De Chinese Wouden, vrijdag 24 februari: politieke ‘oplossing’ voor Oekraïne, Spiegel over mogelijke droneleveranties
Gisteravond was ik te druk om nog een nieuwsbrief te versturen, maar dat heeft goed uitgepakt, want nu kan ik nog net twee belangrijke dingen meenemen voor het weekend.
Het Chinese ministerie van buitenlandse heeft een twaalfpuntenplan met principes voor „de politieke oplossing van de Oekraïne-crisis” vrijgegeven. Hierin spreekt het zich uit tegen blokvorming (lees: tegen NAVO), het verergeren van het conflict (in taal waarmee ze eerder Westerse wapenleveranties veroordeelden) en tegen unilaterale sancties (dus Westerse maatregelen tegen Rusland). Er is geen enkele expliciete erkenning van Russische fouten. Hoewel je de oproep tot het beschermen van burgers op kritische wijze zou kunnen interpreteren, bericht het avondnieuws in China vooral Russische beelden.
De oproep tot het respecteren van de legitieme veiligheidsbelangen van alle partijen zou je zelfs kunnen lezen als steun voor Russische klachten over de Europese ordening. De oproep tot een „balanced, effective and sustainable European security architecture” – die ik eerder al als pro-Russisch uitlegde – komt ook terug in dit plan. Maar goed, wat kun je verwachten, als Peking de schuld van de ‘Oekraïne-crisis’ (sic) geeft aan de Verenigde Staten en de ‘Amerikaanse’ NAVO. Ik heb het woord invasie nog niet gehoord.
We hebben dus een ‘politieke oplossing’ die multilaterale steun voor Oekraïne zou ontmantelen, wapenleveranties aan Kyiv zou stoppen, Rusland sanctieverlichting zou geven en tegemoetkoming verwacht aan Moskous wensen voor een herordening van Europa. Hoezo neutraal?
Tegelijkertijd bericht Der Spiegel, dat een Chinees bedrijf in gesprek zou zijn met Rusland over zelfmoorddrones en dat er plannen waren om vliegtuigonderdelen te exporteren van China naar Rusland met valse papieren. Zware aantijgingen die de Amerikaanse beschuldigingen zouden bevestigen. WSJ heeft ook een stuk waarin Amerikaanse en Europese functionarissen hun zorgen over overwegingen over mogelijke leveranties uiten.
Er is ook weer een flinke sloot aan anti-Amerikaans materiaal uit China. De stemming verslechtert nog altijd.
Rusland 🇨🇳🇷🇺
Valse start voor Chinees vredesplan door mogelijke wapenleveringen aan Rusland – AD
China roept Rusland en Oekraïne op tot dialoog en verwerpt gebruik van kernwapens, maar hoe neutraal is Peking echt? – VRT Nieuws: „correspondente in China Leen Vervaeke ziet toch een document dat in het voordeel van Rusland pleit.”
China presenteert vredesplan voor Oekraïne: „Staat helemaal niets nieuws in” – RTL Nieuws
De hernieuwde vriendschap tussen China en Rusland – BNR
Ukraine war: China and India abstain from UN vote on Russian invasion – BBC News
EU ambassador warns China of consequences if it crosses ‘red line’ and supplies arms to Russia – SCMP
One Year Since Russia’s Full-scale Invasion of Ukraine – Address by H.E. Ambassador Jorge Toledo, Ambassador of the European Union to China
Wapenleveranties
💡 Chinese company reportedly negotiating with Russia to supply kamikaze drones – Der Spiegel: ‘the Russian military is engaged in negotiations with Chinese drone manufacturer Xi'an Bingo Intelligent Aviation Technology’
‘companies under the control of China’s People’s Liberation Army had planned to deliver replacement parts for Russia's SU-27 fighter jets and other models.’ ‘plans had apparently already been made to falsify shipping documents to make the parts for military aircraft appear to be replacement parts for civilian aviation.’
‘Dutch public broadcaster NOS reported that Dutch microchips had been delivered to the Russian defense industry via Chinese companies.’
‘reports have been circulating among security officials in a handful of countries that Chinese companies have been providing satellite images of combat zones in Ukraine to the Russian side.’
‘The government in Berlin also has information suggesting that China is also delivering commercially available drones to Russian customers that can also be used for reconnaissance purposes as part of the war in Ukraine.’
Scholz urges caution on China's relationship with Russia – AFP: ‘“We should have no illusions about China. They have up until now not taken a stand against Russia,” Scholz said in an interview with public broadcaster ZDF.’
