De Chinese Wouden, woensdag 4 december: Koreaanse coup, nieuwe beperkingen VS halfgeleiders
De wereld keek gisteravond/afgelopen nacht naar de couppoging van de Zuid-Koreaanse president Yoon Suk Yeol (윤석열 / 尹錫悅) in Seoel. Nu de door hem uitgeroepen staat van beleg is opgeheven door wetgevers die over baricaden klommen, kunnen we waarschijnlijk uitkijken naar een ambtsontzetting door het parlement.
De onmiddellijke politieke impact op de onderwerpen van deze nieuwsbrief bestaat uit politieke ophef in buurland Taiwan, zelf een tragische geschiedenis met de staat van beleg. Op de langere termijn gaat dit gevolgen hebben voor de diplomatieke verhoudingen. De Verenigde Staten hebben groot ingezet op een toenadering tussen de vaak antagonistische bondgenoten Japan en Zuid-Korea.
De voorganger van de conservatief Yoon, de (relatief) progressieve Moon Jae-in (문재인 / 文在寅), was vriendelijker naar China en Noord-Korea en vijandiger richting Tokio. Onder Yoon is Washington DC erin geslaagd om Zuid-Korea zich (onder de buitengewoon onpopulaire Yoon) te laten aansluiten bij het idee van de Indo-Pacific en zich te verzoenen met Japan.
Na een periode van buitenlandspolitieke verlamming is het de vraag of Seoel die richting vol gaat houden – zeker als de regering Trump II weer moeilijk gaat doen over het militaire bondgenootschap. Een van de conservatieve aanvallen op de oppositieleider Lee Jae-myung (이재명 / 李在明) is dat hij pro-China en Pyongyang-vriendelijk zou zijn.
Het grote nieuws voor Nederland is dat de Verenigde Staten de langverwachte nieuwe beperkingen op halfgeleiders heeft aangekondigd. De uitbreiding probeert gaten te dichten en China te treffen op het gebied van kunstmatige intelligentie. Er zijn 140 firma’s toegevoegd aan de lijst en er zijn nieuwe beperkingen voor hoogwaardige geheugenchips die gebruikt worden voor AI.
Het interessantste zijn uitzonderingen voor Nederland en Japan – in tegenstelling tot andere vriendelijke landen. Is dit het bewijs van effectieve diplomatie? Je zou er het gelijk in kunnen zien van de rechtvaardiging voor de meest recente maatregelen van Den Haag. Een reden was namelijk dat het gelijktrekken van bepaalde beperkingen met die van de VS het vergunningsrecht weer terugbracht naar Nederland. Vraag is natuurlijk of we zo niet bezig blijven. Heeft de nieuwe Europese Commissie plannen voor een EU-visie op bescherming halfgeleidersector?
Verder relevant voor Nederland is de toevoeging van Wingtech, de Chinese eigenaar van het Nederlandse Nexperia. Nexperia komt van NXP, wat zelf ooit begon als afdeling van Philips. Nexperia was eerder al in het nieuws toen de Britse regering een overname van een fabriek in Wales wilde tegenhouden vanwege de Chinese eigenaar.
Zoals te verwachten valt, komt Peking met vergelding. De meest logische stap is een waarschuwing van industriekoepels dat Amerikaanse producten niet veilig zijn en dat bedrijven beter lokaal kopen. Dat lijkt mij een begrijpelijke stap voor het beveiligen van je eigen leveringsketens. Er zullen eerder meer dan minder Amerikaanse producten op de lijst van Washington komen.
China was echter al jaren bezig met een campagne om Chinese afhankelijkheden van Westerse technologie tegen te gaan en Westerse afhankelijkheden van China te vergroten. Belangwekkender zijn daarom de aangekondigde beperkingen op de uitvoer van bepaalde kritieke grondstoffen naar de Verenigde Staten. We gaan zien wat voor gevolgen dat gaat hebben op productie. Het is lastig om ze op korte termijn te vervangen.
De Duitse minister van buitenlandse zaken Baerbock was in China en het lijkt weer op een klassiek ‘dialoog van de doven’ – om met de inmiddels vertrokken Josep Borrell te spreken. Peking zal er wel van uitgaan dat Baerbock over enkele maanden toch ook vertrokken zal zijn.
Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺
Antwoord op vragen van de leden Hertzberger en Martens-America over het bericht ‘Experts waarschuwen: Chinese spionage escaleert en Westen krijgt er geen grip op’ – minister Eppo Bruins, Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal: „Tot slot werk ik op dit moment aan een wetsvoorstel waarmee een wettelijke screeningsplicht voor onderzoekers en masterstudenten wordt geïntroduceerd daar waar de risico’s voor de nationale veiligheid het grootst zijn.” 🇳🇱
Watching China in Europe—December 2024 – Noah Barkin: ‘the most probable scenario is that the divisions between Brussels and EU member states on China policy widen, leaving Europe geopolitically paralyzed. “When China comes after us, it unites Europe. When the US does it, we splinter,” a senior official in Brussels told me.’ 🇪🇺
‘Walking on eggshells’: Europe is getting squeezed from all sides as Trump 2.0 looms – SCMP 🇪🇺
‘Chinese support for Russia’ hitting ties, German Foreign Minister Baerbock tells Wáng Yì 王毅 – SCMP: ‘Baerbock also stressed that permanent members of the UN Security Council — such as China — were responsible for maintaining global peace and security, saying they should not support or fuel conflicts that threaten security.’
‘Baerbock also stressed that while Europe did not wish to decouple from China, it wanted “fair play”. “So if highly-subsidised electric cars flood the European market, we must react,” she said.’ 🇩🇪
Germany’s top diplomat says Chinese-made drones that Russia is using in Ukraine are hurting Europe – Bloomberg: ‘Cui Hongjian, a former Chinese diplomat who teaches at Beijing Foreign Studies University, said Baerbock’s remarks before she arrived showed that her trip was aimed at achieving political ends, not for repairing ties between Beijing and Berlin.’ 🇩🇪
Het blijft problematisch dat Chinese gesprekspartners niet in staat zijn om Europese klachten inhoudelijk serieus te nemen.
China and Germany hold strategic dialogue on diplomacy and security – Xinhua: ‘should overcome obstacles, adhere to dialogue and cooperation, abandon the out-dated mentality of Cold War confrontation, and jointly fend off external risks and respond to global challenges.’ 🇩🇪
Senior CCP official Liu Jianchao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets German foreign minister – Xinhua 🇩🇪
Diplomatie in stürmischen Zeiten: Außenministerin Baerbock zum Arbeitsbesuch in Peking – Auswärtiges Amt: „Wenn unsere wirtschaftliche Konkurrenz missbraucht wird für den Systemwettstreit, dann werden wir davor nicht die Augen verschließen. In einer komplett vernetzten Welt ist Wirtschaftspolitik eben auch Sicherheitspolitik.“ 🇩🇪
ByteDance 字节跳动’s TikTok removed 3 influence campaigns during Romania’s elections – POLITICO Europe: ‘The social media company testified before the European Parliament on Tuesday’ 🇷🇴🇪🇺
‘[…] We need to know about China’s influence on TikTok and what this means for European citizens and journalists. Unsatisfactory answers from TikTok representatives today in the IMCO Committee. @bartgroothuis.bsky.social 👇’ – Renew Europe, Bluesky 🇪🇺
relevant: Geen van de grote online platformbedrijven voldoet aan EU-regels voor veiligheid en transparantie – NRC 🇪🇺
Remin University of China and Complutense University of Madrid establish research centre to promote cultural exchanges – China Daily: ‘promoting cultural exchange and mutual learning of civilizations between China and Spain.’ 🇪🇸
‘Dialoog tussen beschavingen’ is een belangrijk onderdeel van de inspanning die onder het Global Civilisation Initiative van Xi Jinping valt – met als doel het promoten van een relativisme dat kritiek op het Chinese politieke systeem en gebruiken tegen ‘Westerse waarden’ moet beschermen.
Taiwan and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) sign MOU to support skills development – Focus Taiwan 🇪🇺
Taiwan and Poland ink MOU to forge space cooperation, Polish official says – Focus Taiwan: ‘Taiwanese and Polish companies and academics will seek to explore cooperation possibilities in the areas of telecommunications and cloud-based or earth observation services’ 🇵🇱
Rusland 🇷🇺
Verdacht Chinees schip dobbert nog steeds in Kattegat – Trouw
Taiwan watching Chinese carrier movements as sources say war games may start this weekend – Reuters: ‘A north bound Russian naval fleet, which included three frigates and one supply vessel, on Monday approached close to Taiwan’s contiguous zone 24 nautical miles (45 km) off its southeastern coasts and conducted joint simulated attacks on “foreign vessels and aircraft” with a Chinese destroyer nearby, the source said.
