De Chinese Wouden, vrijdag 9 mei: praten in Zwitserland, Xi Jinpings Russische geschiedenis, Taiwans Hitlerrel, Kashmir

May 08, 2025

Geen onderhandelingen maar gesprekken tussen Washington en Peking in Zwitserland op zaterdag. China benadrukt uitdrukkelijk dat het op verzoek van de VS was. Toch bestaat de kans dat het kamp Trump deze stap zonder voorwaarden (en na berichten in de Amerikaanse pers over Chinese economische uitdagingen) ziet als bevestiginkje van het eigen gelijk. Peking wijst vooral op het feit dat China hiermee verantwoordelijkheid neemt naar de wereld toe.

Oekraïense drones verstoorden het Russische vliegverkeer. Kyiv waarschuwt landen dat meemarcheren in Poetins overwinningsparade deze vrijdag moeilijk te rijmen valt met geclaimde neutraliteit. Xi Jinping kwam toch zonder problemen aan in Moskou. Vrijdag marcheert het Chinese Volksbevrijdingsleger over het Rode Plein.

Er is veel geschreven over de mate waarin Rusland en China wel of niet een gesloten front vormen. Peking doet niet aan bondgenoten. China heeft eigen belangen die soms conflicteren met Rusland. Toch is een zekere afstemming niet te ontkennen. Ik schrijf al tijden over de structurele diplomatieke verbondenheid.

Ideologisch is vooral duidelijk hoe belangrijk Rusland is voor Xi Jinping. De gezamenlijke verklaring die Poetin en Xi ondertekenden na hun treffen is een schokkend hypocriete opsomming van een gedeeld wereldbeeld dat vijandig is aan de Westerse orde. Bovendien suggereert het verdere verdieping van de relatie.

Vandaag citeer ik veel Xinhua over het bezoek van Xi. Ik raad iedereen aan om het artikel van Xi Jinping in de Russische pers te lezen. Hierin vindt je een wereldbeeld waarin China en de Sovjetunie/Rusland de belangrijkste pijlers waren van de overwinning in 1945 en de beschermers van de wereldorde die daarna kwam. Xi roept op deze te bewaren onder uitdagingen van hegemonisme en andere bedreigingen.

Dit volt uit het ‘juiste’ historische perspectief op de Tweede Wereldoorlog dat bescherm moet worden. De internationale orde die daaruit voortkwam, moet ook worden beschermd. Dat houdt de Chinese annexatie van Taiwan in. Tenslotte moet internationale gerechtigheid beschermd worden. Rusland en China zouden constructieve krachten voor een eerlijkere en veiligere wereld zijn temidden van de huidige geopolitieke storm.

De Oekraïense begraafplaatsen overladen met verse bloemen en wapperende vlaggen steken schril af tegen de woorden van Xi Jinping. Xinhua schrijft dat het bezoek van Xi aan Poetin de wereldvrede zal bevorderen. Wat voor een vrede zal dit zijn voor Europa, voor Azië? Poetin nam alvast een voorschot door trots te stellen dat China en Rusland samen opstaan tegen ‘neo-nazi’s’ – een term die Moskou gebruikt voor Kyiv.

Ook in Taiwan praat men over de geschiedenis van de Tweede Wereldoorlog. President Lai was de eerste in zijn functie om een toespraak te houden ter gelegenheid van ‘Victory in Europe (V-E) Day’. In tegenstelling tot het artikel van Xi was er in zijn WOII-geschiedenis wel ruimte voor de Westerse mogendheden. Lai trok een lijn van de strijd tegen het autoritarisme toen tegen die strijd nu.

Taiwans grootste oppositiepartij KMT heeft het ook over de Tweede Wereldoorlog, maar op een heel andere manier. De Duitse en Israëlische vertegenwoordigingen veroordeelden uitspraken waarin KMT-voorzitter Eric Chu president Lai een fascistische Hitler noemde (de Nederlandse vertegenwoordiging deelde het Duitse bericht op Facebook) – vanwege de vervolgingen van KMT-activisten voor grootschalige fraude en gegevensdiefstal bij herroepingscampagnes tegen DPP-parlementariërs.

