De Chinese Wouden, vrijdag 9 juni
De naweeën van mijn afwezigheid vorig weekend en nakijkwerk dat maandag af moet zijn beïnvloeden de nieuwsbrief nog. Ik hoop vanaf volgende week weer regelmatiger te zijn.
Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺
Exclusive: Taiwan foreign minister Joseph Wu 吳釗燮 [Wú Zhāoxiè] (DPP) to make Europe trip next week – Reuters: ‘expected to appear with the Czech president’ ‘expected visit Brussels, headquarters of the European Union’ 🇪🇺🇨🇿
China warns Europe against official ties with Taiwan ahead of foreign minister’s visit – Reuters 🇪🇺🇨🇿
België verbiedt aankoop van Chinese röntgencamera Nuctech’s voor de douane, Nederland (nog) niet – Follow the Money 🇧🇪
Meerderheid EU-burgers: Europa moet neutraal blijven bij conflict China en VS over Taiwan – de Volkskrant 🇪🇺
NBL: het conflict zou primair gaan tussen China en Taiwan. Het eiland is geen dode trofee en ik vind de gekozen vraagstellingen wat aan de americentrische kant. Volgens een medewerker van de organisator van de peiling is de steun voor aan de kant van de VS wel significant gestegen sinds de vorige peiling in 2019. Het Chinese ministerie van buitenlandse zaken is in ieder geval blij en verschillende Chinese diplomaten en ambassade’s deelden al selectieve schermafdrukken.
Keeping America close, Russia down, and China far away: How Europeans navigate a competitive world – ECFR 🇪🇺
EU considers mandatory ban on using Huawei to build 5G – FT: ‘if member states, including Germany, continued to delay.’ 🇪🇺
‘On June 5, Liu Jianchao, minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, met with a Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova delegation in Beijing.’ – Hu Zhaoming, Twitter 🇲🇩
PSRM is een eurosceptische pro-Moskou partij…
Britain to remove Chinese surveillance gear from government sites – The Guardian 🇬🇧
Watching China in Europe — June 2023 – GMFUS’ Noah Barkin 🇩🇪
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s Regular Press Conference on June 7, 2023 – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China: ‘China and the EU are both victims to US economic coercion. The US has openly coerced the EU and some countries into restricting export of semiconductor manufacturing equipment to China. […] We hope the EU will stand together with the international community against US economic coercion.’
Ambassador Fù Cōng 傅聪 Met with Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission – Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the European Union: ‘China welcomes Mr. Timmermans’ recent [sic] visit to China for the High-level Environment and Climate Dialogue.’ 🇪🇺
Tech War 💽💥
Chins used a ‘god credential’ at TikTok parent ByteDance to track civil rights activists and protesters in Hong Kong, a former company executive says in a court filing – Bloomberg
Ik herhaal het belangrijke WSJ-verhaal uit de nieuwsbrief van gisteren nog maar eens in Bloomberg-versie.
US Senators say TikTok may have misled Congress on handling of US user data – The New York Times
The Huawei phone call that ‘appalled’ Thierry Breton – POLITICO Europe: ‘“It was a mystery how Huawei managed to obtain the personal phone number of the commissioner,” the person said, adding that Breton was said to have been “appalled” by the incident.’
VVD wil actie kabinet: „Oneerlijke concurrentie uit buitenland bedreigt Nederlandse scheepswerven” – RTL Nieuws: „een nog vertrouwelijke studie van het HCSS (The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies), opgesteld door Rob de Wijk.” 🇳🇱
Is Europese windenergie opgewassen tegen Chinese opmars? – De Standaard
Nearly ‘impossible’ to manufacture batteries without China – FT
China-linked businesses and investors seek comeback in India – FT: ‘Shein last year also made its Singapore arm its de facto holding company, a strategy known as “Singapore washing” that is being deployed by Chinese investors looking to take corporate stakes in countries that are sensitive to mainland investment.’
Kantelpunt 🌏⏱️
The myth of the ‘Asian century’ – Martin Wolf for FT: ‘What is happening is rather a global rebalancing, as the historically brief, but world-changing, domination over humanity of Europe and its colonial progeny dwindles away. A multipolar and messy world will replace it.’