The Russian fleet entered the East China Sea early on Tuesday, and the source said it was expected to continue joint military manoeuvres with its Chinese counterparts as it heads north.’ 🇨🇳🇷🇺
China-Russia east-route natural gas pipeline fully connected – Xinhua 🇷🇺
Halfgeleiders
VS treffen Chinese chipindustrie met nieuwe handelsbeperkingen – de Volkskrant
Chinees moederbedrijf Nexperia op zwarte lijst VS – FD: „Het is voor het eerst dat ook investeringsmaatschappijen, zoals Wingtech, op de lijst zijn gezet.”
„Nexperia maakt geen chips voor high end toepassingen en lijkt in die zin niet direct te zullen worden geraakt.”
„Nieuwe Amerikaanse restricties tegen China raken ASM” – FD: „ASM maakt wafer-bewerkende machines, die nodig zijn voor de productie van chips.”
US expands list of Chinese technology companies under export controls – AP: ‘The 140 companies newly included in the so-called “entity list” are nearly all based in China. But some are Chinese-owned businesses in Japan, South Korea and Singapore.’ 🇺🇸
The US introduced its latest restrictions on transferring advanced chips to China, but the delay in cutting off chips useful in AI shows the struggle to stall Beijing’s advances – WSJ: ‘limited the sale of memory chips that power AI applications and narrowed the suite of chip-making tools available to China.’
‘People familiar with the drafting of the rules released Monday said the bulk of its content had been composed by the middle of this year and was known to many in the industry. The release was delayed owing to negotiations with U.S. allies and chip-equipment companies, and this gave China a chance to build stockpiles, they said.’ 🇺🇸
Latest US clampdown on China’s chips hits semiconductor toolmakers – Reuters: ‘The package includes curbs on China-bound shipments of high bandwidth memory chips, critical for high-end applications like AI training; new curbs on 24 additional chipmaking tools and three software tools; and new export curbs on chipmaking equipment made in countries such as Singapore and Malaysia.’
‘The new rule will expand U.S. powers to curb exports of chipmaking equipment by U.S., Japanese, and Dutch manufacturers made in other parts of the world to certain chip plants in China.
Equipment made in Israel, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan is subject to the rule while Japan and the Netherlands will be exempt.’ 🇺🇸🇳🇱🇯🇵
Netherlands-based Nexperia to comply with US restrictions on its Chinese parent Wingtech 闻泰 – Reuters 🇳🇱
ASML expects impact of updated export restrictions to fall within outlook for 2025 – ASML: ‘For 2024, we do not expect any direct material impact on our business. For 2025, we expect that the impact will fall within what was communicated at the time of our Q3 2024 earnings’
‘Long-term, our scenarios for demand in the semiconductor industry are not expected to be impacted by the new regulations, as these scenarios are based on the global demand for wafers rather than on any specific geographic split.’ 🇳🇱
China firmly opposes US semiconductor export control measures – Xinhua: ‘China will take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.’ 🇺🇸
US chips are ‘no longer safe’, Chinese industry bodies say in latest trade salvo – Reuters: ‘buy locally instead, four of the country’s top industry associations said on Tuesday’ 🇺🇸
Logische maatregel voor zekeren van je leveringsketens inmiddels, als je een Chinees bedrijf bent.
China to curb exports of key chipmaking materials to US – AFP: ‘Among the materials banned from export are metals gallium, antimony and germanium, China’s Commerce Ministry said in a statement that cited “national security” concerns.
