De Chinese Wouden, vrijdag 30 mei: VS escaleren
De regering van de Verenigde Staten escaleren de spanningen met China verder. Er zijn nieuwe exportcontrolemaatregelen. Kranten schrijven over twee beperkingen: op de ontwerpsoftware voor chips en op onderdelen voor het eerste Chinese burgervliegtuig. Een sterker signaal zijn echter de beperkingen op studenten.
Er waren al instructies van Rubio aan Amerikaanse ambassades om geen aanvragen studentenvisa meer te verwerken – een reden zou zijn om tijd te creëren voor controle van sociale media. Nu komt daar een aankondiging van Rubio bij dat de VS ‘agressief’ visas in gaan trekken van Chinese studenten bij bepaalde banden.
De vaagheid is beangstigend voor veel Chinese studenten. Ook is dit een ‘federalisering’ van een oudere trend van maatregelen specifiek gericht op Chinezen omdat ze Chinees zijn. Op statelijk niveau waren er al wetsvoorstellen in de VS om het bezit van vastgoed door Chinese staatsburgers te verbieden.
Voor Pekings plannen zijn de uitvoerbeperkingen een groter probleem. Er waren echter al zorgen over de achterblijvende implementatie van de Chinese belofte in Genève om de uitvoer van aardmetalen te hervatten. Chinese autoriteiten probeerde Europese bedrijven hierover gerust te stellen op een bijenkomst in Peking. De VS gaat nu scherper terugduwen. Zoals Bill Bischop schreef: „The ‘détente’ is not really a détente and whatever it is it is very fragile.”
Reuters schrijft ondertussen over ongebruikelijk duidelijke Chinese militaire activiteiten in de Oost- en Zuid-Chinese Zeeën. Dit lijkt op assertieve signalen aan de regio. Aan het begin van de heffingenoorlog van Trump schreven de kranten ook al over Chinese drukcampagnes. Peking combineert oproepen tot samenwerken en aanbiedingen van vermeende economische openheid met waarschuwingen. Terwijl Amerika zich terugtrekt uit de wereld, maar China de gewenste houding van de buren in de eigen regio duidelijk.
Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said China has stopped selling drones to Kyiv and other European nations while continuing shipments to Russia – Bloomberg: ‘“There are production lines on Russian territory where there are Chinese representatives,” he added.’
‘A European official said that Zelenskiy’s remarks match their own assessments.’ 🇺🇦
Confidence of EU businesses in China hit a record low even before tariff war, according to survey – SCMP: ‘Conducted two weeks before US President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January’
‘Only 29 per cent of respondents reported optimism about their growth prospects in China over the coming two years’ 🇪🇺
European companies cut costs, scale back investments in China as its economy slows – AP 🇪🇺
EU companies more concerned about China slowdown than tariffs – FT: ‘The EU study found that 73 per cent of members reported that doing business in China became more difficult in the past year’ 🇪🇺
France eyes China-EU climate leadership with Washington out of the room – Euractiv: ‘French Environment Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher [flew] to China on Wednesday night with hopes of moving the EU and China closer on international climate action’ 🇫🇷🇪🇺
Chinese spies blamed for attempted hack on Czech foreign ministry unclassified network – The Record: ‘summoned the Chinese ambassador to communicate to Beijing that “such hostile activities have a damaging impact on our bilateral relations,”’ 🇨🇿
EU en Navo woedend op China na aanval van hackers op ‘kritieke infrastructuur’ Tsjechië – de Volkskrant 🇨🇿🇪🇺
Spokesperson of the Chinese Mission to the EU Speaks on a Question Concerning Cybersecurity-related Negative Remarks Against China by the EU and NATO – Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the European Union 🇪🇺
Chinese webwinkel Shein 希音 maakt aanpassingen na waarschuwing EU – BNR 🇪🇺
中国政府欧洲事务特别代表卢沙野接受《人民政协报》专访：百年变局中需要中欧携手“照亮世界” – 人民政协报
Lu Shaye, tegenwoordig Chinees gezant voor Europese zaken, had een interview met de krant van de CPPCC. China en Europa moeten elkaar vasthouden in deze epochale omwenteling. Wanneer beide kanten kiezen voor samenwerken, kan blokconfrontatie vermeden worden. Chinese export van groene technologie heeft Europa geholpen met de klimaattransitie en bestrijding van inflatie. Er is geen fundamenteel conflict. Recent waren er stemmen om de ratificatie van de Comparative Agreement on Investment weer te bekijken.