Op dezelfde receptie waarop Lai sprak, riep ook de de EU-vertegenwoordiger op de WOII-geschiedenis niet te instrumenyaliseren. Hierop reageerde Chu boos en volhardend: hij beschuldigde Duitsland ervan autoritarisme te helpen en zich in binnenlandse politiek te mengen. Eerder kwam de KMT ook al in opspraak, nadat een KMT-activist in nazi-kostuum de hitlergroet bracht om tegen de DPP-regering te protesteren, toen hij voor moest komen in een van de fraudezaken.

China zal ook letten op de dreigende situatie in Kashmir tussen India en Pekings oudste vriend Pakistan. Pakistan zou met Chinese jachtvliegtuigen enkele Franse jachtvliegtuigen van India neer hebben geschoten.

Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺

Chinese cyber menace exceeds threat from Russia, Dutch military intelligence chief Vice Admiral Peter Reesink warns – POLITICO Europe 🇳🇱

EU member states soften Brussels push to stop Chinese tech buyouts – POLITICO Europe: ‘National capitals are pushing to weaken rules that would require them to screen foreign investments in sensitive technologies’ 🇪🇺

MAGA wins in Romania – POLITICO Brussels Playbook: ‘The European Parliament’s president and the heads of the political groups will hold a strategic discussion on interparliamentary relations with China this Thursday morning. Leaders want to discuss “next steps,” according to a draft agenda seen by POLITICO, after China lifted sanctions on five MEPs last week to ease trade ties, Max Griera writes in to report.’ 🇪🇺
China und Europa: „All der Ärger mit Trump macht den Partei-Kaiser Xi nicht zu Europas Partner“ – Der Spiegel: „Fünf EU-Politiker durften nicht mehr nach China reisen. Gegen vier von ihnen hat Peking die Sanktionen nun aufgehoben. Die einzige Ausnahme: Reinhard Bütikofer.“ 🇪🇺

Chinese and EU leaders agree to deepen ties amid Trump pressure, in anniversary exchanges – SCMP: ‘“A balanced relationship, built on fairness and reciprocity, is in our common interest,” [the EU letter] said.’ 🇪🇺
Ambassador Jorge Toledo’s speech at Europe Day & 50th anniversary of EU-China relations reception – Delegation of the EU to the People’s Republic of China: ‘The next 50 years are unlikely to resemble the past. The two sides need to take this anniversary as an opportunity to rebalance the relationship.’ 🇪🇺
China-EU ties have more significant global influence in turbulent world, Chinese VP Hán Zhèng 韩正 says – Xinhua: ‘No clash of fundamental interests or geopolitical conflicts exists between China and the EU’ 🇪🇺
Speech by Ambassador Cài Rùn 蔡润 at the Reception in Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of China-EU Diplomatic Ties – Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the EU 🇪🇺

‘[…] It turns out that Charles Michel is in China at the invitation of the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs. This is - according to a source - in his capacity as a visiting professor of the China Europe International Business School in Shanghai. […]’ – Finbarr Bermingham, Bluesky 🇪🇺

Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 congratulates Friedrich Merz on election as German chancellor – Xinhua 🇩🇪

Medienkooperation: Wie die Berliner Zeitung ihre Seiten für die chinesische Regierung öffnet – China.Table 🇩🇪

Former President Tsai Ing-wen 蔡英文 (DPP) to visit Lithuania and Denmark – Focus Taiwan: ‘The planned trip will mark Tsai's second visit to Europe since leaving office last May, following her tour of the Czech Republic, France and Belgium in October 2024.’ 🇱🇹🇩🇰

