De Chinese Wouden, woensdag 27 november: Europese sancties
RFE/RL, Bloomberg en Reuters schrijven dat in de volgende ronde van sancties m.b.t de Russische invasie van Oekraïne de Europese Unie nu voor het eerst direct Chinese bedrijven en een Chinese staatsburger in het vizier heeft. Dit is nieuw.
Eerdere beperkingen waren verboden voor Europese bedrijven om zaken te doen met Chinese ondernemingen die Rusland hielpen bij sanctieontwijking. Dit zou voor het eerst zijn dat de Chinese entiteiten zelf op de sanctielijst komen. Er moet nog over worden gestemd.
Als deze maatregelen worden aangenomen kan hij op de stapel bij de andere uitdagingen in de relatie met Peking. In Brussel sprak Sabine Weyand berichten tegen dat een overeenkomst m.b.t. elektrische auto’s dichtbij zou zijn. Ondertussen gaat de EU achter China aan bij de Wereldhandelsorganisatie over de strafheffingen op brandy.
Peking zal niet blij zijn, maar zich in vast een beetje inhouden met de Trumpiaanse dreiging in aantocht. Trumps dreigementen zorgen nu al voor onrust en verschuivende handelspatronen. Daar komt zijn laatste dreigement nog bovenop.
De inkomende Amerikaanse president zegt vanaf het begin heffingen op Mexico, Canada en China te gaan invoeren, o.a. omdat ze te weinig zouden doen aan illegale migratie en drugsinvoer. Die legitimering maakt duidelijk dat hij de dreiging met invoerheffingen gebruikt als pressiemiddel.
We zien nog een laatste restje industriepolitiek uit de regering Biden komen – zie Tech War – maar onder Trump gaat de invoerheffing vooral weer een machtsmiddel worden. Dat maakt het aan de ene kant minder voorspelbaar, maar zou aan de andere kant ook kansen kunnen bieden aan Peking om Trump af te kopen door de VS dingen te geven op andere gebieden dan de voor Xi Jinpings economische agenda zo belangrijke high-tech-industrie. Hoewel, rupsjenooitgenoeg…
Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺
EU to target Chinese firms with asset freezes and visa bans for aiding Russia In Ukraine – RFE/RL: ‘part of a proposed 15th sanctions package recently put forward by Brussels that aims to target six China-based companies’
‘While the EU has hit Chinese entities in the past with sanctions as part of Brussels' effort to curtail evasion, those measures have consisted of bans that prevent EU companies from having business dealings with those firms. This proposal marks the first effort to blacklist Chinese companies or individuals with visa bans and asset freezes over helping Russia procure dual-use goods that can be used on the battlefield.’ 🇪🇺🇷🇺
The European Union is proposing to sanction several Chinese firms that it claims helped Russian companies develop attack drones that were deployed against Ukraine – Bloomberg 🇪🇺🇷🇺
EU to discuss adding tankers and Chinese firms to Russia sanctions list – Reuters 🇪🇺🇷🇺
Ukraine: Speech by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell at the EP plenary on support to Ukraine and on military cooperation between North Korea and Russia – EU EEAS, delivered by Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders: ‘We know that Russia has put its entire economy on a wartime footing and counts on the military backing of North Korea and Iran as well as the substantial support provided by China.’ 🇪🇺
Zweden wil Chinees schip terug naar Zweedse wateren voor kabelonderzoek – de Volkskrant: „De afgelopen dagen heeft Zweden diplomatiek contact gehad met China en Denemarken over vervolgacties.”