Exports of graphite — another key component — will also be subject to “stricter reviews of end-users and end-uses”, the ministry said.’ 🇺🇸
China tightens control on dual-use items export to US – Xinhua: ‘as part of efforts to safeguard national security and interests and fulfill non-proliferation and other international obligations.’ 🇺🇸
Biden tightens tech controls on China as clock ticks down – The Washington Post: ‘“These controls are weaker than what the United States should have done,” said Gregory C. Allen, director of the Wadhwani AI Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “You can make a halfway logical argument that says, ‘Sell everything to China.’ Then you can make a reasonable argument, ‘Sell very little to China.’ But the worst thing you can do is to dramatically signal your intention to cut off China’s access to tech but then have so many loopholes and such bungled implementation that you incur almost all of the costs of the policy with only a fraction of the benefits.”’ 🇺🇸
Handel 🚗⚡️
Drenthe Tours uit Assen krijgt subsidie voor elektrische touringcar. Directeur Klaas Jan: „Maar er is weinig keus qua aanbod” – Dagblad van het Noorden: „De enige is eigenlijk Yutong in China en daar gaan we de bus ook aanschaffen, […], in West-Europa kunnen ze die bussen niet bouwen.” 🇳🇱
EV battery manufacturers relying on Chinese components risk being cut out of €1 billion in European Union subsidies as the bloc aims to boost its own production and supply chains – Bloomberg: ‘the European Commission said it will favor projects that source less of their cathodes, anodes and active materials from China. It will also require a transfer of know-how’ 🇪🇺
EU industry commissioner Stéphane Séjourné pitches ‘Europe first’ in response to Donald Trump – FT: ‘Séjourné said his “biggest fear” was that Europe would become “a collateral victim of a global trade war”.’ 🇪🇺
BYD 比亚迪’s US$1 billion Turkey factory to start production by end of 2026, government says – Caixin Global 🇹🇷
China’s BYD 比亚迪 marks 30th year by chasing 4m car milestone – Nikkei Asia
Tesla’s China-made EV sales drop 4.3% in November – Reuters 🇺🇸
US dims Southeast Asia detour for China’s solar products with anti-dumping tariffs – SCMP 🇺🇸
Cover Story: Chinese chipmakers look to Malaysia to sidestep US tariffs – Caixin Global 🇲🇾🇺🇸
Malaysia urges Chinese firms to avoid using it to dodge US tariffs – Reuters 🇲🇾🇺🇸
A flood of cheap Chinese goods into the developing world is jacking up tensions between China and the Global South, complicating Beijing’s plans to build allies – WSJ: ‘developing countries have implemented almost 250 trade-defense measures affecting Chinese imports since the start of 2022’
‘many were expecting China to give up on low-end manufacturing as its economy matured.’
Volkswagen-personeel legt het werk neer in Duitsland: „Zo erg als de toestand nu is, was het nog nooit” – NRC 🇩🇪
Competitieve Tavares transformeerde Europese auto-industrie, maar moet nu weg bij megaconcern Stellantis – NRC 🇫🇷🇮🇹
Tech War 💽💥
Chipfabrikanten bedanken voor Duitse subsidiemiljarden – Trouw: „de chipsector lijkt dus maar moeizaam op gang te komen, ondanks alle miljarden die de Duitse overheid van Brussel mag uitdelen. Carsten Brzeski, hoofdeconoom bij ING, zegt dat er meer nodig is dan geld.” 🇩🇪
China welcomes UNGA’s adoption of its proposed resolution, foreign ministry says – Xinhua: ‘the resolution seeks to strengthen the role of the UN, promote dialogue and cooperation, and safeguard developing countries’ legitimate rights and interests related to the peaceful use of science and technology. It also urges certain countries to stop abusing export controls and imposing illegal, unilateral, coercive measures.’ 🇺🇳
Het Mondiale Zuiden mobiliseren tegen Amerikaanse/Westerse controlemaatregelen voor de export van gevoelige technologieën naar China.
China’s strategic ‘little giant’ firms quickly rise to 14,600, surpassing 2025 goal – SCMP
Couppoging Zuid-Korea 🪖🇰🇷
Machtsgreep president Zuid-Korea stuit op parlement – NRC 🇰🇷
S. Korea’s martial law lifted at cabinet meeting – Xinhua 🇨🇳
「〔⋯⋯〕民進黨是在戒嚴期間成立的政黨，深知戒嚴對民主社會的戕害，民進黨團僅轉發國際資訊，並與國內政壇狀況進行對照，絕無支持戒嚴之意。至於外界所為杯弓蛇影的影射與過度渲染，實則大可不必，民進黨團也對此表示遺憾，也請在野黨適可而止。」 – 民進黨立法院黨團 DPPcaucus, Threads 🇹🇼
Bij ons mag Bluesky dan langzaam aan Twitter vervangen – in Taiwan heeft Twitter nooit aangeslagen en was vooral Facebook dominant. De laatste tijd verschuift men echter steeds meer naar Threads. In dit bericht wijst de parlementsfractie van de regerende DPP dat de DPP – als partij opgericht onder de Taiwanese staat van beleg van 1949–87 – de „insinuaties en excessieve overdrijvingen van overdreven angstige buitenstaanders” afwijst.
