De Chinese Wouden, vrijdag 31 maart: toespraak Ursula von der Leyen, Chinese ambassadeur gromt, Tsai Ing-wen in New York
Nadat de griep al verschillende van mijn studenten en collega’s had geveld, was het woensdagavond mijn beurt. Ik kan inmiddels weer krantlezen, dus hier is alsnog een verlate nieuwsbrief voor het weekend. Er is veel te bespreken, maar ik doe het eerst nog even rustig aan.
Het belangrijkste nieuws is de toespraak die Commissievoorzitter Ursula von der Leyen hield over China. De keuze om hem te houden bij het door China gesanctioneerde Merics is natuurlijk een signaal. Ik vond het een goede, gebalanceerde toespraak. De timing voor haar bezoek met Macron aan China is duidelijk gekozen. De vraag blijft, of ze de Franse president van zijn regelmatige wensdenken t.o.v China af kan houden; de toespraak van de Spaanse premier tijdens zijn bezoek aan China liet blijken dat het realisme van Von der Leyen nog niet overal gedeeld wordt.
Ondertussen gaf de Chinese ambassadeur bij de EU een interview aan de Financial Times. Hierin klonk hij al wat dreigender, in lijn met de hardheid waar nodig die hij aankondigde bij zijn aantreden. Nederland krijgt ook een waarschuwing over mogelijke gevolgen na onze aankondiging van exportcontrolemaatregelen. Ook zegt hij dat ‘de Oekraïne-crisis’ niet zwart-wit is en dat Ruslands ‘legitieme veiligheidsbelangen’ gerespecteerd moeten worden.
Komt dat telefoongesprek tussen Xi Jinping en Volodymyr Zelensky nog?
Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺
China’s commerce chief Wáng Wéntāo 王文涛 to visit Brussels in April as EU trade relations sour – SCMP: ‘he is also set to take in other European capitals’ 🇪🇺
Toespraak Ursula von der Leyen 🇪🇺🇨🇳
Speech by President von der Leyen on EU-China relations to the Mercator Institute for China Studies and the European Policy Centre – European Commission:
Most telling were President Xi’s parting words to Putin on the steps outside the Kremlin when he said: ‘Right now, there are changes, the likes of which we have not seen for 100 years. And we are the ones driving these changes together.’
How China meets international obligation regarding human rights will be another test for how – and how much – we can cooperate with China. Just as China has been ramping up its military posture, it has also ramped up its policies of disinformation and economic and trade coercion.
There are three broad conclusions we can draw on how China is changing – which in turn must shape how our policies will need to change too. The first is that China has now turned the page on the era of ‘reform and opening’ and is moving into a new era of security and control. […]
The second conclusion we can draw flows from this – and that is that the imperative for security and control now trumps the logic of free markets and open trade. […]
Which brings me to the third conclusion. And that is that the Chinese Communist Party’s clear goal is a systemic change of the international order with China at its centre.
Our relations are not black or white – and our response cannot be either. This is why we need to focus on de-risk – not de-couple.
Relatie EU-China „afstandelijker en ingewikkelder” geworden, Von der Leyen wil nieuwe balans – NOS
Chinese houding over Oekraïne bepalend voor toekomstige relatie tussen China en EU, zegt Commissievoorzitter Von der Leyen – VRT NWS
Von der Leyen formuleert harde China-strategie, maar wil ook de kanalen openhouden – de Volkskrant
EU’s von der Leyen calls for tougher policy on China ahead of Beijing visit – POLITICO Europe
EU chief calls for muscular policy to counter China’s ‘alternative world order’ – SCMP
Von der Leyen’s ‘de-risking’ is a tougher stance on China – James Kynge for FT: ‘“Very clearly, she took a much more realistic line on China than other European state leaders do in public,” says Mikko Huotari, executive director at Merics, a Berlin-based think-tank which focuses on China. “But in a sense what she is doing is making public what the internal assessment on China is in several European capitals.”’
Bezoek Von der Leyen aan China wordt „gesprek tussen doven” – BNR
Six priorities for ‘de-risking’ EU relations with China – Grzegorz Stec and Mikko Huotari in Internationale Politik Quarterly
Interviews ambassadeur Fu Cong 🇨🇳🇪🇺
China envoy Fù Cōng 傅聪 warns EU of ‘peril’ from following US on trade curbs – FT:
“Who in their right mind would abandon such a thriving market as big as China?” Fu told the Financial Times, warning European politicians not to undermine positive business sentiment towards China. “It will only be at their own peril.”