Senior CCP security official Chen Wenqing attends meetings in Russia – Xinhua: ‘China is willing to work with Russia to […], upgrade law enforcement and security cooperation’ 🇷🇺
Taiwan and EU eye deeper cooperation on security and semiconductors – Taipei Times: ‘President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and the European Union’s representative, Lutz Gullner, […] at a gala hosted by the European Chamber of Commerce Taiwan (ECCT)’ 🇪🇺
VS-China 🇨🇳🇺🇸
Trump makes a new push to ‘decouple’ US from China – The New York Times 🇺🇸
Trump administration pauses exports of US airplane and semiconductor technology to China – The New York Times: ‘The move is a response to China’s recent restrictions on exports of critical minerals to the United States, […], according to two people familiar with the matter.’
‘One person familiar with the matter, who declined to be named to discuss private conversations, said the Commerce Department had suspended some licenses that allowed American companies to sell products and technology to COMAC, a Chinese state-owned aerospace manufacturer, for use in its C919 aircraft.’
‘The Trump administration also appears to have paused exports of software, sold by companies like Cadence, Synopsys and Siemens, used to design computer chips.’ 🇺🇸
Donald Trump orders US chip software suppliers to stop selling to China – FT: ‘issued the directive to the companies via letters, according to the people. It was unclear if every US EDA company had received a letter.’ 🇺🇸
US curbs chip design software, chemicals, and other shipments to China – Reuters: ‘ordered a broad swathe of companies to stop shipping goods to China without a license and revoked licenses already granted to certain suppliers, said three people familiar with the matter.’ 🇺🇸
The Trump administration is moving to restrict the sale of chip design software to China, people familiar with the matter said, as the US government evaluates a broader policy announcement on the issue – Bloomberg 🇺🇸
Amerikaanse droom van Chinese studenten spat uiteen nu visa worden ingetrokken: „We overwegen nu ook Nederlandse universiteiten” – de Volkskrant 🇺🇸
VS gaan visa van Chinese studenten ‘agressief’ intrekken – NRC 🇺🇸
New Visa Policies Put America First, Not China – US Department of State: ‘Under President Trump’s leadership, the U.S. State Department will work with the Department of Homeland Security to aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields. We will also revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications from the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong.’ 🇺🇸
US discriminatory practice of revoking visas for Chinese students exposes its lies of so-called ‘freedom, openness’, foreign ministry spokesperson says – Xinhua: ‘“China firmly opposes this and has lodged representations with the U.S. side,” Mao said.’ 🇺🇸
China’s commerce ministry urges US to end erroneous practice of imposing unilateral additional tariffs – Xinhua: ‘China once again urges the United States to immediately correct its erroneous practices, end its discriminatory restrictive measures against China, and work with China to maintain the consensus reached at the high-level Geneva talks’ 🇺🇸
Chinese military urges US to stop fanning flames on Taiwan question – Xinhua 🇺🇸
China urges relevant countries to stop stirring up trouble in South China Sea – Xinhua 🇺🇸🇵🇭
More cards to play: scholar Wú Xīnbó 吴心伯 sees Trump moving beyond tariffs as tactic with China – SCMP
Wereldhandelsoorlog 📉💥
EU-US trade talks to go ahead despite court blow to Donald Trump’s tariffs – FT 🇪🇺🇺🇸
Trump mag toch importheffingen invoeren, hof draait blokkering tijdelijk terug – NOS 🇺🇸
China rare-earth controls could starve EU factories in days, chamber warns – Nikkei Asia 🇪🇺
Chinese and EU semiconductor firms discuss supply-chain security at government-hosted meeting in Beijing amid ‘bullying’ – SCMP: ‘the [EU] chamber’s secretary general, Adam Dunnett, said: “Mofcom explained to us that they are working very long hours to be able to expedite the increasing demand of applications” to obtain the rare earths needed in semiconductor manufacturing.’ 🇪🇺
EU-onderzoek naar dumpen goedkope Chinese autobanden baart China zorgen – BNR 🇪🇺
China highly concerned about EU investigation into Chinese tyres, commerce ministry says – Xinhua 🇪🇺
Urging China-EU cooperation, former WTO head Pascal Lamy points to ‘common ground’ – SCMP: ‘“We should do what China did to us 30 years ago,” Pascal Lamy told the Post […]: “Welcome to the EU, provided you produce here.”’ 🇪🇺
De zorg is dat duidelijk wordt uit Pekings instructies aan Chinese bedrijven dat het doel is om juist serieuze overdracht aan bijv. India en Europa te voorkomen.