Waarom? Taiwans president Lai heeft net als President Yoon geen meerderheid in het parlement. Ook zijn begroting ondervindt last van blokkade door een oppositie die beschuldigd wordt van overmatige sympathie voor de communistische bedreiging over de grens. Maar vergelijkingen gaan mank. De Zuid-Koreaanse politiek is/was vele malen meer verhit dan die van Taiwan, Yoon is een extreem figuur en de civiele controle over de strijdkrachten lijkt in Taiwan sterker dan in Zuid-Korea. Bovenal staat voor de achterban van de DPP de staat van beleg voor de moorddadige KMT-dictatuur.
In Taiwan kan de staat van beleg alleen maar uitgeroepen worden met goedkeuring van of na bevestiging door het parlement.
Kantepunt 🌏⏱️
Nato chief Mark Rutte warns Donald Trump of ‘dire threat’ from China, Iran, and North Korea to US if Ukraine pushed into bad peace deal with Russia – FT 🇺🇦🇷🇺
NAVO-baas Mark Rutte (57) uit zorgen over situatie aan front na inmenging China, Iran en Noord-Korea: „Fors meer geld naar defensie” – De Telegraaf 🇺🇦🇷🇺
Rutte: NAVO moet Oekraïne meer steunen zodat het steviger kan onderhandelen – NRC: ‘„Als we over Oekraïne praten moeten we praten over het feit dat Rusland en China, maar ook Iran en Noord-Korea allemaal samenwerken”, aldus Rutte.’ 🇺🇦🇷🇺
Ukraine’s Dmytro Kuleba: ‘If it continues like this, we will lose the war’ – FT: ‘I ask if he encountered a lot of open sympathy for Russia [in the “global south”]. He says that by and large, that was not the case. “They all understand what’s happening, and they were all on the side of Ukraine. But then every leader asks himself, ‘What is going to happen to me if I openly oppose Russia?’ African leaders were particularly concerned about that. Some of them literally were afraid that Russia will stage a coup or kill them if they openly support us … And then there was always another elephant in the room — China. Because Africa is Chinese territory with very few exceptions.”’ 🇺🇦🇷🇺
Chinese academics grapple with the idea of a rising East and a declining West – SCMP: ‘it is again being discussed as doubts grow over Washington’s global leadership role ahead of Trump’s return to the White House on January 20’ 🇺🇸
Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 sends congratulatory letter to Understanding China Conference – Xinhua: ‘Xi said in the letter that to understand China, one needs to understand China’s efforts to further deepen reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization.’
Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 says China committed to making traditional medicine better benefit world – Xinhua: ‘China is willing to work with the international community to foster mutual learning in traditional medicines, integrate them more deeply into the global health system’
How China and the US are using different drone strategies to seize air superiority – SCMP
China readying satellite-based kill chain, key US commander says – Nikkei Asia
Overige
China buitenland en defensie
China’s Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 calls for the protection of Belt and Road Initiative interests overseas – SCMP: ‘Xi warned that the international environment has become “tough and complicated”.’
