Fijn weekend.
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Nederland en Europa 🇳🇱🇪🇺
Is a high-profile critic of the Chinese Communist Party a con man? –NPR on Wang Jingyu: ‘The Chinese Communist Party does spy on, threaten and even abduct dissidents abroad. Wang appeared to exploit that reputation.’ 🇳🇱
Nagemaakte emails van de IND en een eenzame asielzoeker in een leeg huis in een Nederlands dorp terwijl zijn familie vastzit in Thailand.
KNVB sloot sponsordeal met omstreden gokbedrijf dat onderdeel was van Chinese georganiseerde misdaad – NRC 🇳🇱
Zorgen in China over Amerikaanse campagne tegen Chinese studenten in Nederland –ScienceGuide: „Er wordt in China daarnaast ook met zorg gekeken naar de nieuwe wet op kennisveiligheid” 🇳🇱
Grapjes over Aziaten zijn niet ‘ludiek’, ze zijn racistisch – Hui-hui Pan in De Correspondent 🇳🇱
Why EU’s next foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas could be tougher on China –SCMP: ‘Her record in office suggests that she was not inherently hawkish towards Beijing, even if she was happy to be guided by others who were.’ 🇪🇺
Deutsche Bundeswehr mit Verbindungsoffizier dauerhaft im Pazifik vertreten – Table.Briefings: „dauerhaft einen Verbindungsoffizier im Hauptquartier des Indo-Pazifik-Kommandos der USA (Indopacom) im US-Bundesstaat Hawaii stationieren“ 🇩🇪🇺🇸
China’s new ambassador to Germany faces ties tested by spying accusations –SCMP: ‘Deng Hongbo is deputy director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party’s Central Committee’ 🇩🇪
Ruslands oorlog 🇷🇺
China’s Ukraine point man Lǐ Huī 李辉 drums up support for peace plan in Global South –SCMP: ‘Li Hui was in Brazil and South Africa last week as part of what is his fourth Ukraine peace mission since May last year. The trip, which follows similar visits to Europe and the Middle East, will include a stop in Indonesia.’
Ukraine’s Zelenskiy wants China to put more pressure on Russia –Reuters: ‘“If China wants to, it can force Russia to stop this war. I do not want (China) to act as a mediator. I would like it to put pressure on Russia to put an end to this war,” Zelenskiy told reporters.’ 🇺🇦
Olympische Spelen 🇫🇷
Taiwan fans blame China for Paris sign confiscations – Taipei Times: ‘A staff member told her they had “received an instruction from the Olympic Games saying that anything related to Taiwan or showing Taiwan cannot appear,” Hsueh said.’
‘Many spectators recorded evidence of a Chinese woman holding a mobile phone, who stood next to the security personnel and directing them to confiscate signs and banners from Taiwanese supporters, Hsueh said.’
‘We’re not doing anything wrong’: why the word Taiwan is banned at the Olympics – The Guardian
Chinese state TV pulls plug on Taiwan’s badminton victory –RFA: ‘omit the sections of the match where the Taiwanese pair was clearly winning. The medals ceremony and audience celebrations at the end were also cut.’
Ministry slams Taiwan sign-snatching at Paris Games – Taipei Times: ‘Although the Republic of China (ROC) flag is prohibited, there is no explicit ban on items that have the word “Taiwan” written on them, the Taipei Representative Office in France said.’
KMT lawmaker Weng Hsiao-ling 翁曉玲 defends ‘pride of Chinese’ comment on Taiwan duo’s victory – Taipei Times
China anti-doping agency calls for more tests on American athletes, accuses US of ‘systemic’ abuses – HKFP 🇺🇸
China Anti-Doping Agency calls for independent investigation into USADA –Xinhua: ‘noting that the U.S.’s tolerance of its own long history of problems stands in stark contrast to its attempt to exercise jurisdiction over other countries.’ 🇺🇸
China anti-doping agency accuses New York Times of sabotage over report –Reuters 🇺🇸
China urges US to ensure Olympic athletes treated fairly at future Games –SCMP 🇺🇸
Als er nu weer Chinese sporters gepakt worden en een excuus hebben, dan zullen veel westerse sportbonden er niks van geloven terwijl de Chinese supporters een westers complot zien.
