De Chinese Wouden, woensdag 13 december: Centrale Conferentie voor Economische Werk
Het grote nieuws vandaag is de Centrale Conferentie voor Economisch Werk. Ik heb nog niet de mogelijkheid gehad om er in detail naar te kijken, dus voor details verwijs ik naar Bill Bishop en de andere experts.
Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺
EU-China relations: Brussels to push outbound investment screening tools in January, amid concern over Beijing – SCMP: ‘There is a sense among insiders that major capitals are coming around to the need for outbound investment screening, having initially vowed that what was seen variously as a “power grab” by Brussels or another form of protectionism would progress “over our dead bodies”, said one well-placed source.’
‘Earlier in the day, Dombrovskis ignored pleas from lawmakers to start negotiations with Taiwan over bilateral trade, investment, or supply chain resilience deals.’
EU-China summit: of rivalry and partnership – Josep Borrell’s HR/VP Blog: ‘After the last EU-China Summit in April 2022, I spoke of a dialogue of the deaf. This time, the tone was different. The meetings were frank, yet conducted in a spirit of openness. There was recognition on both sides of the importance of our relationship and the need to manage our differences.’
‘While we achieved some acknowledgment from the Chinese leadership that trade should be balanced, our assessments of the causes of the imbalances differed significantly.’ 🇪🇺
Centrale Conferentie voor Economische Werk 🇨🇳📊
China’s development is biggest political priority at key economic affairs meeting as leaders vow to counter risks, lift confidence in 2024 – SCMP: ‘There are obstacles in domestic circulation, and uncertainties in the external environment have increased, the statement said.’
Chinese President Xi Jinping and other top Communist Party leaders have concluded an annual meeting to discuss 2024 goals – Bloomberg: ‘vowed to make industrial policy their top economic priority for next year’
China vows to beef up supply chains in 2024 for economic security – Nikkei Asia
China holds Central Economic Work Conference to plan for 2024 – Xinhua: ‘Measures should be taken to strengthen the consistency of macroeconomic policy orientation’
It was noted at the meeting that China's economy has achieved a recovery, with solid progress made in high-quality development in 2023.
To further revive the economy, China still has to overcome some difficulties and challenges, including lack of effective demand, overcapacity in some sectors, lackluster social expectations, certain risks and hidden problems, bottlenecks in the domestic circulation [een van de twee in de ‘dual circulation’], as well as rising complexity, severity and uncertainty of the external environment, the meeting said.
It is important to be more mindful of potential dangers and to effectively respond to and solve these problems, said the meeting.
Overall, favorable conditions outweigh unfavorable factors in China's development, and the fundamental trend of the economic recovery and long-term positive outlook has not changed, the meeting said, urging stronger confidence.
To stabilise China’s economy, Beijing corrects course on policy, from carbon cuts to common prosperity – SCMP: ‘similar sentiment has been expressed in recent years by high-ranking officials, including in warnings about “jumping the gun” on issues such as the nation’s decarbonisation efforts.’
COP28 Dubai 🇦🇪🗻
China’s role in spotlight as Cop28 climate talks in Dubai enter final phase – Shi Jiangtao for SCMP: ‘Amid reports that China has been blocking discussions about “phasing out” fossil fuels, Xie dodged a question on the issue at a press event on Saturday.’
‘According to the Jiji report, an official from the green group did not deny China was getting preferential treatment, but expressed concerns that a fossil award may anger Beijing, “possibly leading to a crackdown on environmental groups in the country”.’
China blijft vieste jongetje van de klas: dit is de CO2-uitstoot per land – RTL Nieuws
Storm hitting Chinese ports is a wakeup call for climate risk to markets – Reuters
West-Filipijnse/Zuid-Chinese Zee 🇵🇭🇨🇳
Philippines summons Chinese ambassador Huáng Xīlián 黄溪连 over South China Sea ‘harassment’ – Reuters
Alibaba’s SCMP koos voor een ander frame in zijn bericht over de op het matje geroepen ambassadeur… South China Sea: China’s envoy to Philippines Huáng Xīlián 黄溪连 lodges protest over weekend clashes – SCMP
Philippines: Statement by the Spokesperson on provocative actions in the South China Sea – EU European External Action Service: ‘The European Union is increasingly concerned by the provocative and dangerous behaviour of the Chinese Coast Guard and Maritime Militia against Philippine vessels in the South China Sea on 9 and 10 December.’ 🇪🇺
UK condemns China over incidents in the South China Sea against Philippines – Reuters
Philippines says Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Romeo Brawner was aboard ship Chinese vessels rammed, hit with water cannon – Reuters
What it feels like to be the target of China’s water cannons – The New York Times
Philippines counters China’s aggression at sea with ‘assertive transparency’ campaign – The Straits Times
Tech War 💽💥
Huawei 华为 to start building first European factory in France next year, source said – Reuters
Xiaomi 小米 accuses Huawei 华为 exec of misrepresenting facts in smartphone patent spat – Reuters
Why Volkswagen is building a team of 3,000 engineers in China – The New York Times: ‘The new strategy, which Volkswagen calls “In China, for China,” is another sign of how China’s commanding lead in electric vehicles has upended global auto making.’