„Een jaar geleden werden, eveneens in de Oostzee, een Fins-Estse gaspijp en twee kabels kapot gemaakt door een Chinees schip dat zijn anker over de zeebodem liet slepen. De Chinese autoriteiten zeggen dat dit per ongeluk was.” 🇸🇪
Chinese and Hungarian foreign ministers discuss promoting bilateral cooperation and China-EU ties – Xinhua: ‘Wang expressed the hope that the new European Union institutions will adhere to the orientation and cooperative tone of the China-EU partnership’ 🇭🇺
China and Italy commit to deepening cooperation in sci-tech innovation – Xinhua: ‘The 13th China-Italy Science, Technology and Innovation Week kicked off Tuesday in Naples’ 🇮🇹
China and EU are not adversaries, says Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi – Reuters 🇱🇺
Europe expert Cui Hongjian on why China and EU face worst-case scenario as Trump returns – SCMP 🇪🇺
Taiwan’s foreign minister Lin Chia-lung 林佳龍 (DPP) wraps up European trip to Lithuania, Poland, and Belgium – Taipei Times
Handel 🚗⚡️
Electric vehicle deal with China is not close, top EU trade official Sabine Weyand says – SCMP: ‘called reports suggesting otherwise “confusing”.’ ‘“[…] there are structural issues that remain unresolved,” she said.’
‘Weyand accused Beijing, through its aggressive lobbying, of trying to stir up dissent among the bloc’s capitals. She noted that there had been less protest from Beijing when the United States imposed a 100 per cent tariff on EV imports.’ 🇪🇺
European Union launches WTO case against Chinese tariffs on brandy exports – SCMP: ‘A request for consultation was formally lodged at the Geneva body on Monday.’ 🇪🇺
Commission challenges China’s anti-dumping tariffs on EU brandy at the WTO – European Commission 🇪🇺
Hennessy suspend son projet de mise en bouteille du cognac en Chine – Le Monde: « Les salariés d’Hennessy s’étaient mis en grève les 19 et 20 novembre. » 🇫🇷
Iron ore prices have rallied this week as Chinese steel mills churn out more metal than usual at the beginning of the low season – Bloomberg: ‘Average crude steel output in the first 20 days of November reached the highest for the time of year since 2020, according to data from the China Iron and Steel Association.’
Thyssenkrupp to slash 40% of steel jobs in latest blow to German industry – FT: ‘as it warned of oversupply in Europe and “a rise in cheap imports” from Asia.’ 🇩🇪
Chinese electrolyser manufacturers shrug off new EU restrictions – Caixin Global: ‘as technological differences and Europe’s strict standards on green hydrogen production have already been deterring Chinese imports.’ 🇪🇺
Scots stand firm on Chinese wind turbine factory despite ‘hostile state’ fears – FT: ‘There is “room” for Chinese wind turbine manufacturer Mingyang to open a factory in Scotland, the country’s deputy first minister Kate Forbes has said’ 🇬🇧
Trump 🇺🇸
Trump dreigt met hoge invoerheffingen op Chinese, Canadese en Mexicaanse producten en grondstoffen – NRC: „Het hoge invoertarief is volgens Trump vanwege de ‘enorme hoeveelheden’ drugs die vanuit China via Mexico naar de VS worden gestuurd.” 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇲🇽
Trumps invoerheffingen: politiek pressiemiddel of opmaat naar handelsoorlog? – NRC 🇺🇸
Trump dreigt met importheffingen voor Mexico, China en Canada – RTL Z: „De landen doen volgens hem niet genoeg om te voorkomen dat drugs en migranten de Verenigde Staten bereiken.” 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇲🇽
China’s embassy says US must ‘cherish’ its cooperation on fentanyl as Trump vows to add 10% tariff – SCMP 🇺🇸
In Depth: Trump is already shaking up US-China trade – Caixin Global: ‘Except for 2021, when U.S. manufacturing came to a halt because of the pandemic, last month was the busiest October on record, one China-based shipping agent told Caixin.’ 🇺🇸
Donald Trump’s tariff plans turn Chinese investment in Mexico into a waiting game – SCMP 🇲🇽
Japan’s Ricoh to shift some China production to Thailand to avoid Trump duties – Nikkei Asia 🇯🇵
Chinese buyers are loading up on Brazilian soybeans from the coming harvest, taking advantage of attractive prices, at a time when concerns about worsening trade tensions with the US are running high – Bloomberg 🇧🇷