What can the EU do as security tensions rise in Asia? – Josep Borrell na zijn deelname aan de Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
China blitzes Shangri-La Dialogue, but did it win? – The Straits Times
In dit interessante en kritische verslag van de Chinese deelname aan de conferentie in de indirect staatsgecontroleerden Singaporese krant Straits Times kun je duidelijk zien hoe de meningen over China in de regio aan het verschuiven zijn.
How Egypt is drawing Chinese investors with the Suez Canal shortcut to Europe—and other lures – SCMP
For Musk and other foreign CEOs visiting China, silence is golden – Reuters: ‘The EU Chamber of Commerce said in a statement that companies operating in China have always exercised a certain level of caution and were now adapting to changes in areas that might be deemed sensitive.’
ASEAN caught in ‘economic cold war’ over China, says business lobby head – Nikkei Asia
Japan vows to grant ‘offer-based’ development aid with China in mind – Kyodo News
Weekend
Longreads en achtergrond
China zit mentaal in de put: het gewone leven valt na alle lockdowns zwaar – de Volkskrant
In China wordt stand-up comedy een schoothond – Garrie van Pinxteren in NRC
Chinese private security contractors (PSCs) in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Cases of Francophone and Lusophone Africa – Sergey Sukhankin for Jamestown
Orville Schell on US-China: engagement, tragedy, and penetrating the veil –
The end of Western naivety about China: A new China debate pits optimists against fatalists – The Economist’s Chaguan: ‘Chinese leaders detect the confidence gap, and try to widen it. A Chinese speaker at this month’s Shangri-La Dialogue, an Asian security forum, told Europeans the “best thing” they could offer Asia was to stay away and “do nothing”.’
Chinese policemen are gaslighting Uyghurs in exile: Even those who keep their heads down find themselves the target of psychological torture – The Economist’s 1843 Magazine
Podcasts
Drum Tower: The Xinjiang cage — part one – The Economist 🍎 🤖
Drum Tower: The Xinjiang cage — part two – The Economist 🍎 🤖
Overige
China buitenland en defensie
China and Cuba have reached a secret agreement for China to establish an electronic eavesdropping facility on the island, in a brash new geopolitical challenge by Beijing to the US – WSJ
Prospect of Chinese spy base in Cuba unsettles Washington – CBS News: ‘The Wall Street Journal reported earlier Thursday that Havana and Beijing had arrived at a secret agreement in which Beijing would pay "several billion dollars" for permission to build the facility. Sources who spoke with CBS News said intelligence indicated the arrangement had been discussed in principle, but they were not aware of a final deal being reached.’
China to build station that could spy on US from Cuba, officials say – The New York Times
Cuba, Witte Huis en Pentagon (en China) ontkennen de juistheid van de verslaggeving, maar verschillende media hebben bevestiging. In ieder geval schreef spionagekenner Roger Flight jaren geleden al in zijn boek Chinese Spies dat Peking faciliteiten van de Sovjetunie/Rusland in Cuba over had genomen in de jaren negentig.
Blinken’s long-delayed Beijing trip now in planning for next week – POLITICO
South Korea summons Chinese ambassador over warning on ‘wrong bets’ in ties – Reuters: ‘“China-South Korea relations face many difficulties. Frankly, the blame does not lie with China,” he said, according to a statement released by the embassy.’ ‘“I can assure you, those who bet on China’s defeat will definitely regret it,” he said.’
Tech war: Chinese ambassador in Seoul once asked South Korean lawmaker to include Beijing in US-led chip alliance – SCMP
Japan protests Chinese navy ship entering Japanese waters near Yakushima Island – Reuters
New Fiji government rethinks police deal with China amid rising Pacific tensions – The Guardian
Honduran president begins first visit to China since breaking off ties with Taiwan – AP
China uncooperative in deportation of its nationals involved in scamming, asserts ‘superiority’ over Philippines, says justice secretary Remulla – CNN Philippines
Chinese naval training ship heads for Philippines in ‘friendly’ tour – Reuters
China economie
Chinese export krijgt knauw door wereldwijde zwakke vraag – FD
China blijft in de ban van deflatiespook na cijfers over inflatie in mei – FD
Terwijl China-euforie bekoelt, kijken beleggers vooruit – FD
China binnenland
China’s no. 5 official Cài Qí 蔡奇 gains favour within Xí Jìnpíng 习近平’s inner circle – Nikkei Asia: ‘Cai “has won Xi’s trust through his enormous loyalty,” a Sino-Japanese diplomatic source said.’
