De Chinese Wouden, woensdag 19 februari: industrietop Xi

Feb 18, 2025

Ik leg de laatste hand aan deze nieuwsbrief dinsdagnacht in de trein van Schiphol terug naar het noorden. De paar weken in Zuidoost-Azië zijn snel voorbij gegaan. De komende dagen zal ik, terug in Nederland, hopelijk wat meer analyse kunnen bieden. Vooralsnog moet ik eerst zo snel mogelijk gaan slapen.

Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺

Waarde van Nederlandse export van machines naar China groeit – FD 🇳🇱
Nederland exporteert opnieuw meer naar China, Duitsland minder – AD 🇳🇱

„Een mission impossible”: douane op luchthaven van Luik krijgt tsunami van pakjes uit China niet gebolwerkt – VRT Journaal 🇧🇪

China supports all Ukraine peace efforts, and Gaza is not a ‘bargaining chip’, says foreign minister Wáng Yì 王毅 – Reuters: ‘Wang told a press conference after the meeting that while most attention was currently being paid to Ukraine, other issues like Gaza must not be pushed to the side.’ 🇺🇦🇵🇸
China welcomes all efforts dedicated to peace in Ukraine, envoy Fù Cōng 傅聪 says – Xinhua: ‘“Regrettably, after the conclusion of the [Minsk] agreements, most of the provisions were not fully and effectively implemented,” the ambassador said’ 🇺🇦
China could play ‘substantial’ peace role in Ukraine as US seeks a quick deal – SCMP: ‘In an interview on the sidelines of last week’s Munich Security Conference, Zhou Bo, a senior fellow at the Centre for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University, said China had “sufficient troops and military strength” to contribute to an international post-war effort.’ 🇺🇦
Zhou Bo is een bekende ‘barbarian handler’ uit de kringen van het Chinese Volksbevrijdingsleger, maar ik weet niet namens wie of wat hij hier spreekt.

Working group under China Chamber of Commerce to the European Union (CCCEU) founded to strengthen China-EU cooperation in auto industry – Xinhua 🇪🇺

China and Ireland pledge closer ties and deeper cooperation, foreign minister says – Xinhua 🇮🇪

Deputy legislative speaker Johnny Chiang 江啟臣 (KMT) urges visiting UK delegation to support Taiwan’s CPTPP bid – Focus Taiwan 🇬🇧

Industrietop Xi

Xi belooft Chinese techsector meer steun en eerlijker speelveld om sterker te staan in handelsoorlog met VS – de Volkskrant

Chinese President Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 attended a meeting with prominent entrepreneurs on Monday, a potentially momentous show of support for the private sector after years of turmoil – Bloomberg: ‘China’s leader urged the assembled founders and CEOs to maintain their competitive spirit and have confidence in the country’s future’
Xí Jìnpíng 习近平’s new frontline corporate guard showcases his priorities and control – Reuters: ‘“The line-up of entrepreneurs suggests that Xi’s priority for the private sector is for it to support his goals of achieving technological self-reliance and supply-chain security,” said Neil Thomas’
Look who’s back: Alibaba’s Jack Ma shakes Xi’s hand at meeting of China’s business titans – The Straits Times: ‘The powwow had a star-studded line-up of tech executives such as those from Huawei, BYD, Tencent and artificial intelligence (AI) darling DeepSeek.’

Xi-private business symposium 2.17.2025 – Bill Bishop
Xinhua Headlines: Xi urges healthy and high-quality development of private sector – Xinhua: ‘Wang Huning, […], presided over the symposium.’

China’s top prosecutors pledge to protect private businesses from illegal investigations and economic crime – SCMP

Wereldhandelsoorlog 📊💥

China condemns Trump’s ‘tariff shocks’ at WTO, warns of possible recession – Reuters 🇺🇸
Trump’s tariff war deepens China’s overcapacity dilemmas – Nikkei Asia 🇺🇸
Tesla braces for delay to China licence as Trump trade tensions mount – FT: ‘a potential delay in obtaining Chinese approval for its autonomous driving technology’ 🇺🇸

Exclusive: Taiwan considering multi-billion dollar arms purchase from US, sources say – Reuters: ‘“I would be very surprised if it was less than $8 billion. Somewhere between $7 billion to $10 billion,” the source added.’ 🇹🇼🇺🇸
Het lijkt me dat de KMT dit gaat blokkeren in het parlement onder luid geroep dat de regering Lai onbetrouwbare Amerikaanse steun wil kopen.
TSMC says Arizona investment going to plan amid groundbreaking rumours – Focus Taiwan: ‘following a local media report claiming that the company is set to break ground on its third wafer fab in the U.S. in June.’ ‘1-.15 years earlier due to pressure from the Trump administration’ 🇹🇼🇺🇸
Taiwanese AI server makers eye investments in Texas amid Trump threats – Taipei Times
President Lai pushes ‘non-red’ supply chain idea – Taipei Times: ‘Lai made the remarks at a meeting with former US deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger and retired US rear admiral Mark Montgomery at the Presidential Office in Taipei.’ 🇹🇼🇺🇸
Taipei heeft veel geïnvesteerd in contacten met Republikeinen zoals Mike Pompeo, om vervolgens te ontdekken dat ze buiten het huidige kamp Trump vallen. Pottinger nam ontslag na de couppoging van 6 januari.