Taiwan marks V-E Day for 1st time, signifying global connection, President Lai says – Focus Taiwan: ‘Aggressors will not stop until “all democratic countries have fallen and the light of freedom has been extinguished,” he added.’
‘Also speaking at the reception, the European Union's top envoy to Taiwan, Lutz Güllner, said VE Day is “of utmost importance for us, as Germans, to remember and to learn from history.” […] this means pushing back against “the distortion of historical facts, revisionism, and political instrumentalization.”’ 🇪🇺
German office calls out KMT chair Eric Chu 朱立倫 for ‘troubling’ Nazi comparison – Focus Taiwan: ‘the Israel Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei lodged a similar protest on Thursday’ 🇩🇪🇮🇱
After criticism from German representative office, Eric Chu 朱立倫 (KMT) doubles down on Nazi comparisons – New Bloom: ‘Chu subsequently lashed out at the German Institute, claiming that it was speaking up on behalf of authoritarians.’ 🇩🇪
‘With deep disappointment and concern, we have taken note of the recent statements made by the Chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT), Mr Eric Chu. Any attempt to relativize the crimes of the Nazi regime or to draw parallels between the atrocities committed in Germany and Europe between 1933 and 1945 and the current political situation in Taiwan is profoundly troubling. […]’ – German Institute Taipei 德國在台協會, Facebook 🇩🇪
Het Facebook-bericht van de Duitse vertegenwoordiging werd ook gedeeld door de Nederlandse vertegenwoordiging in Taiwan.

Taiwan and Estonia sign MOUs on aerospace and defence collaboration – Focus Taiwan 🇪🇪

Xi in Moskou

De band tussen Rusland en China is sterker dan ooit – ten koste van Europa – NOS 🇷🇺

Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 says China and Russia should make new and greater contributions to national development and revitalisation, international fairness and justice – Xinhua: ‘Noting that his talks with Putin were in-depth, cordial and fruitful, Xi said he and Putin reached many important new consensus, signed a joint statement on further deepening China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era and witnessed the exchange of multiple bilateral cooperation documents, which injected new impetus into the development of China-Russia relations.’ 🇷🇺
Die nieuwe consensusen die Xi noemt, zijn belangrijk, omdat de lagere functionarissen altijd daar naar verwijzen.
Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 says China and Russia to shoulder special responsibility as major countries – Xinhua 🇷🇺
Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 calls on China and Russia to maintain strategic resolve and coordination – Xinhua: ‘The two heads of state exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis and other issues. Xi […] believes it is important to take seriously the legitimate security concerns of all countries and eliminate the root causes of the Ukraine crisis.’ 🇷🇺🇺🇦
China and Russia to strengthen cooperation to safeguard authority of international law, according to joint statement – Xinhua: ‘The two countries reaffirm that states must not violate the principle of the UN Charter that prohibits the threat or use of force, and accordingly condemn unilateral military intervention that is not based on individual or collective self-defense or not carried out by resolutions adopted by the Security Council under Chapter VII of the Charter.’
China and Russia urge nuclear-weapon states to abandon Cold War mentality: joint statement – Xinhua 🇷🇺
China and Russia to enhance coordination to counter US ‘double containment’ – Xinhua: ‘Both sides pointed out that the United States and its allies are attempting to advance NATO eastward into the Asia-Pacific region, creating a “small circle” in the region, and enticing countries in the region to implement their “Indo-Pacific Strategy,”’ 🇷🇺🇺🇸
China and Russia pledge to defend victorious outcome of WWII – Xinhua: ‘China and Russia also vowed to resolutely crush any act that attempts to tamper with WWII history, smear the historical achievements of China and Russia in WWII, or tarnish the image of the liberators.’
‘The two countries call on the international community to respect and defend the fundamental principles established […] which aim to prevent attempts to wage war, and commit genocide, war crimes and other crimes against humanity, said the statement.’ 🇷🇺