Analysis: Southeast Asia gained from Trump’s China tariffs – Caixin Global
After Trump’s tariff threat, is a China currency war next? – The New York Times: ‘Letting China’s currency, the renminbi, lose value against the dollar would be a tried and true answer to tariffs.’ 🇺🇸
A line in the sand is starting to emerge for the yuan, as China tightens its grip on a currency that is facing fresh tariff threats from US President-elect Donald Trump – Bloomberg
Tech War 💽💥
EU capitals try to gut investment screening rules aimed at keeping China out – POLITICO Europe: ‘According to a compromise text prepared by Hungary, which currently chairs the intergovernmental arm of the EU, the list no longer includes semiconductors, artificial intelligence or other strategic technologies that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wants to be subject to bloc-wide scrutiny.’ 🇪🇺
Een gigantische fabriek, maar nauwelijks productie: bij batterijfabrikant Northvolt blijft het tot dusver bij dromen – NRC 🇪🇺
The Northvolt dilemma: can European EVs avoid relying on Asian batteries? – FT: ‘People involved in the Northvolt saga said options were narrowing for Europe to address its dependence on China and other parts of Asia’ 🇪🇺
LG, the South Korean owner of the EU’s largest factory of EV batteries, called on the bloc to reduce energy costs amid stiff competition from China – Bloomberg: ‘LG Energy Solution Ltd’s facility near Wroclaw, Poland, has been operating at about half of its capacity this year due to weaker global demand for EVs’ 🇪🇺
Europe’s Mistral expands in Silicon Valley [rather than at home] in hunt for AI staff – FT 🇪🇺
ByteDance 字节跳动’s TikTok attacked in European Parliament over alleged role in shock Romania election – POLITICO Europe: ‘Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu on Tuesday said funding for Georgescu’s campaign on TikTok needed to be reviewed.’ 🇪🇺🇷🇴
Tech war: China’s AI hopes face fresh setbacks as US set to restrict advanced memory chip exports – SCMP: ‘as the US prepares to implement new rules restricting South Korean exports of advanced memory chips to Chinese companies.’ 🇺🇸🇰🇷
The Biden administration finalises a deal to give Intel nearly US$7.9 billion [€7.5b] in federal grants – Bloomberg 🇺🇸
Chinese vice commerce minister meets with Nvidia senior executive – Reuters 🇺🇸
Chinese hi-tech staff and students on study tours targeted by foreign governments, China’s state security ministry writes – SCMP: ‘said “certain countries” had imposed strict entry inspections on Chinese university faculty and students’
‘The inspections often involved questions about professional expertise and data, and in some cases compulsory inspection of personal electronic devices, it said.’ 🇺🇸
China’s tech firms at the front of the queue for loans amid policy tilt – SCMP: ‘The central bank urged financial institutions to “sign as many contracts as possible and invest as much as they can” in listed companies and projects.’
Huawei 华为 launches Mate 70 smartphone as new US chip curbs loom – Reuters: ‘runs on Huawei’s homegrown HarmonyOS Next operating system’
Equipment installation begins at TSMC 台積電’s 2nm Kaohsiung fab – Focus Taiwan: ‘paving the way for a trial run at the company's second plant featuring it most advanced technology in the first half of 2025.’
TSMC 台積電 expands apprenticeship program in Phoenix, Arizona to include more aspects of manufacturing process – Taipei Times 🇺🇸
Kantelpunt 🌏⏱️
China to push renewables for energy security under new law – Nikkei Asia: ‘is designed to make the country more self-reliant by diversifying energy sources. It also creates a framework to stockpile and distribute energy in emergencies.’
China’s Hán Zhèng 韩正 calls for global supply chain cooperation amid turmoil and Trump tariff threats – SCMP: ‘Vice-President Han Zheng said that Beijing was willing to work with other countries to advocate an equal and orderly world multipolarity and promote the construction of an open world economic system.’