Quotes by Chinese leader Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 used as gaokao university entrance exam essay prompts for the first time – HKFP
Xi Focus: Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 urges Inner Mongolia to pursue green development and advance Chinese modernisation – Xinhua
Bill Bishop noteerde een opmerking over economische zelfvoorziening in tijden van extreme crises die weggelaten was uit de Engelse vertaling.
Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 urges troops to forge ‘great wall of steel’ in guarding Chinese borders – Xinhua
Uyghur student Kamile Wayit convicted of ‘advocating extremism’ after posting anti-lockdown protest video on WeChat – The Guardian
Uyghur hatmaker and wife confirmed to have died in prison in Xinjiang – RFA
Behind a rare clash, a fight over faith in China – The New York Times: ‘The party has systematically closed, demolished or forcibly redesigned mosques in Hui enclaves across the country, condemning Arabic architectural features, such as domes and minarets, as proof of unwanted foreign influence over Islam in China.’
Ironisch genoeg is de huidige moskee gebouwd bij de wederopbouw nadat de traditionele moskee gesloopt was tijdens de bloedige onderdrukking van moslims in Yunnan tijdens de maoïstische periode.
De paranoïde bedilzucht van Peking: moskeeën mogen er niet Midden-Oosters uitzien, dus volgt de sloophamer – Trouw
Chinese government plans new rules to regulate file sharing services like Airdrop and Bluetooth – The Guardian
Thousands evacuated in China’s Tianjin after cracks appear near high-rises – Reuters
Hong Kong
Hong Kong protest anthem tops iTunes chart after government seeks court ban – FT
Taiwan buitenland en defensie
Speaker You Si-kun 游錫堃 [Yóu Xíkūn] (DPP) to lead delegation to Japan’s Yonaguni Island 与那国島 – Taipei Times: ‘a trial program for direct ferry services between the two destinations would be conducted during the recess period of the Japanese Diet.’
US to link up with Taiwan and Japan drone fleets to share real-time data – FT
Drones could support intelligence sharing: report – Taipei Times: ‘However, the Ministry of National Defense yesterday wrote on Twitter that it has “not yet been informed of plans to share real-time data from naval reconnaissance drones with the US and Japan.”’
Dat de MQ-9B Sea Guardian in alle drie landen gebruikt wordt en de mogelijkheid heeft om data te gaan delen is op zich al nieuws, ook al kun je eerst nog ontkennen zolang je die mogelijkheid nog niet actief benut.
Thousands of Hong Kong people in Taiwan fail to get residency – EJINSIGHT
De verbale steun van Taiwan voor de protesten in Hong Kong contrasteert met de aarzeling van veel Taiwanezen om migranten uit Chinees Hong Kong te accepteren.
37 Chinese planes enter Taiwan ADIZ on long-range recon training, says defence ministry – Focus Taiwan
Taiwan binnenland en economie
For Taiwan’s ruling DPP, an unprecedented ‘3-peat’ depends on a third party – Seamus Boyle for The Diplomat
Taiwan’s ruling party DPP rocked by sexual harassment claims – The Guardian
Tsai Ing-wen 蔡英文 [Cài Yīngwén] (DPP) pledges reforms amid wave of #MeToo cases in Taiwanese politics – Focus Taiwan
DPP defends sexual harassment response pointing to other parties – Taipei Times
Man files suit in Taipei accusing Chinese dissident Wáng Dān 王丹 of rape attempt in New York City – Taipei Times
DPP and KMT candidate Hou You-yi 侯友宜 [Hóu Yǒuyí] clash over nuclear power – Taipei Times
Xi Jinping’s rule in China won’t last forever, says Taiwanese presidential candidate Ko Wen-je 柯文哲 [Kē Wénzhé] (TPP) – Nikkei Asia
China should clarify its definition of ‘1992 Consensus’, says Ko Wen-je 柯文哲 [Kē Wénzhé] (TPP) – Focus Taiwan
Opposition NPP opposes hastily confirming president’s grand justice nominees – Taipei Times
Taiwan’s labour reputation hit as Greenpeace urges downgrade over migrant-worker violations – SCMP