China’s Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 arrives in Moscow in show of support for Putin after Ukrainian drones target capital – Reuters: ‘But Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry – in comments that seemed directed at China whose troops are due to march on Red Square – on Tuesday urged countries not to send their militaries to participate in the May 9 parade, saying such participation would go against some countries’ declared neutrality in the war.’ 🇷🇺
At Kremlin talks, Putin and Xi cast themselves as defenders of world order – Reuters: ‘Russian President Vladimir Putin […] said the two countries stood together now against “neo-Nazism”.’ 🇷🇺
Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 says China and Russia find right path of state-to-state interactions between neighbouring major countries – Xinhua: ‘China and Russia, both major countries of the world and permanent members of the UN Security Council, will join hands to safeguard the victorious outcome of World War II, firmly safeguard the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law, resolutely oppose hegemonism and power politics, practice true multilateralism, and promote the building of a more just and equitable global governance system, Xi said.’ 🇷🇺
Xinhua Headlines: Xi’s upcoming visit to deepen China-Russia ties and bolster global peace – Xinhua 🇷🇺
Xinhua Commentary: Pass the torch of peace from generation to generation – Xinhua: ‘The majority of the world has come to recognize China as a pivotal force in safeguarding world peace and stability.’ 🇷🇺

Full text of Xi’s signed article in Russian media – Xinhua:

Eighty years ago, the forces of justice around the world, including China and the Soviet Union, united in courageous battles against their common foes and defeated the overbearing fascist powers. Eighty years later today, however, unilateralism, hegemonism, bullying, and coercive practices are severely undermining our world. Again humankind has come to a crossroads […]
[…]
-- We must uphold a correct historical perspective on WWII. China and the Soviet Union were the principal theaters of that war in Asia and Europe respectively. […]
-- We must resolutely uphold the postwar international order. […] This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the restoration of Taiwan. Taiwan's restoration to China is a victorious outcome of WWII and an integral part of the postwar international order. […]
-- We must firmly defend international fairness and justice. […] China and Russia are both major countries with significant influence in the world. The two nations are constructive forces for maintaining global strategic stability and for improving global governance. […]

Talks between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin this week will include negotiations around a much-delayed natural gas pipeline Power of Siberia 2 connecting the two economies – Bloomberg 🇷🇺

Kashmir

China’s foreign ministry urges restraint as India-Pakistan tensions escalate with military strikes – SCMP 🇮🇳🇵🇰

Pakistan said Chinese-made fighter jets were used to respond to military strikes by India and that it has kept Beijing fully informed of its action as tensions in the disputed Kashmir region escalate – Bloomberg: ‘Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told parliament late Wednesday that Chinese J-10C jets were used to shoot down five Indian fighter jets along the border, including French-made Rafale jets’
‘Hu Xijin, the ex-editor-in-chief of the nationalist tabloid Global Times, wrote on WeChat that if Pakistan’s successful strikes were true, it shows “China’s level of military manufacturing has completely surpassed that of Russia and France,” and that Taiwan should feel “even more scared.”’ 🇵🇰🇮🇳
Exclusive: Pakistan’s Chinese-made jet brought down at least two Indian fighter aircraft, US officials say – Reuters 🇵🇰🇮🇳
Behalve met vernieuwde F16’s vliegt de Taiwanese luchtmacht ook nog met oudere Franse Mirage 2000’s.
India says it targeted Pakistan’s radar in clash amid speculation system was made in China – SCMP 🇮🇳🇵🇰
Shares of Chinese defence-manufacturing companies rallied on Wednesday, as the escalation in border tensions between India and Pakistan boosted the outlook for Chinese exporters – Bloomberg

Taiwan’s travel warning for India-Pakistan border raised to ‘red’ due to conflict – Taipei Times 🇮🇳🇵🇰

Wereldhandelsoorlog 📉💥

EU kondigt nieuwe tegenmaatregelen aan in handelsoorlog met VS – NOS 🇪🇺🇺🇸
Trump says he wants to meet ‘so fantastic’ von der Leyen – POLITICO Europe 🇺🇸🇪🇺

