De Chinese Wouden, woensdag 17 juli: Plenum, handel
Fijne dag!
Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺
US officials question Dutch university providing talent to chip machine maker ASML over its admission of Chinese students – Bloomberg: ‘“I always get questions from Americans about Chinese students,” said Robert-Jan Smits, the president of Eindhoven University of Technology, which is located about five miles from ASML’s global headquarters. Last year, the US ambassador to the Netherlands queried him about the large number of students from China, Smits said in a recent interview at his office.’
‘A professor at Eindhoven University who studies semiconductor technology said it has become increasingly difficult to recruit Chinese students to work on sensitive subjects.
Some Chinese students who were supposed to spend one year at a chip company after completing their exchange at the university were not allowed to work at the firms due to the [Dutch] government-imposed restrictions in recent years, the professor said, asking not to be named discussing sensitive matters.’ 🇳🇱
Second giant panda cub born at Dutch Ouwehands Zoo – Xinhua 🇳🇱
Adapt to a harsher world: Memo to the High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy – Bruegel: ‘While the three terms coined by the 2019 EU-China Strategic Outlook – partner, competitor and systemic rival – continue to apply (European Commission/HRVP, 2019), another aspect needs to be added: the threat. China’s acts of economic coercion, and its support for Russia in its war against Ukraine, show that China is itself a potential security threat to the EU.’ 🇪🇺
China poses ‘deadly’ threat to UK, says former Nato boss leading strategic defence review – FT: ‘John Healey, UK defence secretary, confirmed that an “audit” of UK-China bilateral relations, promised by Labour in its manifesto, would be conducted separately to the strategic defence review.’ 🇬🇧
Chinese takeover of European seaports: EU turned a blind eye on security risks for years, experts say – Follow the Money: ‘He said that in such matters, member states are mostly concerned with obtaining foreign investment and so don’t take the wider view of European security into account.’ 🇪🇺
As China boosts ties with Russia and Belarus, Europe ponders possible rising threat – SCMP: ‘Among official sources, Beijing’s support of Moscow is seen to have spiralled even in the two months since Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited Europe.’ 🇷🇺
Derde Plenum
„Chinese partijtop wil meer partijcontrole én meer economische ontwikkeling, dat is tegenstrijdig” – NRC
China’s third plenum: tight security surrounds crucial meeting amid big policy questions – SCMP
China’s economy is in the midst of a wrenching transition, but one thing is becoming increasingly clear: Xi Jinping’s long quest for technology-driven ‘high-quality growth’ is starting to pay off – Bloomberg:
‘Yet a major hurdle stands in their way. Chinese consumers haven’t yet bought into the hype, with confidence in the economy far behind pre-Covid levels — as shown by June’s weak retail sales numbers.
What’s more, the flood of cheap electric vehicles and solar panels onto global markets — a key reason the economy has been so resilient — has sparked a protectionist response from governments in the US and Europe who worry about a whole new wave of job losses at the hands of China’s industrial might.’
‘For Xi, those protectionist salvos only reinforce his resolve to build self sufficiency in strategic areas such as advanced computer chips to ensure China can’t be hobbled by any worsening in trade — or military— tensions.’
Xinhua Commentary: China's economy keeps steady recovery, to gain steam from new reforms – Xinhua
Handel 🇪🇺🇨🇳
EU countries divided on Chinese EV tariffs in vote, sources say – Reuters: ‘A dozen EU members voted in support of the tariffs, four voted against and 11 abstained, the sources said.’ ‘In the vote, France, Italy and Spain supported the tariffs, while Germany, Finland and Sweden abstained, government sources said.’ 🇪🇺
EU may cut China EV import tariffs for Volkswagen and BMW, sources say – Reuters: ‘The European Commission was willing to classify the two carmakers as so-called cooperating companies, the sources said, making them eligible for a 20.8% tariff on their China-made models, down from a tariff of 37.6% under current plans.’ 🇪🇺
China’s reduced spending saps European luxury stocks – Reuters 🇪🇺
China requests WTO to establish panel regarding dispute over US Inflation Reduction Act – Xinhua: ‘regarding new energy vehicle (NEV) subsidies’ 🇺🇸
UK says it is not about to impose tough tariffs on Chinese EV imports – FT 🇬🇧
Tech War 💽💥
ASML’s order book expected to benefit from AI chip boom – Reuters 🇳🇱
Germany’s Scholz set for rare meeting with Serbia’s isolated Vučić to finalise lithium deal – POLITICO Europe: ‘European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič is expected to participate in the signing ceremony’ 🇩🇪🇪🇺🇷🇸
Intel venture arm’s China tech stakes raises alarm in Washington – FT: ‘Intel Capital owns stakes in 43 China-based technology start-ups, according to an FT analysis of its portfolio.’ 🇺🇸
TikTok pushed young German voters toward far-right party – Wired: ‘users were presented with conspiratorial and clickbait-style search suggestions that had little to do with the terms being searched for.’