Indonesia says will audit TikTok, Tokopedia trial e-commerce tieup – Reuters
Taiwanese tech startups pile into ASEAN amid risks in China – Nikkei Asia
Taiwan’s PSMC 力積電 to rev up auto chip business with Japan plant – Nikkei Asia
A Chinese-owned news app is taking Africa by storm – The Diplomat
Gregory Allen on the US-China tech rivalry – The Wire China: ‘So the title of my original analysis of the October 7 export controls was “Choking Off China’s Access to the Future of AI,” not “crushing China immediately in AI.”’
‘You would need Korea, especially, to come on board, because Korea has been an important source of spare parts for these machines.’
In global shipping, it’s China vs South Korea, and Seoul is securing its shipbuilding secrets – SCMP
Kantelpunt 🌏⏱️
China’s cyber army is invading critical US services – The Washington Post: ‘part of a broader effort to develop ways to sow panic and chaos or snarl logistics in the event of a U.S.-China conflict in the Pacific, [experts] said.’
Dat Peking zich zo duidelijk actief aan het voorbereiden is op een conflict met de Verenigde Staten, hoeft natuurlijk niet te betekenen dat het een oorlog in de planning heeft. Afschrikking is ook afhankelijk van de capaciteit om potentieel zoiets te kunnen doen. Probleem is wel, dat alles klaarzetten de drempel veel lager maakt voor Xi Jinping om de knop in te drukken, als volgens hem het moment daar is.
Beijing and Brussels are both waiting for Trump – FT Trade Secrets
Rivaliserende handelsblokken groot risico voor financiële stabiliteit Nederland – FD 🇳🇱
Geo-economic fragmentation: economic and financial stability implications – De Nederlandsche Bank 🇳🇱
South Korea’s Yoon Suk Yeol 尹錫悅 to visit Netherlands with focus on semiconductors – Reuters 🇳🇱
ASML en Samsung bouwen onderzoekscentrum – NRC 🇳🇱
Xi Jinping in Vietnam 🇨🇳🇻🇳
Zowel China als de VS dingen naar de gunst van Vietnam. Na Biden is nu Xi aan zet – Trouw
Eerst Biden op bezoek, nu Xi: waarom is Vietnam zo'n belangrijke partner voor zowel de VS als China? – VRT NWS
Vietnam boosts China ties as ‘bamboo diplomacy’ follows US upgrade – Reuters
China and Vietnam agree to build community with shared future that carries strategic significance – Xinhua
South China Sea: Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 calls for ‘mutually acceptable solutions’ as he visits Vietnam – SCMP
As Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 visits, China offers rail grants to Vietnam and pushes Digital Silk Road – Reuters
Overige
China buitenland en defensie
After arrests and deportations, Mongolians worry about Chinese reach – The Washington Post: ‘Beijing views exiles like the small but growing number of China-born Mongolians living in Ulaanbaatar as dangerous pockets of overseas resistance who could incite protest at home.’
Xí Jìnpíng 习近平’s quest for ethnic unity turns Genghis Khan into new danger – Bloomberg: ‘Even fictional depictions of Mongolian culture are targets.’
China’s top diplomat Wang Yi 王毅 urges coordination with Iran in call to discuss Israel-Gaza war – SCMP
Pics: China carves into Bhutan with outposts and villages despite border talks – NDTV: ‘Images from December 7, last week, show ongoing construction of at least 129 buildings which appear to be residential quarters in one settlement and at least 62 buildings in a second enclave a short distance away.’
Consensus no more? Following Biden, Democrats start to split from Republicans on China policy – Alibaba’s SCMP
China’s failed charm campaign – FT Swamp Notes
Pro-Beijing ‘thugs’ tormented Xi protesters, activists say – RFA: ‘China’s embassy and consulates in the United States bused hundreds of pro-Beijing counter-protesters to San Francisco last month to violently suppress demonstrations against Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit, activists and a U.S. lawmaker said on Tuesday.’
