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China News - 10 February 2021

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China News - 10 February 2021

Feb 10, 2021
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China News - 10 February 2021

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Event reminder: Join us next week on Tuesday 16 February at 10am for an in-depth discussion on the state of UK-China relations with Professor Rana Mitter. Register here.

International

UK influence: more reports on UK-China research funding ties. After the news that Tencent had paid £700k to rename an Oxford Physics fellowship, there has been a flurry of further reports. The Times reports that Tencent donated to Cambridge in 20109 to fund a new five-year postdoctoral research fellowship in the department of engineering. Jesus College, Cambridge, also has Tencent ties, having hosted the Yidan Prize Conference: Europe three times. The Telegraph reports Tencent signed a three-year partnership with the BBC. The Telegraph, The Times, 10 February

After Wuhan mission on pandemic origins, WHO team dismisses lab leak theory. Speak at a press conference, Dr Embarek from the WHO said it is “extremely unlikely” that the coronavirus leaked from a lab in the Chinese city of Wuhan. The Telegraph, Washington Post, NBC, 9 February

US will not accept World Health Organization findings out of Wuhan without independently verifying, says State Department spokesman. SCMP, 10 February

Government narrowly avoids defeat on trade bill. MPs voted 318-303 in favour of a government compromise to use the House of Commons foreign affairs committee - not the judiciary - to consider evidence of genocide and make non-binding recommendations. The bill will now return to the Lords, where IPAC will look to re-insert the genocide amendment. FT, The Guardian, Bloomberg, Times Red Box, 9 February

17+1 summit: Xi offers Covid-19 vaccines and trade ties in bid to keep Central and Eastern Europe on side. He said China would import US$170 billion worth of goods and double the purchase of agricultural products from the region over the next five years, state news agency Xinhua reported. But leaders from six countries didn’t show up. Politico, SCMP, 9 February

Chinese publisher who spoke up for dissident academic is jailed for three years. Geng Xiaonan pleaded guilty to publishing illegal titles after she made comments backing Beijing critic Xu Zhangrun. The Guardian, 10 February

China poses serious strategic threat to Canada, says Canadian spy agency head. Reuters, 9 February

CGTN highlights PM spokesperson comments that there is still cooperation possibility for UK and China. CGTN, 10 February

BioNTech on track to supply 100 million vaccine doses to China. Caixin, 9 February


China watch

State Council issues policies to support traditional Chinese medicine development. State Council, 9 February

Central Bank warns of risks of surging household debt. A new monetary policy report released on Monday said there is very little room for further expansion of household debt. Caixin, 9 February


Economy & tech

Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei makes first public remarks since inaguration; calls on Biden to lift sanctions. Caixin, 10 February

China’s Mars mission up next to orbit the red planet. The Tianwen-1 mission is scheduled to be the second of three new visitors to Mars this month. New York Times, 10 February


Longer reads & opinion

The Telegraph View: We should not write off the theory that Covid-19 escaped from a laboratory so easily. The Telegraph, 10 February

New geopolitical fears surround 2022 Beijing Olympics. A useful in-depth guide to the background to calls for a boycott. Axios, 9 February

Agenda 2021: A Blueprint for US-Europe-India Cooperation. GMFUS, 8 February

Beijing wins when democracy is extinguished. Burma’s military coup plays into the hands of a Chinese regime intent on expanding its influence. The Telegraph, 10 February

The UK cannot take foreign investment for granted. Investment Monitor, 10 February


Thanks for reading. To get in touch, hit reply or email julia@chinaresearchgroup.org.

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