Referring to the Netherlands, he added: “They need to be mindful of the fact that China cannot just sit there and see its own interests being trampled like this without taking any actions in response.” 🇳🇱
“I don’t think it is a rational approach to link the relationship with China solely to the Ukrainian crisis,” he said, adding that Russia’s “legitimate security interests” must be respected: “It is not as black and white as some people think it is.”
China’s envoy to EU calls for more ‘in-depth exchanges’ on economic policies – SCMP
Ambassador Fù Cōng 傅聪’s exclusive interview with the Diplomatic World: China and the EU are partners rather than rivals – Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the European Union: ‘I have also noticed that there is considerable misunderstanding and even prejudice against China.’
We are also happy to see the EU exercise strategic autonomy when developing relations with China, so as to make sure that the China-EU relationship is not directed against any third party, nor is it subjugated to or controlled by any third party [i.e. the US].
Taiwanezen op reis
Tsai Ing-wen in de VS
President Tsai Ing-wen 蔡英文 [Cài Yīngwén] receives award from conservative think tank Hudson Institute for promoting Taiwan-US ties – Focus Taiwan
The Biden administration is going to unprecedented lengths to play down the importance of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen’s visit to the US – Bloomberg: ‘After consultations among McCarthy’s staff, the administration and the Taiwanese government, Tsai’s itinerary in the US has been scaled back and is now unlikely to include a speech at the Reagan library, according to people familiar with the matter.’
Tsai Ing-wen talks in US—behind closed doors – RFA: ‘Taiwanese officials, Cronin told Radio Free Asia, did not want to create “unnecessary pressure and dissent” with a public speech’ ‘“TECRO set the rules,” he said’
De Taiwanese kant is rondom dit hele gebeuren erg actief met het beheersen van mogelijke risico’s.
Taiwan not expecting Beijing to react on same scale as last year’s Nancy Pelosi visit if President Tsai Ing-wen meets US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy – SCMP
US and China in ‘frequent, clear and candid’ dialogue on Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen’s visit, American envoy says – SCMP
Experts react: Your guide to the Taiwanese president’s trip to the US and Central America – Atlantic Council
Taiwan zoekt steun tussen supermachten, nu de relatie tussen China en de VS op een dieptepunt verkeert – de Volkskrant
Correctie: China heeft nooit de KMT-visie erkend dat er meerdere interpretaties van ‘één China’ mogelijk zijn.
總統過境美國 蔡明彥:中國每人1天200美元動員抗爭 – 中央社
Volgens directeur-generaal van het National Security Bureau, Tsai Ming-yen, betaalde China US$200 per persoon aan pro-Peking demonstranten die Tsai Ing-wen in New York opwachtte.
Ma Ying-jeou in China
Cross-Strait hostility at worrying level, Taiwan’s Ma Ying-jeou 馬英九 [Mǎ Yīngjiǔ] tells China’s top Taiwan affairs official Sòng Tāo 宋涛 – SCMP
Ma Ying-jeou 馬英九 [Mǎ Yīngjiǔ] emphasises ‘1992 Consensus’ in meeting with China’s Taiwan Affairs Office Director Sòng Tāo 宋涛 – Taipei Times: ‘Song conveyed Xi’s greetings and best wishes to “Mr Ma Ying-jeou,” and welcomed other “Taiwan compatriots” to visit.’
Voor vertrek legde kamp Ma de nadruk op het feit dat het een niet-politieke reis zou zijn, maar nu treft hij toch deze functionaris.
Ma Ying-jeou 馬英九 [Mǎ Yīngjiǔ] lauds China’s Covid-19 response efforts – Xinhua: ‘a contribution not only to the mainland but also to the whole of humanity, he said.’
Bo'ao Forum for Asia 🏝️
China’s Premier Lǐ Qiáng 李强 lashes out at ‘new cold war’ in a speech putting Beijing at the centre of global economic stability – SCMP
China’s Premier Lǐ Qiáng 李强 seeks to rally Asia behind Beijing – CNBC
China’s overtures to foreign firms fall on familiar ears at ‘Asia’s Davos’ – Reuters: ‘the foreign contingent in Li’s audience were outnumbered by a local crowd of Chinese business leaders, academics and China-based diplomats.’
