China News 10 August 2020
International
Hong Kong
Media tycoon Jimmy Lai arrested under new national security law. Hong Kong pro-democracy businessman Jimmy Lai, who also holds UK citizenship, has been arrested over accusations of “collusion with foreign powers”. According to Chinese state media Global Times, six further arrests have been made, including Lai’s two sons and two senior executives of his media company Next Digital. This is the highest profile arrest made so far since the law was introduced in end June. The Guardian, Reuters, Global Times, BBC News, Independent, NY Times, 10 August
Jimmy Lai’s Next Digital Soars 344% After Arrest, Police Raid. Bloomberg, 10 August
Jimmy Lai: the Hong Kong pro-democracy tycoon who is not afraid to take on Beijing. The Guardian, 10 August
What people are saying about the arrest of Hong Kong's Jimmy Lai. Reuters, 10 August
Trump escalates anti-China campaign with Hong Kong sanctions. FT, 9 August
China to impose sanctions on US officials in retaliation for HK measures. FT, 10 August
Raab signs joint statement expressing “deep concern” over security law and postponement of Hong Kong elections. The Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK, as well as the US Secretary of State issued a joint statement on Sunday expressing deep concern over Beijing’s imposition of the new National Security Law as well as the Hong Kong government’s disqualification of candidates and postponement of elections for the Legislative Council. Foreign Office, 9 August
In Post-Brexit Britain, Conservative Lawmakers Start to Focus on China. The China Research Group, a loosely defined caucus of Conservative lawmakers, has emerged in the past six months as a new force in British politics, helping push Britain’s government to take a harder line on China. Wall Street Journal, 9 August
US to send highest level official to Taiwan in 4 decades. Health secretary Alex Azar to visit island as Trump administration toughens approach to Beijing. FT, 5 August
China sends fighter jets as U.S. health chief visits Taiwan. Reuters, 10 August
China-US relations: Beijing lays out bottom lines, ‘has no plans to unseat superpower’. SCMP, 6 August
Ai Weiwei’s ‘History of Bombs’ moves London’s Imperial War Museum back into action. FT, 5 August
Inside a Uyghur’s ‘quarantine’ room: Video shows shackles, filthy conditions and propaganda. The Globe and Mail, 4 August
US sanctions Chinese entity and individuals over ‘human rights abuses’ against Uygurs in Xinjiang, using Global Magnitsky Act. SCMP, 5 August
US military is looking to outgun PLA in Indo-Pacific. SCMP, 9 August
Standoff with China will be long, India warns in pulled statement. Reuters, 6 August
China's new coal projects account for 90% of global total in first half - study. Reuters, 3 August
Chinese military’s first Type 075 amphibious assault ship begins sea trial. SCMP, 6 August
U.S. counterspy chief warns Russia, China, Iran trying to meddle in 2020 election. Reuters, 7 August
Taiwan in talks to make first purchase of sophisticated U.S. drones. Reuters, 6 August
CSIS warns about China’s efforts to recruit Canadian scientists. The Globe and Mail, 6 August
Economy & tech
Chinese hackers have pillaged Taiwan’s semiconductor industry. Ars Technica, 9 August
Huawei to stop making flagship chipsets as U.S. pressure bites, Chinese media say. Reuters, 8 August
Google pulls 2,500 China-linked YouTube channels over disinformation. Reuters, 5 August
The U.S. Has AI Competition All Wrong. Foreign Affairs, 7 August
TikTok owners show true colors with communist flag. Taiwan News, 6 August
China allows first commercial bank to go bankrupt in almost 20 years. FT, 6 August
Can Trump ban TikTok? What the executive order means – explained. The Guardian, 8 August
Opinion & longer reads
Report: Made in Hollywood, Censored by Beijing. PEN America
David Lubin: US-China tensions feed into the geopolitics of monetary policy. FT, 5 August
Brian Wong: Between a rock and a hard place — Hong Kong’s democrats. SupChina, 4 August
Tom Tugendhat: Together we can beat back Beijing. The Australian, 5 August
The great trade unwinding. FT, 9 August
What Now? ChinaFile, 5 August