EU to report on Trump-fuelled Chinese trade diversion this month – SCMP: ‘the EU is adamant not to allow its industries to suffer a second-order impact from Trump’s tariffs.’ 🇪🇺
Why China is investing so much money in Moroccan factories – The New York Times: ‘In the case of China’s [car] manufacturers, Morocco is a prime connector country to the European Union.’ 🇲🇦🇪🇺
Vietnam’s shipments from China, to US reach record high amid trade fraud crackdown – Reuters 🇻🇳🇺🇸

VS en China willen de-escalatie in handelsconflict, maar zonder verliezer te zijn – de Volkskrant 🇺🇸
Bessent and Greer to meet with Chinese trade official in Switzerland Saturday – POLITICO 🇺🇸
Hé Lìfēng 何立峰 to travel to Switzerland and France, have a high level meeting with the US on economic and trade affairs and co-chair the 10th China-France High Level Economic and Financial Dialogue – Xinhua 🇺🇸🇫🇷
Who is Hé Lìfēng 何立峰, the Chinese trade tsar taking centre stage in US tariff talks? – Reuters: ‘despite the vice premier’s increasing comfort with engaging with Western executives, many of the businesspeople interviewed by Reuters said that He was not a policy innovator.’
Ministry of Commerce Spokesperson Answers Reporters’ Questions on China–US High-Level Economic and Trade Talk –

Sinocism

: ‘Recently, senior U.S. officials have repeatedly signaled adjustments to tariff measures and, through various channels, proactively conveyed information to China indicating a desire to discuss tariffs and related issues. China has carefully evaluated these U.S. signals. After fully considering global expectations, China’s own interests, and appeals from U.S. industry and consumers, China has decided to agree to engage with the U.S.’ 🇺🇸
中方维护自身发展利益的决心不会改变（钟声） – 《人民日报》（2025年05月08日第02版）：“美方若想通过谈判解决问题，就必须正视单边关税措施对自身和世界造成的严重负面影响，正视国际经贸规则、公平正义和社会各界理性声音，拿出谈判诚意，纠正错误做法。” 🇺🇸
In het Volksdagblad, ‘Zhong Sheng’ met bijna letterlijk dezelfde woorden als het handelsministerie.
US weighs plan to slash China tariffs to as low as 50% — down from 145% — as soon as next week, according to sources – NY Post 🇺🇸

Most European companies in China have so far been able to limit the direct damage from the trade war, a survey has found – Bloomberg: ‘Some 76% said their company has felt increased political pressure from the US […], compared with a 45% share of those that came under similar scrutiny from Chinese authorities’ 🇪🇺
EU companies in China see some benefit from Donald Trump’s trade war – FT 🇪🇺

China’s exports likely slowed sharply in April as Trump tariffs kick in – Reuters: ‘Outbound shipments were expected to have risen by 1.9% year-on-year in value terms last month’
‘Imports are forecast to have slumped further, down 5.9% over the same period and from a 4.3% decline in March.’
Dat het Chinese export-overschot nog altijd groeit, verergert de zorgen in de héle rest van de wereld alleen maar.

