China News - 1 November 2022
International
China, Vietnam chart course for bilateral ties during talks between Xi, Trong. China will build a stable supply chain with its “comrade and brother” Vietnam, President Xi Jinping told Vietnamese Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong on Monday. Trong – the first foreign leader to visit China since Xi secured a third term – said Vietnam would not allow any overseas military base to be established in the country, nor would it join forces with any country against another. CGTN, The Diplomat, 31 October
China's Xi Jinping congratulates Lula on Brazil election win. Lula, previously a two-term president, led Brazil into the first BRICS grouping in 2009 and last year praised China and its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Relations between China and Brazil worsened under right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro, who has not conceded the election yet. Reuters, 31 October
Concerns mount over German Chancellor Scholz's upcoming trip to China. Scholz will urge Beijing to open up its market and raise human rights concerns while in China with a group of business leaders, including the chief executives of Volkswagen and BASF. But 84% of Germans would like the country to reduce economic ties with China, according to a recent poll by German public service broadcaster ZDF. Axios, 1 November
UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on continuing to hold China to account at the UN over human rights abuses in Xinjiang:
China to kick off ‘World Internet Conference’ with Beijing set to promote its vision of internet governance. This year’s event, known as the Wuzhen Summit, will be used to push Beijing’s vision of internet governance and to promote a ‘new order for global cyberspace’. SCMP, 31 October
UK and Japan strengthen cooperation in the area of digital government. Cooperation will also focus on sharing best practices in training and building technical capabilities across government departments and agencies, and delivering greater efficiencies in government procurement and spending. Gov.uk, 31 October
UK minister criticised over ‘crass and archaic’ trope about Chinese people. The Guardian, 31 October
Economy & tech
Global bankers fly into Hong Kong amid growing US-China tensions. Capital, talent and location, coupled with enhanced policy support, make the city fertile ground for a vibrant ecosystem, top executives have said in the run-up to the monetary authority’s global financial summit. Their attendance has received criticism from lawmakers in the US. Bloomberg, 31 October
BritishVolt on the brink as £100m of government funding yet to materialise. The company behind a planned battery gigafactory to help power the UK's electric car future is on the brink of collapse, a source has told Sky News. Britishvolt intends to manufacture power cells for 300,000 electric vehicle battery packs a year at the planned factory. Sky News, 31 October
China's companies rewrite rules to declare Communist Party ties. More mainland-listed companies acknowledge 'Xi thought' in corporate constitutions. Nikkei Asia, 31 October
China’s property slump continues as October prices fall. Al Jazeera, 1 November
China iPhone factory quadruples bonuses to workers amid anger over Covid curbs. The Guardian, 1 November
China focus
Shanghai Disney: Visitors unable to leave without negative Covid test as park shuts. Visitors were barred from leaving Disneyland until they tested negative for the disease, leaving those who expected long queues for rides waiting in line instead for a PCR test. BBC, 31 October
For young Chinese, even state sector jobs are no longer a safe bet. Sixth Tone, 31 October
China bars celebrities from endorsing products to boost ‘traditional virtues’. FT, 1 November
Long reads & opinion
Germany struggles with its dependency on China. Olaf Scholz’s government promised a tougher approach to Beijing. But Berlin is divided on how far it should try to decouple its economy. Guy Chazan and Yuan Yang. FT, 1 November
In Xi’s China, even internal reports fall prey to censorship. The challenges of getting accurate information to the top of the bureaucracy. Dake Kang. AP, 31 October
As China’s yuan becomes more globally used, which currencies will it surpass by 2030? Erika Na. SCMP, 31 October
China’s economy improves in Q3 but faces mounting risks. MERICS, 31 October