How China uses work to reshape Uyghur identity and control a strategic region – The New York Times: ‘We found that workers are now involved in making a variety of goods for many well-known brands in factories across the country, presenting a challenge to international regulators looking to identify and purge forced labor from supply chains.’
Far From Home: Uyghur workers in factories supplying global brands – The New York Times: ‘the Trump administration, which has accused Beijing of “ripping off” the United States and producing goods at artificially low costs, including through exploitative labor conditions’
Zwangsarbeit in Chinas Unternehmen: So verpflichtet China Uiguren als Billigarbeiter in der Industrie – Der Spiegel: „Auch Betriebe, die nach eigenen Angaben deutsche Unternehmen beliefern, setzen uigurische Beschäftigte ein, die mutmaßlich gegen ihren Willen arbeiten müssen.“
Asean countries struggle to resolve Trump’s ‘divide and conquer’ tariffs – Nikkei Asia: ‘Individual members of ASEAN rushed to have direct negotiations with the U.S. through May, but have so far been left stumped as to the outcome of bilateral efforts to gain relief from Trump’s sweeping tariffs’
Singapore deputy PM Gan calls for ‘new alliances’ amid US tariffs – Nikkei Asia: ‘he proposed that countries form new economic alliances by “building on existing economic groupings and plurilateral agreements.”’ 🇸🇬
Techoorlog 💽💥
TSMC 台積電 plans new R&D centre in Germany – Taipei Times: ‘The new Munich center would be the firm’s first chip designing center in Europe, it said.’ 🇩🇪
Huawei-linked chip chemical supplier Zhuhai Cornerstone Technologies 珠海基石科技 aims to replace Shin-Etsu, JSR, and DuPont – Nikkei Asia: ‘has ambitious goals, aiming to provide "turnkey solutions" for nearly all critical materials essential for chipmaking, several people briefed on the matter told Nikkei Asia.’
Chinese government releases plan aimed at upgrading IT manufacturers and boosting self-sufficiency – SCMP: ‘The 18-point action plan calls for the deepening of AI integration and the fostering of a new class of industry service providers by 2027.’
Nvidia-ceo Jensen Huang 黃仁勳 valt Chinabeleid VS hard aan – FD 🇺🇸
Nvidia klaagt over beperking van export naar China, maar blijft groeien als kool – de Volkskrant 🇺🇸
India’s alarm over Chinese spying rocks the surveillance industry – Reuters: ‘contentious new security rules that require manufacturers of CCTV cameras to submit hardware, software and source code for assessment in government labs’ 🇮🇳
In Depth: Foreign carmakers tap local expertise to regain China market share – Caixin Global
Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 signs order on awarding military scientific research – Xinhua: ‘The regulations establish a structured award system aligned with national and military strategic goals.’
Kantelpunt 🌏⏱️
EU and India to carry out joint naval exercise in Indian Ocean to reinforce maritime security cooperation – EU EEAS 🇪🇺🇮🇳
EU must assert independence with arms spending and Ukraine accession, says Ursula von der Leyen – POLITICO Europe: ‘in her acceptance speech of the Charlemagne Prize for European unification.’ 🇪🇺
Exclusive: China’s most advanced H-6 bombers seen on disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea – Reuters: ‘a gesture that some analysts described as Beijing's latest signalling of its growing military capabilities to rivals.’