VS-China 🇨🇳

Verkoopcijfers Chinese spullen TEMU en Shein 希音 dalen sterk in VS – de Volkskrant 🇺🇸
Van Barbie tot Boeing: deze sectoren voelen de ‘Trump-dip’ nu al – NRC
Philips gaat impact handelsoorlog voelen – NRC 🇳🇱
Chinese officials have stopped publishing hundreds of data points once used by researchers and investors, according to a WSJ analysis – WSJ: ‘The disappearing data have made it harder for people to know what’s going on in China at a pivotal time’
China is counting on its 1.4 billion consumers to help cushion the blow from Donald Trump’s tariffs, but that strategy is running into a wall of uncertainty – Bloomberg: ‘on the ground, business owners, office workers and migrant laborers are tightening their belts’
China job market pain tests Beijing’s trade war resolve – Nikkei Asia: ‘exacerbating fear among economists that China’s growth rate will slow down sharply as a slackening labor market further dampens the personal spending the country desperately needs.’
Tariffs smother China’s services sector expansion, Caixin PMI shows – Caixin Global
Chinese exporters undervalue cargo to skirt Trump tariffs – FT
Nikkei Asia had een tijd terug al een serie artikelen over de diensten die bedrijfjes in China aanbieden aan exporteurs om beperkingen en heffingen te omzeilen.
(Ook dat draagt weer bij aan vertekende statistieken.)

China halted purchases of US crude in March as trade tensions between the two countries ramped up, casting a shadow over demand for oil produced from American shale formations – Bloomberg 🇺🇸

China’s film industry on notice in Trump threat to expand tariff war to services – SCMP 🇺🇸

Shein 希音 bet big on Donald Trump. It lost big, too – Wired 🇺🇸

VS-Taiwan 🇹🇼

The Taiwan dollar’s most extreme surge since 1988, along with prospects for continued appreciation, has triggered calls for one of the most export-dependent Asian economies to overhaul its growth model – Bloomberg: ‘adds to years of calls from academics to rethink the policy maintaining a weak currency, which, they say, has imbalanced the economy’
Central bank urges commentators not to speculate on NT dollar strength – Focus Taiwan

Taiwan opposition KMT’s tariff-countering bill to give cash handouts – Focus Taiwan 🇺🇸
President Lai government gave up in tariff and currency wars without fight, KMT chair Eric Chua 朱立倫 says – Taipei Times: ‘Chu also recalled Japan’s asset price bubble in the late 1980s, saying it was an example of economic collapse caused by rapid currency appreciation.’ 🇺🇸

Taiwan’s China Airlines 中華航空 orders 14 Boeing 777X planes – Reuters 🇺🇸
Taiwan bicycle makers in limbo as US tariff threat looms – AFP 🇺🇸

VS-wereld 🌏

Chinese premier Lǐ Qiáng 李强 to visit Malaysia for key ASEAN-Gulf summit, sources say – Reuters: ‘for a summit with a newly established super-group of Southeast Asian and Arab nations which Beijing hopes to rally against Washington's tariffs’ 🌏
Malaysia PM Anwar says ASEAN-China free-trade deal to be finalised soon – Reuters 🇲🇾
China’s diplomatic charm offensive – FT: ‘More than half of the trade cases against China last year were initiated by developing countries, including India, Brazil and Turkey.’
‘privately, European diplomats in Beijing warn that the bloc’s differences with the US do not automatically translate into an improved relationship with China.’
‘Chinese academics say Beijing is not looking for a wholesale reset with the EU, nor for Europe to distance itself from the US […]. Beijing wants only to gain some “room” in its relations with the bloc.’ 🇪🇺
China on African charm offensive to rally opposition to ‘bullying’ US – SCMP 🌍

Techoorlog 💽💥

The Trump administration plans to rescind Biden-era AI chip curbs as part of a broader effort to revise semiconductor trade restrictions that have drawn strong opposition from major tech companies and foreign governments – Bloomberg: ‘The Trump administration will not enforce that framework when it takes effect on May 15’ 🇺🇸

Uitbreiding ASML in Eindhoven stap dichterbij – NRC 🇳🇱

Bussenbouwer Ebusco weet op laatste moment faillissement te voorkomen – NRC 🇳🇱

Under China’s shadow, Germany aims to build EU lithium supply chain – Nikkei Asia: ‘Brand-new equipment in the Vulcan Energy plant [in Frankfurt] stands ready to process the lithium that the company is mining in depths of up to 4 kilometers in the Upper Rhine Rift Valley in Germany’s southwest.’ 🇩🇪🇪🇺
Voor cruciale grondstoffen heeft Europa de rest van de wereld gewoon nodig – NRC 🇪🇺

China auto parts makers triple in Thailand on EV battery rush – Nikkei Asia: ‘turning the Southeast Asian nation into a base that could be used to supply other Asian markets.’ 🇹🇭
Het gaat niet alleen om het verlies van de Chinese markt, maar ook om het feit dat veel Europese fabrikanten ándere buitenlandse markten gaan verliezen aan Chinese producenten.

