De Chinese Wouden, vrijdag 29 september: White Paper nieuwe wereldorde, handel met China
Zowel Duitse bondskanselier Olaf Scholz in een kranteninterview als de Hongaarse minister van buitenlandse zaken in telefoongesprek met zijn Chinese collega hebben zich uitgesproken tegen het subsidieonderzoek naar Chinese elektrische auto’s.
Ik heb eerder al uitgelegd waarom de Chinese voordelen verder gaan dan subsidies. De partijstaat en de coördinatie die daarbij komt kijken is iets wat we nooit kunnen beconcurreren. Maar als landen zelf ook industriepolitiek gaan voeren, dan verliezen we wel een hoop legitimiteit om andere landen aan te gaan klagen voor het bouwen van de industrieën en ecosystemen met bijbehorende technische en bureaucratische vaardigheden, als ze zelf deze vaardigheden ook nastreven.
Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺
In Nederland geboren panda Fan Xing verhuist naar China – NU.nl 🇳🇱
‘Nederland en China werken al op veel vlakken samen. […] Het is dan ook goed dat we vandaag ook op het gebied van wetenschap, technologie en innovatie een zogeheten Memorandum van Overeenstemming (MoU) tekenen. Door het MoU uit 2011 te vernieuwen worden de banden weer aangehaald, wat diplomatiek de deuren open houdt voor wederzijdse samenwerking.’ – Minister Robbert Dijkgraaf, LinkedIn 🇳🇱
Antwoord op vragen van de leden Kuiken en Nijboer over mogelijke spionage via Chinese röntgencamera’s voor de douane – Staatssecretaris Aukje de Vries, Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal 🇳🇱
Antwoord op vragen van de leden Rajkowski, Gündogan en Brekelmans over het bericht ‘België verbiedt aankoop van Chinese röntgencamera’s voor de douane, Nederland (nog) niet’ – Staatssecretaris Aukje de Vries, Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal 🇳🇱
For first time, China sends security chief Chēn Wénqīng 陈文清 to Germany for key talks as Beijing eyes closer cooperation with Berlin – SCMP: ‘Chen, 63, has been travelling since September 21, first stopping in Italy on a trip that also includes official visits to Serbia and Germany’
China ready to further enhance law enforcement and security dialogue with Germany, says senior CCP official Chēn Wénqīng 陈文清 – Xinhua: ‘made the remarks while addressing the opening of the 4th China-Germany high-level security dialogue held here on Tuesday.’ 🇩🇪
Chen is de voormalige baas van de Chinese Stasi en inmiddels binnen het Politburo verantwoordelijk voor het hele Chinese veiligheidsapparaat.
China and Germany resume high-level financial talks after Covid-19 – Reuters 🇩🇪
Row erupts among German academics over state-approved research trips in China – University World News 🇩🇪
Pekings langer Arm nach Pirna – SZ: „Die China-Connection reicht bis in die sächsische Provinz – und bis zu einem AfD-Spitzenpolitiker.“ 🇩🇪
White Paper
China issues White Paper on global community of shared future, presses on with green BRI projects – The Straits Times
China Focus: China issues white paper on global community of shared future, a decade after vision proposed – Xinhua: ‘The white paper, issued by the State Council Information Office, said the vision of building a global community of shared future rises above the exclusive rules of bloc politics, the notion of “might makes right,” and the “universal values” defined by a handful of Western countries.’
Full Text: A Global Community of Shared Future: China's Proposals and Actions – Xinhua: ‘by presenting China’s vision of the course of human development, it confronts the hegemonic thinking of certain countries that seek supremacy.’
Xinhua Commentary: China’s vision of global community of shared future materialises into concrete actions – Xinhua: ‘This does not mean that the international system should be dismantled or started afresh. Rather, it means promoting greater democracy [sic] in international relations and making global governance more just and equitable.’
China releases a white paper on its proposals, actions on building ‘a global community of shared future’ – The Global Times: ‘Chinese experts said that the white paper, without mentioning the US, has clearly expressed firm oppositions [sic] against many ideas and behaviors of Washington, such as “democracy versus authoritarianism,” “alliance-based confrontation,” and “small yard, high fence,” and this shows that China is now openly disagreeing with the US-proposed “rule-based order,” which in fact is a way to preserve the old order dominated by US hegemony.’