Exclusive: China flexes military muscle with East Asian naval activity, sources say – Reuters: ‘by sending an unusually large number of naval and coast guard vessels through a swathe of East Asian waters’
Japanese government confirms China has removed last buoy from Japan’s EEZ off Okinawa Islands – NHK World 🇯🇵
Japan is stepping up efforts to deter China’s military ambitions in the Asia-Pacific as Tokyo and others seek clarity about the US’ plans to counter Beijing’s power in the region – Bloomberg: ‘For the first time, Japan sent destroyers through the Taiwan Strait on two occasions in recent months’ 🇯🇵
China will not send its defence minister to Shangri-La Dialogue for the first time since 2019 – The Straits Times: ‘Instead, China will send a People’s Liberation Army National Defence University delegation’
Chinese military delegation to attend Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore – Xinhua: ‘When asked about the Chinese delegation’s bilateral meeting agenda and possible meetings with U.S. counterparts during the dialogue, Zhang said that details would be disclosed in due course.’ 🇺🇸
China, Asean, and GCC forge innovative trilateral cooperation amid global risks – Xinhua: ‘[Premier] Li urged all sides to work together to build a model of global cooperation and development in three aspects — creating a model of cross-region openness, forging a model of cooperation across different development stages, and fostering a model of cross-civilization integration.’
Weekend 🏖️📚
Longreads en achtergrond
Caught in the US-China Crossfire: To protect itself, Europe must call a critical raw material emergency – Joris Teer for CSDS: ‘Europe cannot sidestep Beijing’s critical raw material retaliation, nor does it have any control over the accelerating pace of US-China escalation.’ 🇪🇺
Minister Brekelmans: red Europa, investeer in mijnbouw! – Joris Teer in EW 🇳🇱
Chinese leader Xí Jìnpíng 习近平’s self-styled image as a leader with absolute authority has roots in his formative years as a son of a revolutionary hero – WSJ: ‘From harsh discipline to memorizing Mao, Xi Zhongxun shaped China’s powerful leader, a new biography recounts’
Review Essay: The Life of Saint Xi – Lucy Hornby for China Books Review
From rhetoric to reality: China-Russia cooperation in the Arctic accelerates – Oliver Dieckmann for The Diplomat 🇷🇺
China, Russia, and the remaking of the Eurasian supercontinent – James Crabtree for FT: ‘Three books offer a guide to shifting power in the region and what it means for the US and Europe’ 🇷🇺
The BRICS and the Emerging Order of Multipolarity – Raoul Bunskoek and Steven Verburg for the Clingendael Institute
National security white paper offers Chinese wisdom at the crossroads of history – Arran Hope for Jamestown’s China Brief
The lessons from China’s dominance in manufacturing – FT
Don’t underestimate the Chinese consumer – Tej Parikh for FT: ‘the downbeat narrative around China’s consumption underplays how large it already is.’
: ‘Harassment survivors used social media to expose a teacher’s pattern of abuse, but mainstream coverage quickly vanished from China's internet.’American far-right views are welcome in China – Maya Wang and Mason Wong for Foreign Policy
Podcasts
Europe’s balancing act with China: A conversation with Janka Oertel – CSIS ChinaGlobal 🍎
China Across CSIS: Lessons and next steps from deals with China and the UK – CSIS Pekingology 🍎
China’s chokehold on critical minerals – GMFUS China Global 🍎
What does China want from the US? With Jay Shambaugh – FT The Economics Show 🍎
Overige
China buitenland en defensie
Uyghurs welcome Turkey’s crackdown on Chinese spy ring – Nikkei Asia 🇹🇷
China-backed AIIB is looking to open new offices in Hong Kong and Singapore, its biggest expansion since beginning operations in Beijing almost a decade ago – Bloomberg: ‘The AIIB has committed almost $52 billion in funding to 38 member countries, according to its website, with India the largest single recipient.’
