China News - 10 June 2021
Johnson and Biden set to focus on China in new UK-US accord. Boris Johnson and Joe Biden will on Thursday sign a 21st century “Atlantic charter”, committing Britain and the US to working together to tackle global challenges. The 2021 document will outline eight broad areas of co-operation, including defending democracy, reaffirming the importance of collective security, building a fair trading system and dealing with cyber attacks. FT, 10 June
Government ‘dragging feet’ on China forced labour. MPs on the BEIS Select Committee have criticised the government for refusing to commit to "clear timeframes and substantive actions" against UK companies linked to the use of forced labour in China's Xinjiang region. The committee said ministers had rejected most of the recommendations it had made to improve oversight in an earlier report. BBC, Link to BEIS report, 10 June
China passes anti-sanctions law, providing means to counter foreign measures. State media said the move was intended to provide a legal framework for China to respond to sanctions, although few details about the law have been published. SCMP, 10 June
China accused of seizing Uyghurs who fled abroad. Thousands of Uyghurs fleeing atrocities in China have been forcibly returned in a campaign of abductions waged by Chinese agents, the International Criminal Court will be told today. The Times, 10 June
UK has 'no alternative' to deepening economic ties with China, says minister. Graham Stuart, who is Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for International Trade, told a House of Lords committee yesterday that “China offers more opportunity to the UK economy than any other market”. City AM, 9 June
US, China hold third trade talk in 2 weeks with ‘candid, pragmatic exchange of views’. SCMP, 10 June
Hong Kong teachers urge public broadcaster RTHK to restore deleted shows for use in classroom. HKFP, 10 June
China conducts amphibious landing exercises in Taiwan Strait. The Times, 10 June
Leading biologist dampens his ‘smoking gun’ Covid lab leak theory, saying he overstated the case and origins are still unknown. The Guardian, 10 June
G7 coverage
Joe Biden rallies allies to take tougher stance on China. FT, 10 June
G7 leaders in the UK: what are their agendas? The Guardian, 10 June
G7 leaders will call for fresh WHO inquiry into Covid origins, leaked communique suggests. The Guardian, 10 June
Boris Johnson: G7 Summit is a chance to show the world our values. Gov, 10 June
The Making of a G7 Summit. Rhodium Group, 10 June
Economy & tech
Biden drops Trump's TikTok and WeChat ban. The Telegraph, BBC, 9 June
Shares in group linked to China’s Three Gorges Dam surge 44% on debut. FT, 10 June
Longer reads & opinion
The Fight Over Fudan: A Chinese university in Budapest sparks reckoning for Sino-Hungarian relations. The price tag more than Hungary spends on the annual operation of its over two dozen state-run public universities combined, and Orban has agreed that the construction only be carried out as a ”Chinese only project”. China Observers, 10 June
How China went from celebrating ethnic diversity to suppressing it. The Guardian, 10 June
Podcast: Can Asian prosperity survive US-China rivalry? Rachman Review with James Crabtree, 10 June