Taiwan mulling lawsuit against International Boxing Association (IBA) –Taipei Times: ‘At the IBA news conference, its president, Umar Kremlev, also said: “Taiwan is a part of China.” “China is one of my favorite countries,” he added.’
China arrests woman suspected of ‘defaming’ Olympic table tennis players –Reuters
Xi’s special representative to attend closing ceremony of Olympic Games Paris 2024 and visit Serbia –Xinhua 🇷🇸
Elektrische auto’s 🚗⚡️
EU capitals set to back tariffs on Chinese electric cars, trade chief says –FT: ‘If necessary, officials added, they could also use anti-circumvention rules against companies trying to avoid paying the duty by doing basic assembly operations in the EU or other countries.’ 🇪🇺
Uber teams up with China’s BYD 比亚迪 for 100,000 EVs –AFP: ‘will start in Europe and Latin America before expanding to Australia, Canada, New Zealand and countries across the Middle East.’ 🇪🇺
China’s EV and battery firms bolt into emerging markets as trade remains caustic –SCMP
China bereikt mijlpaal: voor het eerst meer elektrische auto’s verkocht – de Volkskrant
China Evergrande 中国恒大’s EV arm units to enter bankruptcy and reorganisation proceedings – Reuters
US expected to propose barring Chinese software in autonomous vehicles –Reuters 🇺🇸
China is done with global carmakers: ‘Thanks for coming’ – Michael Dunne: ‘Detroit is not alone. Almost every non-Chinese brand – German, Korean, Japanese and French – is feeling shell-shocked as they watch their market shares disappear.’
Japan’s automakers lose market share in China and Thailand as EVs spread – Nikkei Asia 🇯🇵
No, the EV isn’t dead — just briefly comatose – POLITICO Europe
China’s MingYang 明阳 signs Italy wind turbine plant deal –Reuters 🇮🇹
Chile’s only steel mill shuts amid surge in Chinese imports –FT: ‘Latin American steel industry group Alacero said the region imported a record 10mn tonnes of Chinese steel in 2023 — a 44 per cent increase from 2022.’ 🇨🇱
Tech War 💽💥
Exclusive: Chinese firms stockpile high-end Samsung 三星 chips as they await new US curbs, say sources –Reuters
Exclusive: New US rule on foreign chip equipment exports to China to exempt some allies – Reuters: ‘As such, major chip equipment manufacturers such as ASML (ASML.AS), and Tokyo Electron (8035.T), will not be affected.’ 🇺🇸🇳🇱🇯🇵
Gaan Den Haag en Tokio in plaats hiervan nu met eigen aanvullende maatregelen komen, of blijft het zo?
De ‘nano-platenspeler’ van het Nederlandse Nearfield is onmisbaar voor de nieuwste generatie AI-chips –NRC: „Hij weet dat Chinese chipmakers ‘zeer geïnteresseerd’ zijn in Nearfields techniek, maar hij houdt de boot af, voorlopig.” 🇳🇱
Intel is taking another of ASML’s High NA tools, says CEO –Reuters 🇳🇱
Nvidia’s new China-ready GPUs face uncertainty as Washington signals more chip restrictions –SCMP 🇺🇸
Qatar invests in US-backed fund to loosen China dominance of critical minerals –FT: ‘Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund has agreed to invest $180mn in TechMet, a Dublin-based mining investment vehicle backed by the US International Development Finance Corporation’ 🇶🇦🇺🇸
Applied Materials was denied a US Chips Act grant for a US$4 billion project in the heart of Silicon Valley – Bloomberg 🇺🇸
Serbian villagers spark protest movement against planned lithium mine –Reuters 🇷🇸
HP plans its most aggressive shift of production away from China to Thailand – Nikkei Asia: ‘and is setting up a “backup” design hub in Singapore’ 🇺🇸🇹🇭🇸🇬
South Korea tops China for shipbuilding orders as competition heats up –SCMP: ‘analysts said South Korea’s move in July could reflect shifts in the way China and South Korea view shipbuilding.’ 🇰🇷
Buyout of China’s drug companies by global pharma giants sparks national security fears –SCMP: ‘Since December, five Chinese biotech drug makers have been sold to global pharmaceutical giants.’