China’s solar panel makers plunge to first combined net loss – Nikkei Asia: ‘Worsening capacity glut drags down prices and creates friction with Europe’
Trade war set to slash China’s steel exports, aggravating oversupply at home – Reuters

China’s BYD 比亚迪 and Tsingshan 青山 scrap plans for Chile lithium plants – Reuters 🇨🇱

Chinese carmaker Geely 吉利 offers to take Zeekr 极氪 unit private in US$2.2 bln deal – Reuters 🇺🇸

AMD warns of US$1.5 billion China sales hit despite rosier 2025 outlook – SCMP 🇺🇸

Hon Hai 鴻海’s Foxtron signs MOU with Mitsubishi Motors for EV development - Focus Taiwan: ‘Under the MOU, Foxtron Vehicle will develop and supply an EV model to Mitsubishi Motors on an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) basis’ 🇯🇵

‘Made in China’ airliner C919 faces trade turbulence – FT: ‘the C919’s heavy reliance on US suppliers for critical components could threaten plans to increase production and even hit the maintenance of passenger jets already in operation.’ 🇺🇸

Kantelpunt 🌏⏱️

Can China’s security doctrine build trust with Asian neighbours and keep US out? – SCMP: ‘analysts cautioned that Beijing’s efforts to project itself as a benign security partner remain challenging’ 🌏

Chinese fighter jets soar over Egypt in first joint exercises – Reuters 🇪🇬

In Mongolië groeit de sympathie voor China. ‘Maar wij zijn individualisten, Chinezen gaan voor het collectief’ – NRC 🇲🇳

Making ships like chips: US taps Japan and South Korea to counter Chinese naval dominance – The Straits Times: ‘They are also already working with the US Navy on the maintenance, repair and overhaul of its vessels.’ 🇺🇸🇯🇵🇰🇷

Overige

China buitenland en defensie

Radio Free Asia shuts language services after Trump cuts, including Uyghur and Tibetan content – AFP 🇺🇸

US imposes Iran-related sanctions on third China ‘teapot’ refinery and port terminal – Reuters 🇺🇸🇮🇷

Philippines slams ‘high-risk’ Chinese naval actions near contested reef – AFP 🇵🇭
Chinese military warns off Philippine vessel attempting intrusion near Huangyan Dao – Xinhua 🇵🇭
Philippine coast guard says China ship conducting illegal survey within EEZ – Reuters 🇵🇭
Chinese defence ministry warns Philippines against offending China’s core interest in any form – Xinhua 🇵🇭

China and Cambodia to hold joint military exercise – Xinhua 🇰🇭

China to impose anti-dumping measures on cypermethrin from India – Reuters 🇮🇳

Xinhua president meets with director of Hindu Publishing Group – Xinhua 🇮🇳

China gives glimpse of Fujian aircraft carrier’s catapult technology in action – SCMP: ‘the report also dampened speculation that the Fujian would be ready for service this year’

China economie

China’s central bank cuts key interest rates and lower reserve requirement ratio to buoy economy – FT
In Depth: Record land prices return as developers bet on prime plots – Caixin Global

Foreign travelers to China jump in wake of visa waivers and bigger tax refunds – Caixin Global

China Railway’s debt climbs higher even as profits recover – Nikkei Asia

Chinese developer Country Garden 碧桂园 borrows from services unit to finish homes – SCMP

New lifts, pipes, cafes: China doubles down on urban upgrades to buck ‘consumption downgrade’ – The Straits Times