Germany and China clash at UN over West’s supply of weapons to Ukraine – The Guardian
💡 The Biden administration considers releasing intelligence on a potential arms transfer by China to Russia, US officials say – WSJ: ‘In recent weeks, Western nations have picked up on intelligence that Beijing might end its previous self-imposed restraint on weapons supplies to Russia, according to U.S. and European officials, although it appears that China hasn’t yet made a final decision.’ ‘U.S. and European officials said Beijing wouldn’t necessarily provide advanced weapons, but would likely backfill what Russian forces have lost on the battlefield in Ukraine, such as ammunition, or have been unable to produce because of sanctions, such as electronics.’
NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg sees ‘some signs’ China could back Russia’s war – AP
Vredesplan
China calls for Ukraine peace talks as it steps up engagement in the conflict – The Guardian
China calls for resuming peace talks to resolve Ukraine crisis – Xinhua
China called for a cease-fire in Ukraine in a bid to portray itself as a neutral actor that can help end Russia’s yearlong war – Bloomberg: ‘“It’s not a peace proposal,” said Jorge Toledo, the European Union’s ambassador to China. “It’s a position paper.”’
China’s Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China
‘Respecting the sovereignty of all countries’
Gebruikt men vaak om te klagen over Westerse ‘hypocrisie’ over Taiwan.‘Abandoning the Cold War mentality’: ‘The security of a country should not be pursued at the expense of others. The security of a region should not be achieved by strengthening or expanding military blocs. The legitimate security interests and concerns of all countries must be taken seriously and addressed properly.’
Tegen de NAVO, steun voor Russische klachten over Europese ordening.‘Ceasing hostilities’: ‘avoid fanning the flames and aggravating tensions’
Taalgebruik dat ook gebruikt wordt tegen Westerse wapenleveranties aan Oekraïne.‘Resuming peace talks’
‘Resolving the humanitarian crisis’
‘Protecting civilians and prisoners of war (POWs)’
‘Keeping nuclear power plants safe’
‘Reducing strategic risks’: ‘Nuclear weapons must not be used and nuclear wars must not be fought.’
‘Facilitating grain exports’
‘Stopping unilateral sanctions’: ‘hina opposes unilateral sanctions unauthorized by the UN Security Council. Relevant countries should stop abusing unilateral sanctions and “long-arm jurisdiction” against other countries’
Tegen Westerse sancties. Ook is ‘long-arm jurisdiction’ een verwijzing naar Amerikaanse acties.‘Keeping industrial and supply chains stable’: ‘oppose using the world economy as a tool or weapon for political purposes’
‘Promoting post-conflict reconstruction’
China rolls back unconditional support for Russia – James Kynge for FT: ‘A Chinese official, who declined to be identified, says that a mooted visit to Moscow by China’s leader, Xi Jinping, was predicated on his first receiving positive feedback from Russia towards China’s call for dialogue and negotiations.’
Chinese functionarissen hebben het FT eerder gebruikt om positieve spin richting Europa af te geven.
Waarom komt China nu met vredesplannen voor oorlog Oekraïne? – NPO Radio 1 Bureau Buitenland
VS vs China 🇺🇸
US diplomatic counter-offensive targets China’s ‘false information’ – POLITICO: ‘While early conversations focused mostly on the spy balloon that transited the U.S. in early February, more recent warnings have turned to the possibility of China supplying weapons to Russia to use against Ukraine’
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s Regular Press Conference on February 23, 2023 – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China: ‘According to data from the US State Department, US foreign military sales in fiscal year 2022 increased by nearly 50% from fiscal year 2021, primarily due to the escalating Ukraine crisis. By pouring weapons into Ukraine, the US and other Western countries are making the Ukraine crisis harder to resolve. Moreover, many of the guns and ammunition destined for Ukraine are smuggled by international criminal groups into the hands of criminals in Europe and elsewhere.’ ‘An African leader once said that the raging war in Ukraine is now a major source of weapons that bolster the ranks of the terrorists in Lake Chad Region.’
Rising economic polarisation in the United States: Truth and Facts – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China
Het nieuwste rapport in een serie van het Chinese ministerie van buitenlandse zaken die de toestand in de Verenigde Staten bekritiseerd.
遮掩不住的美国贫富分化冷酷现实(钟声) – 《人民日报》(2023年02月24日 第17版)
Bijbehorend commentaar in het Volksdagblad over de welvaartskloof in de VS onder de gezaghebbende pennaam Zhong Sheng.
Pentagon deelt selfie met Chinese ballon vanuit vliegtuig – RTL Nieuws
Xinhua Commentary: Dramatising Chinese balloon saga proves blatant US double standards – Xinhua: ‘not only goes against scientific common sense, but also violates customary international practice and relevant international conventions.’
China’s top diplomat in Hong Kong summons US consul-general over ‘inappropriate’ remarks – AFP
Nation backs Ukraine de-escalation – China Daily: ‘Wang said […].’ ‘Though the US is unscrupulously trying to suppress and contain China, the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is unstoppable, as China's development has a strong, inherent driving force and inevitable historical logic.’
Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺
Verplichte coronatest voor reizigers uit China vervalt morgen – NOS 🇳🇱
Senior Chinese diplomat Wáng Yì 王毅 expounds on trip to Europe and Russia – Xinhua: ‘If China and the EU choose dialogue and cooperation, bloc confrontation will be out of the question’ ‘China and the EU should exclude external interference [hallo, Amerika!], properly manage differences, and enhance exchanges and cooperation to provide stability for the turbulent international situation, Wang said’ 🇪🇺
Albanian PM: No economic benefits from Chinese 17+1 cooperation but will stay for dialogue – EUractiv 🇦🇱
Zeitentechwarwende ⏱️💽
Brussels moves to ban Eurocrats from using TikTok – POLITICO Europe 🇪🇺
Russia’s war in Ukraine spurs firms in Taiwan to ‘derisk’ amid China tensions – SCMP: ‘Netherlands-based ASML Holding, which sells chip making machinery, plans to build a facility in Taiwan that could support international customers.’
Siemens Chef Roland Busch sieht enormes Potenzial in den USA – Handelsblatt
Weekend
Longreads en achtergrond
Boekrecensie: De machtigste man van China vijf jaar later – Huibert de Man voor China2025.nl
💡 Xi the Survivor: How Washington overestimates Chinese weakness – Christopher Johnson in Foreign Affairs
Great Leap Nowhere: The challenges of China’s semiconductor industry – Elliot Ji for War on the Rocks
Global firms are eyeing Asian alternatives to Chinese manufacturing – The Economist
China’s public is fed up, but not on the brink of revolt: Why Chinese pensioners are protesting, in their own words – The Economist’s Chaguan
Will Russia’s struggle in Ukraine help Taiwan—or hurt it? – Al Jazeera
Podcasts
Fire and grim tone: Putin’s and Biden’s speeches – The Economist’s The Intelligence: ‘We speak with an exiled Chinese blogger trying to get the truth about that conflict into his homeland.’ 🍎
Overige
China buitenland en defensie
China’s foreign loans are becoming a US burden – Jonathan Wheatley for FT: ‘Rather than joining collective efforts to rescue distressed borrowers, its critics say China is now putting its own interests first.’
China calls for ‘joint action’ in debt settlements at G20 – Reuters
Japanese man given 12-year prison term in China for espionage – Kyodo News
China races for influence as it frets over US footholds in Southeast Asia – SCMP
Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 meets Cambodian King and Queen Mother in Beijing – Xinhua
China economie
China’s leader is preparing to install associates to run the central bank and revive a Chinese Communist Party body to tighten political control over financial affairs, say people familiar with the discussions – WSJ
China finance veteran Zhu Hexin set to head central bank, according to sources – Reuters
Singapore’s CapitaLand bets S$1.6bn [€1.1b] on China’s real estate – Nikkei Asia
China binnenland
China’s top legislature starts standing committee session – Xinhua
Chinese mijn stort in: zeker 2 doden en 50 vermisten – NOS
China’s Covid-19 epidemic has ‘basically’ ended, but not completely over, according to health authorities – Reuters
China halts some classes amid school covid cluster and flu’s return – Bloomberg
Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 stresses grasping and carrying forward Lei Feng spirit – Xinhua
Taiwan buitenland en defensie
The US is increasing the number of troops deployed to Taiwan as the Pentagon redoubles efforts to help Taipei focus on tactics and weapons systems that would make the island harder to assault – WSJ
US looks to expand troops helping Taiwan military training, according to sources – Reuters
Taiwan has emphasised there are no US troops ‘stationed’ on the island after the Pentagon said it planned to increase its presence there – Bloomberg
Kleinschalige Amerikaanse militaire aanwezigheid op Taiwan is geen nieuws. Wat nieuwswaardig is – net als met de beelden van aankomende Taiwanese functionarissen voor de laatste ‘special channel’-besprekingen die al tijden plaatsvinden – is dat het publiek mag worden.
Taiwan sees China taking lessons from Russia’s Ukraine invasion – Reuters
春哥侃陸/二十大後中共低調布局機構改革 國台辦會被「國統委」取代? – 聯合報
Taiwan binnenland en economie
Taiwan will offer 500,000 tourists a NT$5,000 [€155] cash or discount incentive this year as it tries to shore up its post-pandemic travel industry and boost spending – Bloomberg
KMT urges ‘smart’ travel policy and China links – Taipei Times: ‘Taiwan has not effectively marketed its Chinese cultural background, its indigenous cultures or local cuisine, while foreign media described the nation as a “pedestrian hell,” Chu said.’
Taiwan cuts 2023 GDP forecast with global electronics demand showing ‘no signs’ of recovery – SCMP