Kantelpunt 🌏⏱️
US tops China as Germany’s biggest trading partner –Reuters 🇩🇪
China on edge over prolonged US missile deployment in Asia – Nikkei Asia: ‘aland-basedU.S. missile launcher in the Philippines that was used in recent militarydrills, a move Beijingworries could significantly alter the balance of power if deployed on a permanent basis.’
China en Zuid-Korea wedijveren om status als grote wapenleverancier –FD 🇰🇷
Japan and Mongolia to agree on defence equipment cooperation at summit – Nikkei Asia: ‘The agreement would pave the way for Japanese defense exports to Mongolia.’ 🇯🇵🇲🇳
US military eyes Australia’s Indian Ocean toe hold to deter China – Reuters 🇺🇸🇦🇺
China’s drills with Tanzania and Mozambique show ‘blended approach’ to military diplomacy – SCMP 🇹🇿🇲🇿
How China’s Communist Party is building political schools, and influence, in Africa –SCMP
Overname van binnenuit: China vergroot zijn visvangst door zich in territoriale wateren in te kopen – Follow The Money: „betekent het dat China veel meer vis uit zee haalt dan al bekend was.”
„De afgelopen jaren heeft China zich namelijk ingekocht in nationale visgronden waarvoor beperkingen gelden – van Zuid-Amerika en Afrika tot de Stille Oceaan. China doet dat voornamelijk via een proces dat bekendstaat als ‘invlaggen’. Via zakelijke partnerschappen registreert land A dan schepen onder de vlag van land B, waardoor die in de territoriale wateren van land B mogen vissen.”
Weekend 🏖️📚
Longreads en achtergrond
Chinese companies are winning the Global South – The Economist: ‘chipping away at the dominance of incumbent multinationals everywhere from Indonesia to Nigeria.’
ASML’s Powder Keg – The Wire China
Can India’s economy thrive without China’s help? –FT: ‘some critics are warning that India’s tough line on China could starve it of the capital, components and knowhow needed to realise its ambition of becoming a major manufacturing power.’
China’s high stakes and deepfakes in the Philippines – The ASPI Strategist
When China hides disasters in a memory hole: A revealing attempt to forget a terrible plane crash – The Economist’s Chaguan: ‘They impose silence to signal that a subject is off-limits. Today more citizens have something to lose by disobeying.’
Opinion: The era of the entrepreneurial Chinese local government is over –Huang Yiping for SCMP
China’s Real Economic Crisis: Why Beijing Won’t Give Up on a Failing Model – Zongyuan Zoe Liu for Foreign Affairs
Who tells the stories of Chinese leaders? On two new biographies – Lucy Hornby for LARB: ‘The reputations of both Zhou and Hua have been heavily shaped by factional narratives.’
Why Chinese propaganda loves foreign travel bloggers – The New York Times
Van pandatoerisme naar pandabescherming: hoe China zijn ‘nationale schat’ wil redden – de Volkskrant
Podcasts
The Chips Act and national security –
ChinaTalk
The dangerous waters of the South China Sea, with Helena Legarda –MERICS China Podcast 🍎
Sino-Indian Relations – CSIS Pekingology 🍎
Overige
China buitenland en defensie
Zuid-Chinese Zee
Philippines and Vietnam to hold first-ever joint coast guard exercise – Reuters 🇵🇭🇻🇳
Uncrewed Chinese military aircraft tracked close to Vietnam coast, monitor group says –Reuters 🇻🇳
South China Sea: Vietnamese navy frigate visits China amid flurry of drills in waterway –SCMP 🇻🇳
China coast guard says monitors Philippine patrol boats in shoal disputed by Beijing –Reuters 🇵🇭
US, Australia, Canada, and the Philippines stage naval and air force manoeuvres in disputed South China Sea –AP: ‘In an apparent response, China said it conducted air and sea combat patrols on the same day.’ 🇺🇸🇦🇺🇨🇦🇵🇭
