De Chinese Wouden, woensdag 19 april: economische cijfers, Chinadebat Europees Parlement
De Chinese economische cijfers voor het eerste kwartaal zijn gepubliceerd: de Chinese economie zou volgens de onbetrouwbare officiële statistieken met 4,5% gegroeid zijn. Dat is boven verwachting. De uitdagingen blijven bestaan, maar de consumptie schijnt te zijn toegenomen. Vraag is wat er gebeurt nadat de achterstallige orders zijn weggewerkt en de langetermijneffecten van groeiend pessimisme onder investeerders doorwerken.
Het Europees Parlement had gisteren een debat over China. Commissievoorzitter Ursula Von der Leyen hield weer een stevige toespraak. Ze leek te verwijzen naar de Chinese poging de uitspraken van Macron uit te buiten. Zowel Von der Leyen als later Josep Borrell en Valdis Dombrovskis noemden expliciet het Europees belang bij de status quo in de Straat van Taiwan. Hetzelfde gold ook het slotcommuniqué van de G7-top in Japan. Men zal tegenwoordig wel met argusogen kijken naar de eerste Europese functionaris of leider die dat vergeet…
Ondertussen bewezen de leiders van EPP, S&D en Renew dat het onderwerp ook steeds meer politiek wordt. Meer debat is niet verkeerd, gezien de moeilijke en vergaande belangenafwegingen die ons te wachten staan.
Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺
China haalt fel uit naar Nederland om alarmerend AIVD-rapport – NOS 🇳🇱
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s Regular Press Conference on April 18, 2023 – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China:
Bloomberg: The Netherlands’ spy agency said that Russia and China pose the greatest threat to the national security of that European nation. How does the foreign ministry respond to that?
Wang Wenbin: We’ve always asked Chinese companies and academic institutions to abide by international rules and local laws and regulations in their cooperation with other countries. It is irresponsible for relevant Dutch authorities to frame such mutually beneficial cooperation as an issue about security. This could sour the atmosphere for bilateral cooperation and does not serve the interest of the Netherlands. We hope the Netherlands will abandon the Cold War mentality, stop creating hypothetical pretexts to smear Chinese companies, academic institutions and their personnel, and be open-minded, rational and objective about having normal economic and academic cooperation with China.
Stevige taal. De voortrekkersrol van Nederland zal frustratie in Peking op doen laten bouwen.
China2025.nl stopt! – China2025.nl: ‘Na tien jaar is er veel veranderd. Het aantal Nederlanders dat in China woont is de laatste jaren aanzienlijk geslonken. Ook is het niet langer vanzelfsprekend dat Nederlanders in China open over hun verschillende ervaringen willen (of kunnen) bloggen.’ 🇳🇱
Het wordt de komende jaren niet beter, ben ik bang.
French President Macron plans to seek China’s help to lay the groundwork for talks between Russia and Ukraine as soon as this summer – Bloomberg: ‘Macron has tasked his foreign policy adviser Emmanuel Bonne to work with China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, to establish a framework that could be used as a basis for future negotiations, according to people familiar with the plans.’ ‘It’s not clear if Macron has support for his plan from Kyiv and its allies’ 🇫🇷🇺🇦
Bruno Tertrais zegt op Twitter dat het niet waar is.
‘Lu Shaye : Les propos du président Macron ont suscité un grand écho au niveau international.’ – Ambassade de Chine en France, Twitter 🇫🇷
UK should not ‘pull the shutters down’ on China, says foreign secretary James Cleverly – The Guardian 🇬🇧
China-zitting Europees Parlement 🇪🇺🗳️
EU chief Von der Leyen cautions Beijing against taking Taiwan – SCMP: ‘Von der Leyen told the parliament that China was already capitalising on divisions among the 27 member states and institutions.’
Von der Leyen warns China—again—not to use force against Taiwan – POLITICO Europe: ‘After von der Leyen spoke, the leaders of the Parliament’s major political groups marched to the podium to offer their takes — only further illustrating the ideological splits across Europe.’
Goed dat er serieus debat wordt gevoerd over dit onderwerp.
Speech by President von der Leyen at the European Parliament Plenary on the need for a coherent strategy for EU-China relations – European Commission: ‘A few weeks ago, when I gave my speech on China, I said that “a strong European China policy relies on strong coordination between Member States and EU institutions, and on a willingness to avoid the divide and conquer tactics that we know we may face.” We have already in the recent days and weeks seen those tactics in action.’