Chinese vice president Hán Zhèng 韩正 proposes global industrial and supply chain cooperation – Xinhua: ‘while addressing the opening ceremony of the second China International Supply Chain Expo’
Antony Blinken urges G7 countries to maintain unity in face of China risks – SCMP
Overige
China buitenland en defensie
‘Shoot her in the face’: Democracy activist Frances Hui describes Beijing proxy attacks in Boston –
: ‘Hui described how an immigrant from China, now indicted in Massachusetts, monitored her activities in Boston and reported them to Chinese police and United Front officials.’ 🇺🇸Chinese coast guard fleet sets sail for joint patrol with Vietnamese counterpart in Beibu [Tonkin] Gulf – Xinhua 🇻🇳
Chinese ambassador tells Australia not to risk bilateral ties after Trump US election victory – ABC News: ‘When asked if China “regretted” its campaign of economic punishment, the ambassador said yes. […] But he also suggested that Australia shared blame for the episode’
‘The ambassador also suggested that he wanted to see closer defence cooperation between Australia and China.’ 🇦🇺
Australia’s submarine agency hands A$9 million [€5.6m] AUKUS contract to consultancy firm McKinsey linked to Chinese military – ABC News 🇦🇺
Chinese ambassador to New Zealand warns that joining AUKUS could erode China’s trust – RNZ 🇳🇿
Nepal PM heads to China ahead of India for first trip, breaking tradition – Nikkei Asia: ‘Oli is expected to request a waiver for the $216 million loan for Pokhara International Airport, which was built with loans from the Chinese’ 🇳🇵
China pulls Afghanistan’s Taliban deeper into Central Asian fold – China Global South Project 🇦🇫
CCP delegation visits Sri Lanka on ties – Xinhua 🇱🇰
India banned a Chinese app four years ago. Government agencies are still using it – Rest of World 🇮🇳
Polluted rivers, uprooted farmland and lost taxes: Ghana counts cost of illegal gold mining boom – The Guardian: ‘There has also been an influx of Chinese nationals, some of whom have recruited soldiers and policemen to guard their sites during mining operations.’ 🇬🇭
Foreign minister Wáng Yì 王毅 tells Hainan forum China wants to work with neighbours to ‘negotiate and resolve’ maritime disputes – SCMP: ‘But he also warned that any attempt to violate the sovereign rights and interests of another country without regard to “the basic facts” would end in failure.’
Myanmar rebel army TNLA ready for dialogue with junta, with China’s help – Reuters: ‘comes as powerful neighbour China puts pressure on rebels amid the rapid degeneration of the military, which Beijing has long seen as a guarantor of stability.’ 🇲🇲
Singapore-China ties ‘especially valuable’ amid uncertain global environment, says SM Lee Hsien Loong 李显龙 in meeting with President Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 – The Straits Times: ‘On Nov 26, Mr Lee also met Mr Wang Huning at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.’ 🇸🇬
Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 meets Samoan PM, says China prioritises empowering Pacific Island countries to tackle climate change – Xinhua: ‘He said China supports Samoa in safeguarding its sovereignty and independence, and exploring a development path suited to its national conditions.’ 🇼🇸
中國戰狼外交官發文干預選舉 日方批評「極不適切」終刪除 – RFA 🇯🇵
China economie
China Vanke 万科 is seeking lenders’ approval to change terms on two offshore loans, sources say, after its finances worsened amid a prolonged property crisis – Bloomberg
A Hong Kong court orders Times China 时代中国 to return more quickly than it wanted for another hearing on its liquidation petition – Bloomberg
China conducts 900-billion-yuan [€119bn] MLF operation to sustain banking liquidity – Xinhua
Chinese firms likely to boost M&A activity in response to Trump threats, analysts say – SCMP
China’s multidecade dairy boom sours as population ages and sales slump – SCMP
China binnenland
Chinese overheid gaat over op intensievere surveillance burgers na reeks massamoorden uit ‘sociale wraak’ – de Volkskrant
Ex-Bank of China chairman Liú Lián'gě 刘连舸 gets suspended death sentence for bribery, state media reports – Reuters: ‘meaning the sentence will only be carried out if he commits further crimes during the period. If reprieved he would have a life sentence.’