South China Sea: Chinese military holds joint patrol around contested Scarborough Shoal –SCMP
What’s Malaysia’s stance on the South China Sea? Latest remarks raise potential shift –SCMP 🇲🇾
China confirms the discovery of a major natural gas field in the South China Sea –SCMP
overige
China’s foreign minister Wáng Yì 王毅 calls for international community to unite behind Gaza ceasefire –SCMP: ‘telling his counterparts in Jordan and Egypt that Beijing stood “firm” with Arab nations.’ 🇵🇸🇯🇴🇪🇬
China lodges complaint after Canadian warship passes through Taiwan Strait –CBC News 🇨🇦
At 30th round of talks on border dispute, China and India agree to speed up negotiations – SCMP 🇮🇳
China sanctions US Rep. McGovern for ‘interference’ in its domestic affairs –AP 🇺🇸
Tim Walz and China: Close personal ties and sharp criticism of Beijing – Nikkei Asia 🇺🇸
US-China fentanyl cooperation deepens as Beijing tightens controls for precursor chemicals –SCMP 🇺🇸
Florida attorney pleads guilty to trying to detonate explosives near Chinese embassy in Washington – AP 🇺🇸
Chinese emigration to Malaysia doubles on student and investment surge –FT: ‘Most new Chinese arrivals are middle class families who see south-east Asia as a more affordable destination, or students shying away from anti-China sentiment in the west’ 🇲🇾
Creditor China ‘closely monitors’ conditions in post-Hasina, debt-heavy Bangladesh –SCMP: ‘China is the third biggest bilateral creditor to Bangladesh following Japan and Russia’ 🇧🇩
China warns citizens to leave eastern DR Congo after series of deaths and kidnappings –SCMP 🇨🇩
Ignore China, North Korea’s Kim tells diplomats amid apparent rift in relations – Korea JoongAng Daily: ‘The regime has also implementednew restrictions on the movement of Chinese nationals within North Korea.’ 🇰🇵
China begins work of setting up vast network of internet satellites – SCMP
China economie
China posts 7.2% import jump for July as stimulus spurs industrial demand –Nikkei Asia: ‘Major commodities including iron ore and crude petroleum oil, as well as mechanical and electrical products, drove the higher demand for imports.’
China’s services activity expands further, but external demand slows, Caixin PMI shows –Reuters
Mainland China’s demand for warehouses plunges as Singapore’s surges: Knight Frank – SCMP
China looks for new ways to boost spending on services, from senior care to tourism –SCMP
China’s consumption drive falls on deaf ears as consumers remain cautious, ask for more –SCMP
Chinese authorities have rejected a proposal made by the IMF to use central government funds to complete unfinished housing –Bloomberg
Shenzhen joins Chinese local governments taking unsold homes off developers’ hands –SCMP
Chinese yuan rally puts central bank's next moves in spotlight – Nikkei Asia
Exclusive: Chinese regulators asks large state financial institutions to drop auditor PwC, say sources –Reuters
China Evergrande 中国恒大 liquidators launch legal action against PwC –FT: ‘accusing the Big Four auditing firm of “negligence” and “misrepresentation” in its work for the collapsed property group.’
China binnenland
China’s ethnic policy chief Pān Yuè 潘岳 says minority artists must focus on common national identity – SCMP: ‘criticised “self-centred” artworks about ethnic minorities’ ‘not giving Communist Party credit’
Why Xi Jinping’s crusade against corruption in the military is far from over –SCMP: ‘there are many cases still unresolved – many of which involve military officers who were promoted when Xi was at the helm.’