Statement by Executive Vice-President Dombrovskis in European Parliament Plenary Debate on ‘The need for a coherent strategy for EU-China Relations’ – European Commission
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell highlights importance of Taiwan Strait peace – Focus Taiwan
China groeicijfers Q1 🇨🇳📈
China’s economy gathers speed, global headwinds raise challenges to outlook – Reuters
China’s first-quarter GDP [officially] grows 4.5% on pick-up in consumption and industrial production – Caixin Global
China fiscal revenue turns higher in March on recovering economic activity – Reuters
In China’s Shenzhen the migrants are back, the jobs aren’t – Nikkei Asia
China jobs: rise in youth unemployment belies surprising economic growth, as ‘weak confidence remains’ – SCMP
Groot, groot probleem.
China’s property-market recovery ‘uncertain’ as investment remains weak despite surge in first-quarter home sales – SCMP
Ook een groot probleem.
G7 top Japan 🇯🇵🗻
G7 unified in backing Taiwan peace, urges China to act responsibly – Kyodo News
G7 Japan 2023 - Foreign Ministers’ Communiqué (18 April 2023) – France Diplomacy: ‘We reaffirm the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element in security and prosperity in the international community, and call for the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues.’
Scholz: Gibt keine Differenz mit Macron in China-Politik – SZ
Tech War 💽💥
White House nears unprecedented action on US investment in China – POLITICO
Chinese genetics company targets US despite political tensions – FT
EVs on pace to make up third of China’s auto sales this year – Nikkei Asia
Volkswagen wil nieuwe e-auto’s ontwikkelen en steekt miljard in onderzoekscentrum in China – de Volkskrant
Overige
China buitenland en defensie
Brengt Xi Jinping de vredesduif naar Israël en Palestina? – NRC
China must make clear its intentions to keep engaging with the US, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said – Bloomberg
China reveals new details of Raytheon and Lockheed sanctions – AP
US-China military stand-off near Taiwan ‘no reason’ for Beijing to relax its guard – SCMP: ‘At the time of the report, sources told the South China Morning Post that the USS Ronald Reagan’s electronic warfare systems had jammed the PLA’s J-16D aircraft and a number of warships at multiple locations to stop them tracking Pelosi’s flight.’
Manila says 158,000 Filipinos working in Taiwan are safe amid backlash over Chinese envoy’s remarks – The Straits Times
Australia and China agriculture ministers meet amid diplomatic thaw – Reuters
China ramps up construction on new Antarctic station, according to report – Reuters
China economie
China firms see developed economies as best bet to recoup exports lost in pandemic, survey finds – SCMP
China expected to lower fine on Ant Group to about CN¥5 billion [€662m] – Reuters
China binnenland
21 die in Beijing hospital fire, others escape from windows – AP
CCP central leadership reveals five-year plan to refine Party regulations – Xinhua: ‘one priority of the plan is to improve the systems that uphold Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position on the CPC Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and uphold the Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership.’
Dat zijn de Two Safeguards (两个维护 liǎng gè wéihù).
China’s internet watchdog to boost tip-offs to stamp out ‘illegal’ political content – SCMP
Hong Kong
Taiwan buitenland en defensie
Taiwan’s Navy commander Mei Chia-shu 梅家樹 [Méi Jiāshù] appointed new Chief of the General Staff – Focus Taiwan
US commander Admiral John Aquilino pushes back against colleagues ‘guessing’ Taiwan invasion date – FT
AIT chair visits Taiwan, to meet with President Tsai – Focus Taiwan
Taiwan binnenland en economie
New Taipei mayor Hou You-yi 侯友宜 [Hóu Yǒuyí] (KMT) to pursue ‘diplomacy’ in Singapore – Taipei Times
Taiwan has no choice but to stick with cross-Strait status quo says Ko Wen-je 柯文哲 [Kē Wénzhé] (TPP) – Focus Taiwan
Foxconn founder Terry Gou 郭台銘 [Guō Táimíng], seeking Taiwan presidency, has no plan to visit China – Reuters
Foreign ministry sends team to probe death of diplomat in Brazil – Taipei Times