West Philippine Sea/South China Sea: Philippines Coast Guard deploys vessels after alleged China helicopter harassment of fishing vessels – The Inquirer 🇵🇭
China Coast Guard urges Philippines to stop provocations – Xinhua 🇵🇭
Russian ‘attack submarine' spotted in the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea near Mindoro – The Inquirer: ‘after reportedly coming from Malaysia.’ ‘The Philippine Navy immediately dispatched an aircraft and a warship to track’ 🇵🇭🇷🇺
China deposits to UN the statement on Baselines of Territorial Sea Adjacent to Huangyan Dao and Chart – Xinhua 🇵🇭
Japan to grant coastal surveillance radar to Philippines amid South China Sea tensions – Nikkei Asia 🇯🇵🇵🇭
Indonesia yet to agree joint development areas with Beijing in South China Sea, foreign minister says – Reuters: ‘Sugiono said no areas had yet been specified to work with China on jointly developing fishing or extracting other resources.’ 🇮🇩
Former top ally of past Malaysia governments, once-mighty political party Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) turns to business matchmaking with China to stay afloat – The Straits Times: ‘as a bid to remain relevant to Malaysia’s Chinese community that now largely backs rival Democratic Action Party (DAP).’ 🇲🇾
US government says Salt Typhoon is still in telecom networks – Cyberscoop: ‘there’s no single way that hackers have infiltrated the telecommunications carriers, the officials said.’ 🇺🇸
Chinese hack of global telecom providers is ‘ongoing’, officials warn – POLITICO 🇺🇸
Beijing mulls US engagement options as China-sanctioned Rubio awaits top diplomat post – SCMP: ‘the case with Li Shangfu, the former Chinese defence chief who was sanctioned by the US after being accused of helping to transfer combat aircraft and air defence missile systems from China to Russia.’ 🇺🇸
Inside a secret plan to bring Uyghurs trapped in China to the United States – The New York Times: ‘The Biden administration has not made public the part of the [prisoner exchange] deal involving the Uyghurs, and it is being reported here for the first time.’ 🇺🇸
Nearly 90% of Chinese view Japan negatively, 2nd-highest level measured, according to poll – Kyodo News: ‘The figure rose 24.8 percentage points from 2023’ 🇯🇵
China lifts final trade restrictions on Australian meat processors – Reuters 🇦🇺
China opens its first atmospheric monitoring station in Antarctica – SCMP
China tells World Court that existing UN treaties cover states’ climate obligations – Reuters: ‘The U.N. General Assembly, […], asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to issue an opinion on countries’ legal responsibility for the negative impact of climate change.’ 🇺🇳
Seawater samples collected off the coast of Fukushima arrive in China, spokesperson says – Xinhua 🇯🇵
China’s Xinjiang eyes closer ties with Pakistan and Central Asia to offset US sanctions – SCMP 🇵🇰
Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 calls for advancing strategic partnership of cooperation with Nepal – Xinhua: ‘Both Xizang [Tibet] and Taiwan are inalienable parts of China's territory, Oli said.’ 🇳🇵
Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 holds talks with Cambodias senate president Hun Sen – Xinhua: ‘Xi expressed China’s support for the ASEAN to adhere to its strategic autonomy and its opposition to external forces introducing Cold War mentality into the region.’ 🇰🇭
China’s top political advisor Wáng Hùníng 王沪宁 meets Nauru’s parliament speaker – Xinhua 🇳🇷
China’s PLA takes ‘significant step’ forward in combat readiness with integrated drills, official newspaper writes – SCMP: ‘It was putting into practice the lessons learned from the US military and the Russia-Ukraine war, Song said.’
Detailed deck view emerges of China’s mysterious aircraft carrier-like ship – The Warzone: ‘The recently published photos do confirm that it’s intended to operate rotary-wing aircraft (perhaps in addition to fixed-wing drones)’
China economie
China’s 10-year bond yield slumps to record low as investors scramble for safe haven – SCMP: ‘“China’s bond yields have hit a staggering new low, signalling a chilling risk forecast as the giant struggles against a deflationary spiral eerily reminiscent of Japan’s long economic malaise,” said Stephen Innes, a managing director at SPI Asset Management in Bangkok.’
China’s yuan hits lowest level in months as Trump tariff threats roil currencies – SCMP
China’s 2025 economic path previewed as central bank pledges ‘supportive’ monetary policy – SCMP: ‘The supportive stance, which was first mentioned in the summer, is different from the often used tone of “prudent”, and represented a continuation of the shift to economic stimulus seen since late September.’
China’s November factory activity growth hits 5-month high, Caixin PMI shows – Reuters: ‘as new orders, including those from abroad, led to a solid rise in production’
European business confronts China head on – Bonnie Girard for The Diplomat: ‘participating in surveys, holding conferences, publishing reports, and issuing press releases from within China itself’ 🇪🇺
China’s economic pressures create ‘ongoing concerns’ for British firms as hardships grow – SCMP: ‘for a fifth consecutive year, according to a survey published by the British Chamber of Commerce in China on Tuesday.’ 🇬🇧
China welcomes new US$1 billion Sanofi project in Beijing – SCMP
Chinese vice premier Hé Lìfēng 何立峰 encourages foreign firms to continuously invest and develop in China – Xinhua: ‘It is hoped that more French and European companies will continue to develop their business operations in China and share its development opportunities’
China binnenland
China’s top leaders plan to start the annual closed-door Central Economic Work Conference next Wednesday to map out economic targets and stimulus plans for 2025, according to people familiar with the matter – Bloomberg: ‘If the party sticks to precedent, the work conference will follow a monthly meeting of the decision-making Politburo, which devotes its December huddle to the economy.’