China investigates executives of state-owned energy and finance companies – SCMP
China’s anti-corruption squads target funeral officials making a killing from the dead –SCMP
China says no to ‘throwing eggs’: poker-style game loved by party officials loses shine –SCMP
Rescuers in China race to find the missing and seal dykes after deadly floods – Reuters
China landslide death toll rises to 8, with 19 missing –AFP
Record temperatures scorch eastern China, spiking power demand –Reuters
China moves to standardise carbon emission calculations –Xinhua
Number of Chinese couples getting married falls to 12-year low, data shows – Reuters
Hong Kong
Hong Kong secondary students may soon be schooled in ‘Xi Jinping Thought’ –AFP
Hong Kong’s business community studies spirit of President Xi’s reply letter to Hong Kong entrepreneurs –Xinhua: ‘Seven chambers of commerce in Hong Kong have jointly held a seminar’
Elderly busker jailed for second time over performing protest anthem ‘Glory to Hong Kong’ – HKFP
Taiwan buitenland en defensie
Taiwan is readying citizens for a Chinese invasion. It’s not going well. – The Washington Post: ‘Taiwan’s slow progress on boosting training concerns military experts in Washington and Taipei’
Taiwan turns to own ‘Iron Duke’ Wellington Koo to deter China: Civilian defence minister aims to sharpen asymmetric warfare capabilities – Nikkei Asia
Taiwan is making a TV show about a Chinese invasion. And it’s hitting close to home –CNN: ‘Hsin-mei Cheng, the showrunner of “Zero Day,” worried that her fellow Taiwan citizens have grown “too numb” to the danger of an impending conflict.’
Taiwan planning 6% increase in defence spending in 2025 –Focus Taiwan: ‘The government plans to spend NT$647 billion [€18bn] on defense next year, out of a total budget of NT$3.13 trillion, Lai said.’
Vergelijking: het defensiebudget van Nederland is €21 miljard.
DPP slams Ma Ying-jeou 馬英九 (KMT) for attack on defence expenditure –Taipei Times
China lists Taiwanese independence supporters it wants people to denounce – The Guardian
China’s TAO website new ‘Taiwan separatists’section creates punitive model, experts say – Focus Taiwan: ‘The setup of a new section also demonstrates that action has been taken following the issuance of the new guidelines, Wu added’ 🇨🇳
Taiwan says PLA drones circled for hours, after Japan-Philippine naval drills nearby –SCMP 🇨🇳
Suspected Chinese hackers were behind a breach of a Taiwanese research centre on computing, Cisco researchers say – Bloomberg 🇨🇳
China taking aim at preferential visa treatment for Taiwanese, foreign ministry says –Focus Taiwan: ‘MOFA said some of the countries that recently canceled preferential visa treatment for Taiwanese did so after “bowing to pressure from the Chinese government,” without elaborating.’ 🇨🇳
Ex-Army officer held in China since March allowed to return – Focus Taiwan 🇨🇳
Foreign ministry official rejects ‘One China’ affidavit, unable to get Macao post visa – Focus Taiwan: ‘only two Taiwanese officials, both MAC staff members who have been posted in the Chinese city for seven to eight years remain’ 🇨🇳🇲🇴
Filipino fisher injured in collision between Taiwan and China fishing boats – Focus Taiwan 🇨🇳
President Lai currently ‘has no plans’ to travel overseas, Presidential Office says – Focus Taiwan
Former President Tsai denies plan to visit Japan –Focus Taiwan 🇯🇵
TPP chairman and officials meet with Japanese lawmakers –Taipei Times 🇯🇵
President Lai speaks at military promotion event – Taipei Times: ‘In a speech, Lai reiterated that the Republic of China (ROC, Taiwan) and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) are not subordinate to each other.’
Taiwan binnenland en economie
Donovan’s Deep Dives: William Lai’s new Taiwanese nationalist agenda – Courtney Donovan Smith for Taipei Times: ‘Instead of focusing on the name of the country, he is laying out a vision of Taiwan as a united nation and the Taiwanese people sharing a united identity.’
Taiwanese financial holding firms’ China exposure drops –Taipei Times: ‘accounted for 7.92 percent of total overseas exposure, the lowest percentage in the 37 quarters since the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) began keeping records on overseas exposure.’
Court rejects China Youth Corps KMT petition – Taipei Times
Regulator NCC suspends ruling on cases due to lack of experts –Taipei Times: ‘The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party have opposed the appointment of NCC candidates nominated by the Executive Yuan and blocked the review of their qualifications.’
Legislative candidate Ma Chih-wei 馬治薇 sentenced for selling intel to Chinese –Taipei Times
Former Taipei city councillor Chen Cheng-chung 陳政忠 (ind.) begins six-year jail term –Taipei Times
Universities close amid diminishing enrolment numbers –Taipei Times
Taiwan to ease work restrictions on foreign students – Focus Taiwan
More than 100 Indians receive Taiwan scholarships –Taipei Times
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