Japan business leaders urge China to address overproduction – Kyodo News: ‘The delegation of about 200 members, who are on a six-day trip to China through Friday, also explored bilateral economic cooperation’ 🇯🇵

Trump 🇺🇸🟠

Vance’s real warning to Europe – Gideon Rachman in FT: ‘it becomes clear that American culture wars, international security and European politics can no longer be disentangled.’ ‘Trump administration’s political ambitions for Europe mean that, for now, America is also an adversary’ 🇺🇸🇪🇺

KMT delegation heads to US for talks with Trump officials – Focus Taiwan: ‘Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia (夏立言) is leading a delegation from Taiwan’s main opposition party’
Hsia is ook degene die KMT-delegaties naar China leidde.

Techoorlog 💽💥

Hoe moet het verder met de Duitse economie? Met deze sectoren gaat het wél goed – NRC 🇩🇪
Ohne US-Tech-Konzerne geht in Deutschland nichts mehr – FAZ 🇩🇪🇺🇸

Europe risks becoming ‘assembly plant’ for Chinese battery makers, environmental campaign group says – FT 🇪🇺

Exclusive: Chinese lithium company halts tech exports as trade tensions build – Reuters

The leader of Canada’s largest province Ontario said the government will ban Chinese components from energy projects if his PCP party is reelected later this month – Bloomberg 🇨🇦

ASE 日月光 opens facility in Malaysia, aims to double capacity in AI and automotive – Focus Taiwan: ‘Southeast Asia has become an important base of the global semiconductor industry’ 🇲🇾

China digs deep on mineral security as battle for resources with US intensifies – SCMP

Overige

China buitenland en defensie

Chinese public security assistant minister meets Myanmar scam centre workers – AFP: ‘took a one-day tour around the Mae Sot-Myawaddy frontier crossings’ 🇲🇲🇹🇭

Philippines coast guard accuses China’s navy of ‘reckless’ flight manoeuvres – Reuters: ‘A People’s Liberation Army Navy helicopter flew as close as three metres to the aircraft’ 🇵🇭
Chinese military warns off Philippine aircraft from territorial airspace over Huangyan Dao – Xinhua 🇵🇭

China’s Xinhua 新华 seeks cooperation with Japan’s Kyodo News 共同通信社 amid push to boost views on ties – SCMP 🇯🇵
Xinhua to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Japan’s Kyodo News – Xinhua 🇯🇵

Chinese and Australian militaries revive suspended defence talks as tensions rise – SCMP: ‘The 23rd China-Australia Defence Strategic Dialogue took place in Beijing on Monday in the first such talks since 2019.’ 🇦🇺

Cook Islands PM pledges to release details of China deal – Reuters 🇨🇰
China and Cook Islands seabed research pact sparks environmental concerns – Nikkei Asia 🇨🇰

China economie

China’s middle class feels the squeeze as property slump hits pocketbooks – SCMP: ‘Official figures reveal a downward slide in growth since 2019, with 2021 and its 10.2 per cent growth the sole exception.’

China binnenland

China’s unspoken question: who will succeed Xí Jìnpíng 习近平? – FT: ‘possible future leaders among cadres who have contributed to Xi’s strategic goals of achieving technological supremacy and self-reliance, as well as a more disparate group in their fifties and early sixties.’

China’s top legislature schedules session for late February – Xinhua

China’s former vice premier Zōu Jiāhuá 邹家华 passes away at 99 – Xinhua

China’s MSS alleges former soldier shared secrets of troops and weapons with foreign spy agency – SCMP

Hong Kong

Hong Kong leader warns taxi drivers against ‘drastic action’ amid threat of strike over ride-hailing services – HKFP

Taiwan buitenland en defensie

China urges US to ‘correct its mistakes’ after State Department website removes Taiwan independence reference – Reuters 🇨🇳🇺🇸

Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council warns of PRC arrests and detentions – Taipei Times: ‘has since Jan. 1 last year received 65 petitions regarding Taiwanese who were interrogated or detained in China’ 🇨🇳

Taiwanese government thanks Japan for allowing nationals to choose ‘Taiwan’ in family registry – Focus Taiwan: ‘Previously, individuals had to select “China.”’ 🇯🇵