Kantelpunt 🌏⏱️
Asian Powers Set Their Strategic Sights on Europe: After 500 years, the tables have turned, with an incoherent Europe the object of rising Asia’s geopolitical ambitions – C. Raja Mohan for Foreign Policy
China and Russia extend military cooperation to South China Sea – Nikkei Asia: ‘Separately, China and Russia on Monday launched the Exercise Joint Sea 2024 naval drills.’ 🇷🇺
Blokvorming.
China ramps ups military education for younger ages to help sow ‘seeds’ of patriotism – SCMP: ‘in a bid to boost national defence education, including exploring ways to enhance the combat skills of teenagers to prepare for potential risks’
The Chinese base that isn’t there – The New York Times: ‘While the American constellation of military bases remains by far the largest in the world, a resurgent China is bringing countries like Cambodia into its orbit.’ 🇰🇭
Chinese state-owned brokerage to ramp up investment banking business in Southeast Asia – Reuters
China looks to South African food exports as way of reducing reliance on US and Australia – SCMP
Overige
China buitenland en defensie
China will host senior officials of Hamas and Fatah – The New York Times: ‘Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, will lead the group’s delegation to Beijing’ 🇵🇸
US-China high-level military dialogues gather pace; new crisis-communications meeting on horizon – SCMP 🇺🇸
JD Vance branded China the biggest threat to America in one of his first interviews since being named Donald Trump’s running mate – Bloomberg 🇺🇸
Self-exiled Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui 郭文贵 convicted of defrauding followers after fleeing to US – AP 🇺🇸
South China Sea: PLA deploys new hospital ship to islands and reefs in contested waters – SCMP
New deal establishes a hotline Chinese and Philippine presidents can use to stop clashes at sea – AP 🇵🇭
West Philippine Sea/South China Sea: No Ayungin/Second Thomas Shoal resupply since violent June 17 encounter – The Inquirer 🇵🇭
Palau says China exerting ‘new level’ of pressure – Nikkei Asia: ‘Palau is among the few remaining countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan, and is one of three states in free association with the United State’ 🇵🇼
China economie
China’s economic growth came in worse than expected, adding pressure on Beijing – Bloomberg: ‘“Amongst all monthly figures released today, the highlight is weak retail sales,” said Raymond Yeung’
China’s June home prices dip for the 13th month, adding weight to stalling economic growth – SCMP: ‘Home prices have more room to fall.’
PwC weighs halving of China financial services audit staff, say sources – Reuters
China binnenland
China places 15 provinces on emergency alert as deadly floods make their way north – SCMP
Xi’s article on maintaining self-confidence and self-reliance to be published – Xinhua: ‘There will be no courage to further reform without unwavering confidence in the system, the article says.’
Hong Kong
Taiwan buitenland en defensie
Investigation Bureau committee targeting CCP spies: sources – Taipei Times: ‘The Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau has established a third-party review committee to investigate the possible infiltration of Taiwanese organizations by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), sources said last week.’ 🇨🇳
Vice premier Cheng Li-chiun 鄭麗君 (DPP) looks to bolster scientific cooperation with Japan – Focus Taiwan 🇯🇵
Taiwan’s sub prototype undocked, set to undergo final tests – Focus Taiwan
Taiwan binnenland en economie
Legislature passes resolution inviting president to deliver address – Focus Taiwan
President Lai commemorates end of Martial Law 37 years ago – Taipei Times: ‘Democracy should not be used against democracy, President William Lai (賴清德) said during a visit to the national archives’
Amendments to Labour Act pass third reading – Taipei Times: ‘would no longer require workers to retire at the age of 65.’
Ex-Taiwan representative to Thailand Chuang Suo-hang 莊碩漢 (DPP) impeached for sexual misconduct – Focus Taiwan
Taiwan firms shift supply chains to India from China, trade body chief says – Reuters 🇮🇳
Outbound investments excluding China hit record NT$24bn [€680m]: ministry – Taipei Times