppress their economic growth and technological development, and obstruct the collective rise of emerging markets and developing countries.
Chinese premier Li Qiang says to promote high-level development of China-Belarus bilateral partnership – Xinhua: ‘China will continue to firmly support Belarus in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions’ 🇧🇾
Xinjiang sees over 10,000 China-Europe freight trains this year – Xinhua
Handel 🚗⚡️
China trade war ‘maybe unavoidable’, EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell warns – SCMP: ‘Borrell, who is set to retire in October, said cheap Chinese-made products including electric vehicles were being diverted to the European market because of higher tariff rates in the United States.’ 🇪🇺
Geely 吉利 says EU tariffs would have big impact as earnings climb – Bloomberg 🇪🇺
Onstuimige groei van Chinese automaker Geely 吉利 – NRC
Xinhua Commentary: EU’s tariff move needs a reality check on EV industrial chain – Xinhua 🇪🇺
China baut jetzt Autos in Europa – FAZ 🇪🇺
Tech War 💽💥
Is China curbing rare earth production to raise prices as its global dominance wanes? – SCMP
National Science and Technology Council planning southern Taiwan technology centre – Taipei Times
Weekend 🏖️📚
The Innovation Fallacy: In the US-Chinese tech race, diffusion matters more than invention – Jeffrey Ding for Foreign affairs
Morality and rules, and how to avoid drowning: what my daughters learned at school in China – Peter Hessler in The Guardian
China wil meer baby’s maar toch mag Teresa Xu haar eicellen niet invriezen – Trouw
Overige
China buitenland en defensie
PLA sends advanced landing craft for ‘high-intensity’ drills amid South China Sea tensions – SCMP: ‘Meanwhile state broadcaster CCTV reported that two frigates had conducted live-fire exercises in the South China Sea’
China-Thailand joint military exercises have ‘all elements needed for a small-scale war’ – SCMP: ‘more complex and broad ranging than previous exercises involving the two countries.’ 🇹🇭
Feds accuse Tiananmen Square pro-democracy activist Yuanjun Tang 唐元雋 of secretly working for China’s intelligence agency decades later – CBS News: ‘in a bid to see his family living in mainland China.’ 🇺🇸
Senior US officials meet with Dalai Lama in New York – Reuters 🇺🇸
China says it monitored and warned US destroyer in Taiwan Strait – Reuters 🇺🇸
Chinese envoy to UN urges countries concerned to ‘immediately’ lift all unilateral sanctions – Xinhua 🇺🇸
China’s indictment of Astellas worker alarms Japanese businesses – Nikkei Asia 🇯🇵
Mexican envoy to ‘good friend’ China talks trade and ‘bad news’ beef with US – SCMP 🇲🇽
Panama announces more migrant deportation flights to Ecuador, India, and China – Reuters 🇵🇦
China economie
China names healthcare, education, tech as likely venues for more foreign investment – SCMP
China high-speed rail operator forced to hike fares as debt balloons – Nikkei Asia
China developers’ loss warnings exceed US$8bn in past week alone – Nikkei Asia
China revenues drop for high-end hotel chains as business travel, consumer spending dip – SCMP
Japan machine tool orders rise in July on Chinese demand – Nikkei Asia 🇯🇵
PwC China faces 6-month business ban and large fine over Evergrande 恒大 audit, sources say – Reuters
China binnenland
Honour reformer Dèng Xiǎopíng 邓小平 by realising China’s revival, Xi Jinping urges nation – SCMP: ‘For the first time, Xi applauded Deng as “a great internationalist who has made significant contributions to world peace and development”, remarks that tied China’s present global path to Deng’s strategy.’
Xi urges advancing socialism with Chinese characteristics on 120th birth anniversary of Dèng Xiǎopíng 邓小平 – Xinhua: ‘Xi called for further comprehensively deepening reform to continuously provide strong momentum and institutional safeguards for Chinese modernization.’
Why are VPNs getting slower in China? The government seems increasingly uneasy about people leaping over the great firewall – The Economist
Hong Kong
Hong Kong denies journalist Haze Fan a visa following detention in China, Bloomberg tells staff – HKFP
Taiwan buitenland en defensie
Taiwan’s top security officials make secret trip to US for regular talks – FT: ‘Foreign minister Lin Chia-lung and Joseph Wu, Taiwan’s national security adviser, have been in the Washington area this week for the talks that are known as the “special channel”, according to several people familiar with the visit.’ 🇺🇸
Taiwan defence spend to outpace GDP growth as China threat rises – Reuters: ‘2025 defence spending would rise 7.7% year-on-year to T$647 billion ($20.25 billion), accounting for 2.45% of gross domestic product — up from 2.38% this year — and exceeding the government’s expectation for economic growth of 3.26% for the year.’
Taiwan’s military aiming to spend NT$6.89 billion [€194m] on drones – Taipei Times
Eerst maar zien of de KMT en TPP dit niet gaat blokkeren in het parlement.
Japan and Taiwan ruling parties oppose China’s assertive moves – Kyodo News: ‘meeting at the party’s headquarters in Tokyo.’ ‘dialogue, involving ruling party members responsible for foreign affairs and diplomacy’ 🇯🇵
China lifts restrictions on Fujian residents traveling to Taiwan-held Matsu – Focus Taiwan 🇨🇳
Taiwan jails military personnel on charges of spying for China – Bloomberg: ‘The case exposed what Taiwan describes as Beijing’s efforts to infiltrate the island’s army.’ 🇨🇳
Military officers given up to 13 years in jail for spying for China – Focus Taiwan 🇨🇳
Russia reaffirms one-China principle in joint communique – Xinhua 🇷🇺🇨🇳
Australian senate backs Taiwan in Senate motion likely to infuriate China – ABC News: ‘Senators said UN Resolution 2758 does not establish the People's Republic of China’s sovereignty over Taiwan and does not determine the future status of Taiwan in the UN.’ 🇦🇺
Taiwan binnenland en economie
DPP lawmaker Lin I-chin 林宜瑾 and five subordinates released on bail in suspected corruption case – Focus Taiwan
Former mayor of Jhonghe City Chiu Tsui-yi 邱垂益 (KMT) and city councillor son Chiu Feng-yao 邱烽堯 (KMT) found guilty of corruption – Taipei Times
Taiwan president to visit frontline islands at centre of China tensions – Reuters: ‘Lai’s office said on Thursday that he would travel to Kinmen on Friday for events marking the 66th anniversary of a key military clash with Chinese forces, better known internationally as the start of the second Taiwan Strait crisis.’
De herdenking van “8.23” is een essentieel onderdeel van de nationale herinnering van KMT-ROC nationalisten in Taiwan net zoals de herdenking van de KMT-moorden van “2.28” dat is voor de Taiwanese nationalisten. Tsai Ing-wen probeerde het verhaal van “8.23” al meer te betrekken in haar verhaal als onderdeel van haar poging om een inclusieve Taiwanese identiteit te creëren uit de erfenis van Taiwan en van de ROC. Lai zet dit nu door.
NT$3.33 trillion [€93.7bn] 2025 budget gets Cabinet’s nod – Focus Taiwan
Examination Yuan to move tests after legislative deadlock leaves leadership in limbo – Taipei Times: ‘Appointments of the Examination Yuan’s president, vice president and members are set to expire on Sept. 1, with no replacement in sight, he said.’
Hetzelfde recept als bij media-toezichthouder NCC: de KMT en TPP blokkeren nieuwe benoemingen en maken het land daarmee moeilijker regeerbaar.
Political commentator Wu Tzu-chia 吳子嘉 charged with aggravated defamation over covid vaccine procurement claims – Taipei Times