Vice Premier Dīng Xuēxiáng 丁薛祥 stresses enhanced study on Xi Jinping Thought on Economy – Xinhua: ‘at the opening of a seminar dedicated to the study of the first volume of selected works of Xi Jinping’

China binnenland

Why China’s ‘iron rice bowl’ looks more appealing for the children of senior officials – SCMP

China cuts need for feed seed as food security campaign ramps up – SCMP
Chinese traders are scouring the globe for alternative sources of rapeseed, as tensions with their top supplier Canada risk choking imports of a key ingredient in animal feed – Bloomberg 🇨🇦
China signed a letter of intent with exporters in Argentina to buy about US$900 million of soybeans, corn and vegetable oil, the latest indication that the Asian nation will avoid sourcing from the US during President Donald Trump’s trade war – Bloomberg 🇦🇷
Southeast Asia’s climate-driven pest invasion threatens China’s food security, study finds – SCMP

Ten killed after four tourist boats capsize in China, state media report – Reuters

China’s government stresses efforts to curb occurrence of serious accidents – Xinhua

What’s behind China’s anti-corruption crackdown targeting top military brass? – SCMP: ‘Experts said internal competition among Xi’s loyalists could be one reason behind the high-level investigations.’
Xi Jinping can’t trust his own military – Phillip C. Saunders and Joel Wuthnow in The New York Times: ‘The long-running purge indicates he’s still struggling to assert control.’
Nieuw artikel in een recente series analyses. Wuthnow schreef eerder al uitgebreider over de pogingen van Xi om de controle te verkrijgen over de PLA. Willy Lam schreef in tegenstelling dat de corruptie-aantijgingen tegen voormalige Xi-getrouwen in uniform een teken zijn dat de PLA met aanklachten terugduwt tegen de almacht van Xi (zonder dat we fantasieën moeten gaan hebben over revoltes.) Tang schreef over vermoedens van gebrekkige informatievoorzieningen.

A rare account from a young woman who escaped Tibet sheds new light on China’s harsh policies aimed at bringing the region to heel – WSJ

Hong Kong

Father of wanted Hong Kong activist Anna Kwok 郭鳳儀 denied bail on national security grounds – HKFP: ‘Kwok Yin-sang is the first family member of a wanted activist to be charged under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, more commonly known as Article 23.’
Hong Kong police take in relatives of wanted activist Joe Tay 鄭敬基 for questioning – HKFP: ‘Tay, now based in Canada, is one of six overseas activists police issued arrest warrants for in December.’

Hong Kong man jailed for 1 year over ‘seditious’ online posts targeting police, judges, and government – HKFP

Taiwan buitenland en defensie

US accelerates military equipment deliveries, defence ministry says – Taipei Times 🇺🇸

Taiwan to open doors to imports of all Japanese beef products – Taipei Times 🇯🇵
Six beef batches exceed ractopamine limits – Taipei Times

US, UK, Japan, and other diplomatic contingents in Taiwan are bigger than ever – Nikkei Asia: ‘it was hosting around 400 foreign diplomats and de facto diplomats in 2024, up from about 300 in 2022’

55 Taiwanese returned from Myanmar fraud rings – Focus Taiwan 🇲🇲

Growing number of Taiwanese want bigger defence budget, poll says – Focus Taiwan: ‘Sixty-five percent of respondents said they thought it was “unlikely” that China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will attack Taiwan within five years.’ ‘Confidence in Taiwan’s armed forces is declining’

Taiwan-built submarine delivery in doubt over testing delays and ‘pipe leaks’ – SCMP: ‘Defence analysts said setbacks like water leaks were “not uncommon” considering that it was the first submarine produced by Taiwan.’

Over 20,000 reservists to be mobilised for Tung Hsin drills – Taipei Times: ‘it would increase the number of reservists called up to its largest annual drills by more than 5,000’