The Chinese Communist Party’s elite decision-making body Politburo skipped releasing a readout for its regular November meeting, a rare omission – Bloomberg: ‘rumors the [economic] work conference will start earlier than expected and set a higher-than-usual deficit target for 2025.’
Reported corruption cases in China rise amid deeper crackdown and poorer economy – The Straits Times: ‘it is the scourge of corruption in villages, in particular, that has worried China’s anti-corruption czar Li Xi’ ‘Analysts told The Straits Times that the spike in graft cases comes amid tighter inspections, which have become a way for officials to show that their work is in line with Mr Xi’s priorities.’
In wake of mass attacks, China’s judges urged to ensure fairness to maintain stability – SCMP: ‘Wang Chengguo, secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission of Zhejiang province, wrote in the official People’s Daily on Tuesday that China’s judicial system must focus on maintaining social stability as its main task.’
‘Italian’ purees likely to contain Chinese forced-labour tomatoes, BBC finds – BBC Eye: ‘Most Chinese tomatoes come from the Xinjiang region, where their production is linked to forced labour by Uyghur and other largely Muslim minorities.’
China’s intelligence ministry warns of security risks from open-source information – SCMP: ‘poses threats to national security by making sensitive data vulnerable to exploitation by foreign spies.’
Chinese cities fight lying flat mentality with ‘snail awards’ for poor workers – SCMP
China’s first commercial spaceport opens with rocket launch – Nikkei Asia
Environmentalists sound alarm over China’s relaxed forest rules – Caixin Global
Hong Kong
Taiwan buitenland en defensie
Taiwan’s biggest challenge is China, President Lai says in Hawaii speech – Focus Taiwan: ‘Lai gave an 8-minute closed-door speech in English at the East-West Center, after which he took questions.’ 🇺🇸
Taiwan president speaks about China with ex-Speaker Pelosi over phone while in Hawaii – Reuters 🇺🇸
President Lai arrives in Marshall Islands, hopes for continued cooperation – Focus Taiwan: ‘Lai will have a packed schedule during his roughly 20 hours in the Pacific ally.’ 🇲🇭
President Lai promises preferential loan to Marshall Islands for aircraft procurement – Focus Taiwan 🇲🇭
No room for negotiation or compromise on one-China principle, foreign ministry says – Xinhua: ‘when asked to comment on Paraguayan Foreign Minister Ruben Ramirez Lezcano’s remarks that Paraguay is open to establishing diplomatic, consular and commercial relations with Chinese mainland unconditionally, but will not accept any precondition that would break its diplomatic ties with Taiwan.’ 🇵🇾
Chinese defence ministry denounces ‘always notorious’ US arms sales to Taiwan – Xinhua 🇨🇳
Taiwan to continue to seek support for CPTPP bid despite hold-up – Focus Taiwan
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council launches risk assessment hotlines for people traveling to China – Focus Taiwan 🇨🇳
First M1A2T Abrams tanks tanks expected from US this month, source says – Taipei Times: ‘military personnel sent to the US to receive training on operating the tanks all returned to Taiwan by the end of last month’ 🇺🇸
Taiwan’s Indigenous Defense Fighter jets join drills with French Mirage pilots – Taipei Times: ‘Retired French Air Force members also frequently travel to Taiwan to train with members of the 2nd Tactical Fighter Wing, it said.’ 🇫🇷
Taiwan binnenland en economie
NTU students protest Ma Ying-jeou Foundation’s Chinese student delegation – Focus Taiwan: ‘the delegation led by Tsinghua University's Communist Party Secretary Qiu Yong (邱勇) is intended to promote people-to-people exchanges between China and Taiwan.’ 🇨🇳
Chinese student delegation member panned for Taiwanese baseball team name remarks – Taipei Times: ‘“We want to congratulate the China, Taipei team,” she said.’ 🇨🇳
KMT criticises claimed lack of academic exchanges with China – New Bloom
TPP founding member Chu Hui-jung 朱蕙蓉 vows to leave party over ‘political persecution’ – Taipei Times: ‘Chu went on a political program during which she discussed an ongoing investigation into TPP Chairman Ko Wen-je’
Ministry to re-examine alleged teacher bullying – Taipei Times
Health ministry to address surrogacy issue in separate amendments – Focus Taiwan