US military presence risks conflict in South China Sea, Bo'ao Forum hears from Chinese analysts and officials – SCMP: ‘Beijing’s claim to much of the South China Sea was dismissed in 2016 by an international tribunal.’
Tech War
Na VS en Nederland beteugelt ook Japan export chiptechnologie naar China – NRC
Japan to restrict chipmaking equipment exports as it aligns with US China curbs – Reuters: ‘Japan said it would impose export controls on six categories of equipment used in chip manufacturing, including cleaning, deposition, lithography and etching.’
YMTC plans rapid recovery from US chip export controls – FT: ‘Management has also assured production engineers it will be able to source key chip manufacturing tools from Dutch equipment maker ASML’
US-China decoupling is hurting innovation, World Bank warns – FT
China Inc. keen on setting up shop in the US despite tensions – Nikkei Asia
Chinese companies rush for US listings ahead of new rules – Reuters
Huawei steps up ASEAN foray with Singapore lab revamp – Nikkei Asia
Taiwan says US officials have visited to discuss concerns about chip subsidies – Reuters
Rusland
China’s defence ministry says it’s open to more military cooperation with Russia – SCMP
Three Chinese state oil majors tight-lipped on Russia – Nikkei Asia
Weekend
Longreads en achtergrond
That big Chinese bailout loan paper in full: Sovereign debt restructuring nerds rejoice – FT Alphaville
Indo-Pacific infrastructure development financing: an agenda for Australia and Europe – Roland Rajah for the Lowy Institute ‘Even as individual financiers, Germany, France, and the EU institutions each provide far more infrastructure development finance in the region than do Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom combined.’
CCP or CPC: A China watchers’ Rorschach – China Media Project
‘Dare to fight’: Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 unveils China’s new world order – FT
Letter from Kinmen: Taiwan is already under attack – The New Statesman
Podcasts
29-3 De toekomst van Taiwan – Casper Wits in NPO Radio 1 Vroeg 🍎
China’s role in the US fentanyl crisis – GMFUS China Global 🍎
China’s cheapest city – The Economist’s Drum Tower 🍎
Overige
China buitenland en defensie
Japan and China foreign ministers to hold talks in Beijing this weekend – Kyodo News
Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong on last leg of China visit; meets Beijing party chief Yǐn Lì 尹力 – The Straits Times
China is dispatching anticorruption enforcers abroad to chase down fugitives and recover stolen assets, a new extension of Beijing’s international reach – WSJ: ‘The Communist Party’s top antigraft [and discipline] body and other government offices tasked with tackling corruption have begun stationing officials in some Chinese embassies’
NB: de CCDI is niet alleen verantwoordelijk voor corruptiebestrijding, maar ook voor partijdiscipline.
Report: Chinese state-sponsored hacking group RedGolf highly active – David Rising for The Diplomat
Against its own policy, Twitter no longer limits Chinese state media influence –
US official stresses need for ‘Cold War’-era crisis mechanisms with China – Reuters
China economie
China’s economic recovery ‘on track’ as services activity hits 12-year high in March – SCMP: ‘Expansion in China’s factory activity slowed in March, data released on Friday showed’
China factory owners feel pain of stumbling post-covid recovery – Nikkei Asia
Many wealthy people are considering leaving China – The Economist
China is now an unlikely safe haven – The Economist
China binnenland
Xi Focus: CCP to launch Party-wide education campaign on Xi Jinping thought – Xinhua
Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 presides over meeting about theoretical study program and revision of Party regulations – Xinhua: ‘It was stressed at the meeting that to carry out an extensive theoretical study program in studying and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is a major plan made by the CPC Central Committee in order to fully implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and mobilize all Party members to work together to fulfill the Party's central task.’
An influential Chinese blogger disappeared from the internet. This woman says she knows why – CNN
Analysis: Hiring spree by China’s debt-laden local governments fuels fiscal fears – Reuters
Taiwan buitenland en defensie
Taiwan attends US-hosted Summit for Democracy – Taipei Times
Taiwan official dodges questions on reported bribe to Ghana to forge ties – Focus Taiwan
台湾“国际洪门中华总会”代表团来京参访 – 新华网