China handel
Germany’s chancellor Olaf Scholz ‘not convinced’ about tariffs on Chinese EVs, he says in Wirtschaftswoche interview – Reuters: ‘“I am not very convinced of this, to put it politely,” Scholz told Wirtschaftswoche in an interview published on Thursday.’ 🇩🇪
De vergelijking met Japanse automakers gaat mank, aangezien we te maken hebben met een heel ander politiek-economisch systeem in China.
Germany’s Scholz warns against protectionism in China electric car probe during a panel debate – POLITICO Europe 🇩🇪
China and EU are partners, not rivals, Chinese foreign minister Wáng Yì 王毅 tells Hungarian counterpart in phone call – Xinhua: ‘[Wang] added that the EU's anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese electric vehicles violates the basic rules of international trade, which will probably disrupt the global automotive industrial chain and supply chain.’
‘The Hungarian side strongly opposes decoupling from China, and hopes that the EU and China could cooperate more closely, [Szijjarto] said, adding that Hungary does not support the EU taking any measures that are not conducive to fair competition and cooperation.’🇭🇺
A trade reprieve won’t fix the EU’s failures on electric vehicles – Alan Beattie in FT 🇪🇺
De auteur heeft gemist dat Tesla Shanghai wél doelwit is.
Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 stresses active participation in WTO reform and stronger ability for high-level opening-up – Xinhua: ‘seeking to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement’
Nederland lijdt aan ‘vredesdementie’: veiligheid is geen vanzelfsprekendheid – Maaike Okano-Heijmans in FD 🇳🇱
Action on critical minerals is needed now: As tensions with China grow, Western countries need to do more to finance and build alternative supply chains for critical minerals – Joris Teer and Chris Miller for POLITICO Europe
Europe can go green and rely less on China at the same time – Luke Patey for Nikkei Asia
Europe should worry but not panic over China – Martin Sandbu for FT
Tech War 💽💥
Europe is finalising partnerships with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia to boost local industries as the bloc competes with China to secure critical materials – Bloomberg: ‘The EU plans to sign the partnerships during a forum of the Global Gateway’
China looks to relax cross-border data security controls – FT
Chinese battery groups invest in Morocco to serve western markets – FT
TikTok staff have raised questions internally about recent personnel transfers from its China-based company, ByteDance – WSJ
How TikTok has exposed celebrities and politicians’ closest personal contacts – Forbes: ‘What sets TikTok apart, they say, is the apparent lack of controls that exist on such intimate data; the ease with which it can be mined by workers who don’t need access to it; and the inferences staff can make about individual users and their social circles from that data. And despite the company publicly arguing otherwise, sources and experts say that TikTok’s Chinese ownership—and the ability to access such sensitive data in China—magnify concerns over how the tool might be abused.’
What the US-China chip war means for critical American ally South Korea – The New York Times: ‘A one-year waiver the companies received in mid-October 2022 that temporarily exempted them from the export rules is set to expire soon.’
US telecom agency says it could boost authority over Huawei and ZTE equipment – Reuters
Kantelpunt 🌏⏱️
China’s media mouthpieces troll West over India-Canada spat – Nikkei Asia
Japan’s Mitsubishi Motors 三菱 to end production in China – Nikkei Asia
China EV price wars drive Mitsubishi 三菱 from market – Nikkei Asia
Russia is increasingly using China’s currency to evade sanctions – FT
In China pull-out, more South Korean firms are heading to Japan for the first time since 1980s – SCMP
Japanese expats in China near 20-year low as tensions simmer – Nikkei Asia
Inwoners van de Malediven kiezen tussen Chinese of Indiase invloed – NRC
Weekend
Longreads en achtergrond
Generatie Z in China laat zich graag pamperen door pa en ma – de Volkskrant
NB: er is wel een groot verschil tussen de opgeleide stedelijke jeugd en de slecht opgeleide plattelandsjeugd.