China vows to open markets to Pacific Island nations as US retreats – FT
Chinese foreign minister Wáng Yì 王毅 meets counterparts from Pacific Island countries – Xinhua
Defence spokesperson slams Japan’s irresponsible comments about China’s military development – Xinhua 🇯🇵
Senior military official Zhāng Yòuxiá 张又侠 calls for high-level training support system – Xinhua
China economie
Discount coffee, hotels thrive in China’s penny-pinching economy – Nikkei Asia
LVMH Deputy CEO Stephane Bianchi has warned that Chinese customers have been pulling back on travel and consumer spending amid signs of weakening demand for luxury goods – Bloomberg
China agrees to import Brazilian DDGS and peanut meal – Dim Sums 🇧🇷
China’s government issues guideline to improve market-based allocation of resources and environmental factors – Xinhua: ‘By 2027, China aims to establish basically sound trading systems for carbon emission rights and water use rights’
China binnenland
Chinese defence oversight official Zhang Jianhua latest figure snared in military corruption crackdown – SCMP: ‘formerly deputy head of the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (SASTIND)’
China’s ‘colonial boarding schools’ erode Tibetan identity, Tibet Action Institute report says – Nikkei Asia
‘When They Came to Take Our Children’: China’s Colonial Boarding Schools and the Future of Tibet – Tibet Action Institute
China’s NMC issues flood warnings after heavy rain in southern regions – Reuters
Vijf doden bij explosie in Chinese chemische fabriek, zes mensen vermist – NOS
Thailand, Singapore, and China mask up as Covid-19 reemerges – Nikkei Asia
Chinese ruimtesonde moet de ‘kleine buren’ van de aarde beter helpen begrijpen – Trouw
Hong Kong
Hong Kong national security police question 2 other relatives of wanted activist Joe Tay – HKFP
Exclusive: Shein 希音 working towards Hong Kong listing after London IPO stalls, say sources – Reuters: ‘failed to secure the green light from Chinese regulators’
‘Allegations that Shein's products contain cotton from China’s Xinjiang region and a planned legal challenge to the London IPO by a non-governmental organisation campaigning against forced labour in China have complicated the London listing and risk embarrassment for the Chinese government, a separate source with direct knowledge of the matter said.’ 🇬🇧
Taiwan buitenland en defensie
Beijing being provocative, ignoring olive branches, top Taiwanese China policymaker says – Reuters: ‘“It’s true that we don’t see any sincerity from mainland China,” Chiu said this week, speaking in his office in central Taipei.’ 🇨🇳
Cross-Strait media summit held in Beijing – Xinhua 🇨🇳
Fujian coast guard conducts routine patrol of waters near Kinmen – Xinhua 🇨🇳
Taiwanese military monitors Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning ahead of reported drills – Focus Taiwan: ‘could conduct military exercises there later this week during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday from Friday to Sunday.’ 🇨🇳
Ten sentenced over spying for China – Taipei Times: ‘Two brothers and eight active service members were handed sentences ranging from 30 months to more than 10 years’ 🇨🇳
NCSIST attack drone boat could enter combat evaluation in June, source says – Focus Taiwan
Taiwan binnenland en economie
Taiwan’s CEC to investigate Nantou County election committee’s petition rejections – Focus Taiwan
Taiwan’s Constitutional Court to review Control Yuan’s challenge to 2025 central budget – Focus Taiwan: ‘review the Control Yuan’s petition to overturn the 2025 central government budget, which the Legislature passed in January after major cuts by opposition lawmakers.’
Opposition to blame for cuts to local subsidies, DPP says – Taipei Times
Donovan’s Deep Dives: Huang Kuo-chang 黃國昌’s choking the life out of the TPP – Courtney Donovan Smith for Taipei Times: ‘The TPP head is more focused on tearing down the DPP, than building up the party he represents, a strategy that could lead to political irrelevance’
Taipei City councillor Chen Chung-wen 陳重文 (KMT) questioned over father’s bribery allegations – Focus Taiwan: ‘linked to his father's election as head of the Beitou Farmers’ Association.’
‘Meanwhile, Chen Chung-wen is also appealing a nine-year prison sentence for a separate corruption case.’
Taiwan to further ease immigration regulations in bid to attract foreign talent – Focus Taiwan
Taiwan aims to launch its first self-made space rocket by 2034, NSTC says – Focus Taiwan
Taiwan becomes only Asian country free of three major swine diseases – Focus Taiwan