China stresses prevention of fentanyl manufacturing and trafficking – Caixin Global: ‘following a recent pledge by U.S. and Chinese leaders to work together to stop the illegal spread of the powerful drug.’
China issues most wanted list in latest bid to clamp down on Myanmar’s sprawling cybercrime industry – SCMP
China is happy to see parties in Myanmar conflict to hold peace talks, Chinese foreign ministry says – Reuters
China economie
China faces the risk of a debt-deflation loop – Chetan Ahya for FT
China’s real borrowing costs are expected to stay high in 2024 as deflation pressures linger and the central bank will likely avoid aggressive policy rate cuts, posing yet another threat to growth – Bloomberg
UK firms pause China investment decisions as growth slows, according to survey – Reuters
Agricultural prices in China declined during autumn months – Dim Sums
Wanda 万达 reaches agreement with pre-IPO investors to stay put, according to statement – Reuters: ‘Wanda was due to repay about 30 billion yuan ($4.18 billion) plus interest to a group of investors’
China binnenland
Ex-Xinjiang official Lǐ Péngxīn 李鹏新 under investigation by China’s top anti-corruption watchdog – SCMP
Gāo Yàojié 高耀洁: Dissident doctor who exposed China’s Aids epidemic, dies at 95 – BBC News: ‘Henan officials initially covered up the blood-selling practice, but eventually shut the businesses down in the mid-1990s. But Dr Gao kept speaking up about the spread of HIV in the country.’
Hong Kong
Lowest-ever turnout for Hong Kong’s District Council election; 6 arrests during opposition-free polls – HKFP: ‘Around 1.19 million eligible electors cast ballots in Hong Kong on Sunday, marking a 27.5 per cent voter turnout – a significant drop from 71.2 per cent recorded during the last District Council election held in 2019 amid the extradition bill protests.’
‘A little hope here’: Hong Kong’s LGBTQ carnival Pink Dot returns, but faces new police restrictions – HKFP
If you’re visiting Hong Kong, bring a burner phone? Think tank chief Bernard Chan 陳智思 aims to dispel ‘totally ridiculous’ talk, tell ‘good stories’ about city – SCMP: ‘“We are facing unprecedented smearing and vilification,” he said.’
Taiwan buitenland en defensie
Defence ministry affirms damage control over spies – Taipei Times: ‘a lieutenant colonel surnamed Hsieh (謝) was approached by Chinese officers with an offer to evacuate his family to Thailand in the event of a cross-strait conflict. In exchange, Hsieh was asked to fly a CH-47F Chinook helicopter to a Chinese aircraft carrier in the Taiwan Strait, the magazine said.’
Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong transits Taiwan Strait – Taipei Times
Taiwan and Japan sign MOU on customs issues at economic conference – Focus Taiwan: ‘at the conclusion of the 47th annual Taiwan-Japan Economic and Trade Conference held in Taipei on Tuesday.’
Career diplomat Alexander Yui 俞大㵢 assumes office as Taiwan’s new envoy to US – Focus Taiwan
Taiwan verkiezingen
DPP VP candidate Hsiao Bi-khim 蕭美琴 addresses need to maintain cross-Strait status quo – Focus Taiwan: ‘China strongly opposes both Lai and Hsiao, labeling them "diehard separatists," and has sanctioned Hsiao twice.’
Hou Yu-ih 侯友宜 (KMT) apologises to Bonnie S. Glaser for photo use – Taipei Times
Toen Glaser een tijd terug klaagde dat Ko Wen-je (TPP) ook deed alsof zij hem steunde, volgden er geen excuses.
KMT’s Hou Yu-ih 侯友宜 pledges to spend NT$10 billion [€290m] raising servicemen’s salaries – Focus Taiwan
TPP’s Ko Wen-je 柯文哲 outlines transportation policy proposals – Focus Taiwan
Pan-Blue camp hits out at familiar issues with criticisms of ‘desinicisation’ – New Bloom
Taiwan binnenland
KMT threatens to ditch general budget debate over Chinese interference accusations – Taipei Times
Legislative Yuan passes minimum wage bill – Focus Taiwan
Economic spies may face up to 12 years in prison – Taipei Times
Protest demands end to exploitation of migrant workers by brokers – Focus Taiwan