How China can avoid the Japan trap – Martin Wolf for FT: ‘China is in fact hyper-capitalist. An enormous proportion of national income goes to the controllers of capital and is being saved by them.’
Why China may struggle to escape stagnation: Lessons from Zhengzhou, a city at the heart of the country’s problems – The Economist
Beijing’s new and old rhetoric on the Taiwan question – Mark Harrison for ASPI’s the Strategist: ‘highlighting a shared Fujian and Taiwan identity is interesting coming from the very top of the PRC system.’
Hong Kong’s bureaucrats don’t make good authoritarians – Joshua Yang for Foreign Policy: ‘the issue is that Hong Kong leaders have very little experience working closely with the mainland Chinese political system—and as a result, have very little idea how to implement Beijing’s directives.’
Al die dagen die partijkaders doorbrengen op partijscholen om partijteksten te bestuderen en interpreteren betalen zich uit, wanneer ze een oekaze van Ome Xi krijgen. Die training in exegese hebben de ‘patriotten’ die Hong Kong besturen nooit gehad.
Overige
China buitenland en defensie
Beijing and Washington are paving the way for Chinese leader Xi Jinping to visit the US, moving ahead with high-level official exchanges and taking other steps to improve the tone of their turbulent relations – WSJ
Senior US and Chinese diplomats Daniel Kritenbrink and Sun Weidong hold ‘in-depth’ talks in Washington DC – Kyodo News
China-US ties: ambassador Xiè Fēng 谢锋 to US calls for ‘concrete, small steps’ in relations but silent on whether Xi will attend Apec – SCMP
Chinese hackers nab 60,000 unclassified emails in State Department breach – POLITICO
US and Japan authorities warn of China-linked hacking group BlackTech – Reuters
Chinese still fish near Japan after water release from Fukushima – The Asahi Shimbun: ‘while the same marine products caught in the same area by Japanese vessels remain banned in that country.’
Exclusive: How US$1M from China-linked groups oiled New York politics – Newsweek
Het ‘united front system’, zoals het artikel het noemt, is inderdaad een wolk aan organisaties die gesteund en/of gemanipuleerd en/of gerund wordt door de afdelingen voor verenigd front-werk van verschillende partijcomités in China zelf en soms zelfs uit organisaties die weer met andere organisaties te maken hebben. Het is een kluwen waarlangs Chinese invloed een weg kan vinden, maar waarin ook lokale initiatieven ontplooit kunnen worden met relatief onafhankelijkheid binnen de grenzen en beperkingen die het Verenigd Front creëert.
US state department report accuses China of global media manipulation – Reuters
China spends billions of dollars each year to enhance its image around the world, including by sponsoring online influencers, the US government says in a new report – Bloomberg
How the People’s Republic of China Seeks to Reshape the Global Information Environment – US Department of State Global Engagement Center
Philippines urges fishermen to keep up presence at China-held Scarborough Shoal – Reuters
China liked pope’s recent overture, Beijing bishop to visit Hong Kong – Reuters
Trial of new road connecting China, Mongolia, and Russia finishes – Xinhua
China and Saudi Arabia to hold joint anti-terror naval training – Xinhua
Chinese defence chief Lǐ Shàngfú 李尚福’s monthlong absence slows military diplomacy – Nikkei Asia
China economie
China is starting to loosen pricing rules in its housing market—with unpredictable consequences – WSJ: ‘Recently, Beijing has sent signals indicating it is okay with cities easing or abandoning the price floors, in tandem with other steps the central government has taken to support the market, such as lowering interest rates.’
The billionaire chairman Hui Ka Yan 许家印 of China Evergrande 中国恒大, the world’s most indebted developer, has been placed under police control [RSDL] – Bloomberg
Evergrande 恒大 says chairman Hui Ka Yan 许家印 under investigation over suspected ‘illegal crimes’ – Reuters
China vows ‘more powerful’ policy supports after August industrial profits rebound – SCMP
Law firm layoffs rise in Hong Kong as China business slows – Nikkei Asia
Chinese demand drives deals at world’s largest coal conference – Reuters
China binnenland
China’s Xí Jìnpíng 习近平, not premier Lǐ Qiáng 李强, delivers National Day speech in break with convention – Reuters: ‘Xi has previously delivered a speech twice at the annual reception’
Xinhua Headlines-Xi Focus: Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 says confidence ‘more valuable than gold’ in march toward rejuvenation – Xinhua
China to step up anti-graft efforts for better economic development, says Xinhua – Reuters
CCP leadership reviews disciplinary inspection commission report – Xinhua: ‘The meeting also stressed the need for greater efforts to ensure financial enterprises serve the real economy and national strategies in an improved manner.’