Yeh Chia-ying 葉嘉瑩, China’s ‘daughter of poetry’, dies at the age of 100 – SCMP
Hong Kong
Hongkongse rechtbank beschermt rechten van homokoppels – NRC
Hong Kong’s top court affirms same-sex married couples’ housing, inheritance rights in landmark LGBTQ decision – HKFP: ‘The Court of Final Appeal handed down the verdicts on Tuesday, marking the end of years-long court battles waged by LGBTQ activists as far back as 2018.’
Hong Kong man convicted of rioting and conspiring to wound with intent during 2019 Yuen Long mob attacks – HKFP: ‘ruled on Tuesday that Tang, who was wearing white, had thrown a construction site lamp and a wooden stick, as well as pointed a rattan stick towards those wearing black.’
US lawmakers say Hong Kong is becoming hub for financial crime – Reuters: ‘asked Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to rethink ties with Hong Kong’s banking sector’ 🇺🇸
Taiwan buitenland en defensie
Ma Ying-jeou 馬英九 (KMT)’s incoming Chinese university tour group affiliated with CCP, official says – Taipei Times: ‘all participating students are members of China’s Communist Youth League or affiliated with the CCP, the anonymous government official said in a local news report.’ 🇨🇳
Alarm in Taiwan over quiet change to air raid alert threshold – SCMP: ‘Pressure tactics from the PLA prompted the island to alter when it will sound the sirens, military source says’ 🇨🇳
Taiwan reports Chinese balloon, first time in six months – Reuters 🇨🇳
Fujian coast guard patrols in waters near Kinmen – China Daily 🇨🇳
Chinese customs seizes Taiwanese textbooks over ‘incorrect maps’ – Focus Taiwan: ‘A total of 5,570 students were enrolled in the three Taiwanese schools in China in the first semester of the 2024 school year’ 🇨🇳
China sends naval and air forces to shadow US plane over Taiwan Strait – Reuters 🇺🇸🇨🇳
Taiwanese coast guard official sentenced to jail for classified info sale to China – Taipei Times 🇨🇳
Taiwanese movie theatres receive threats, including bomb threats, over China organ harvesting documentary – Taipei Times 🇨🇳
President Lai reiterates commitment to strengthen Taiwan’s defence – Focus Taiwan: ‘visiting United States Senator Jeff Merkley’ 🇺🇸
Three ranking tech employees handed prison sentences for defrauding Taiwan’s navy – Taipei Times: ‘The court found that the three had defrauded the navy by selling it Chinese-made generators in three tenders.’
South Africa backs off Taiwan office removal deadline, talks ongoing – Focus Taiwan 🇿🇦
Harbour acceptance test exercises for domestic sub nearly complete, navy chief of staff says – Focus Taiwan
Expert warns of impacts from KMT’s proposed budget cuts to Taiwan’s indigenous submarine programme – Taipei Times
Taiwan binnenland en economie
Will the Chinese Unification Promotion Party (CUPP) be dissolved by the Taiwanese government? – New Bloom: ‘the CUPP in particular is known for its links to organized crime. The leader of the CUPP is “White Wolf” Chang An-lo, formerly considered the leader of the Bamboo Union, one of Taiwan’s major triad groups. During the authoritarian period, Chang assisted in political assassinations for the KMT, including involvement in the killing of journalist Henry Liu.’
‘the Ministry of the Interior has listed a litany of charges against the CUPP, including accepting funds from the Chinese government, interfering in elections, violating laws on foreign interference, murder, and human trafficking.’
Five NT$10 billion [€293m] funds for AI, health tech, and green growth to be proposed by government – Focus Taiwan: ‘also left the door open to the use of nuclear power’
President welcomes home victorious baseball team amid surge of Taiwan pride – Reuters
Examination Yuan to address bullying, nominee pledges – Taipei Times
Hospital vows to act after alleged bullying – Taipei Times