Chinese universities squeeze new students with tuition increases – SCMP
China thins out government agencies in low-populated counties to ease fiscal pressure – Yicai Global
Profspeelsters tennissen weer in China, ondanks vermissing Peng Shuai 彭帅 – RTL
Hong Kong
Taiwan buitenland en defensie
Taiwan launches first Indigenous Defense Submarine ‘Narwhal’ – Focus Taiwan: ‘the IDS prototype will undergo a harbor acceptance test on Oct. 1, followed by a sea acceptance test, and hopefully be delivered to the Navy before the end of 2024.’ ‘The building of the domestic submarines means Taiwan's Navy will have a total of three combat-ready submarines by 2025 and four by 2027, including two existing Chien Lung-class (Sword Dragon) subs bought from the Netherlands in the 1980s.’
Taiwanese military participated in Patriot (PAC-3) missile drill under US observation in Palau – Taipei Times
Taiwan security chief Wellington Koo Li-hsiung 顧立雄 says it is necessary for AUKUS and NATO to counter China’s threat – Nikkei Asia
CCP using Meizhou Matsu visit for ‘united front’ work, says Taiwan Statebuilding Party – Taipei Times
Religie is de verantwoordelijkheid van de Afdeling Verenigd Front Werk van de CCP, dat is de bureaucratische weg waarlangs alle religieuze organisaties in China worden aangestuurd.
DPP always goes against interests and well-being of Taiwan compatriots, says [Chinese] spokesperson – Xinhua
Taiwan verkiezingen
TPP’s Ko Wen-je 柯文哲 gives rumoured KMT pact preconditions the cold shoulder – Focus Taiwan: ‘Ko didn't rule out the possibility of the KMT-TPP cooperation, saying political parties should at least have a significant degree of compatibility in values and principles for meaningful discussions about future cooperation.’
藍白合! 國民黨新北第二選區不推人 – 自由時報
De KMT heeft geen concurrerende kandidaat voor de TPP-kandidaat in kiesdistrict New Taipei 2.
金溥聰談藍白合: Timing is everything – 自由時報
獨家》不氣了?柯P喊「放心最後一定合」 深藍軍系暴動了 – 中國時報
Er lijkt iets meer beweging te komen in mogelijke samenwerking tussen de oppositiepartijen. Alleen blijft de uitdaging: veel grote ego’s, anti-systeemstemmers die met Ko iets anders hopen te krijgen gaan misschien liever terug naar DPP dan dat ze voor de KMT kiezen, en de registratiedeadlines naderen rap.
DPP’s Lai Ching-te 賴清德 says he will ‘prioritise consideration’ of female VP candidate – Focus Taiwan: ‘remarks likely to fuel speculation he could select Hsiao Bi-khim’
Tycoon Terry Gou 郭台銘 pushes on with candidature despite undermining opposition unity – Focus Taiwan
Vice president Lai Ching-te 賴清德 (DPP) warns of Chinese attempts to ‘annex’ Taiwan
China says military drills near Taiwan target ‘arrogance’ of separatists – Reuters
Taiwan says China knows armed threats backfire on influencing elections – Reuters: ‘Beijing is not likely to try such actions ahead of January's presidential vote, the Taiwanese foreign minister said Thursday.’
NPP proposes euthanasia bill to ‘initiate dialogue’ – Taipei Times
DPP launches English podcast to highlight geopolitical issues in election – Focus Taiwan: ‘Among the guests in the first two episodes are David Sacks, a researcher at the Council on Foreign Relations, and Miles Yu’
Taiwan binnenland en economie
Cabinet approves bill on indigenous legal rights – Taipei Times
Executive Yuan proposes firefighter bill – Taipei Times