China News - 11 June 2021
International
G7 leaders arrive in Cornwall. Leaders are set to announce a pledge to provide 1bn coronavirus vaccine doses to poorer countries as part of a plan to “vaccinate the world” by the end of 2022. The UK will donate more than 100 million doses, while Biden has promised 500 million. FT, 11 June
China has created a dystopian hellscape in Xinjiang, Amnesty report says. In a 160-page report based on interviews with 55 former detainees, Amnesty said there was evidence the Chinese state had committed "at least the following crimes against humanity: imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty in violation of fundamental rules of international law; torture; and persecution." BBC, The Guardian, Amnesty report, 11 June
Japan says ties with Taiwan are only unofficial in wake of Chinese protests over description of it as a country. Beijing protested after Prime Minister Suga made a passing reference to Taiwan, New Zealand and Australia as “three countries” when answering a question about pandemic measures. SCMP, 11 June
Britain will lead global fightback against cyber attackers, says Dominic Raab. The Foreign Secretary declared on Thursday that the UK and the United States would “lead globally” on countering ransomware attacks that paralyse national infrastructure. The Telegraph, 10 June
China rushes through bill tightening ban on abiding by western sanctions. The law was passed in secret by the National People’s Congress standing committee after two readings, rather than the usual three. FT, 11 June
Hungary’s Viktor Orban will support referendum on plan to host Chinese university campus. About 10,000 people marched through Budapest on Saturday to protest the proposed sprawling Fudan University campus in the Hungarian capital, which is planned for completion by 2024. SCMP, 11 June
Biden turns round America’s reputation with allies, Pew poll shows. Faith in the US president to “do the right thing” in world affairs among 12 key allies in Europe and Asia is up from 17 per cent last year to 75 per cent while a “favourable view” of the US has shot up from 34 per cent to 62 per cent. The Times, 11 June
Economy & tech
First pictures of Chinese rover and lander on surface of Mars released. The Telegraph, 11 June
Didi: Chinese ride-hailing giant files to go public in US. BBC, 11 June
New Chinese stealth fighter spotted. A model of the stealth FC-31 Gyrfalcon, which is similar to the US F-35, was spotted positioned on a mock-up of an aircraft carrier at a Chinese test site in Wuhan. The Telegraph, 11 June
Longer reads & opinion
Chaguan: Foreigners rush inside the Great Wall. In private, European bosses concede that they have less and less leverage when trying to persuade China that it is in the country’s self-interest to open up. The Economist, 10 June
Long read: Wuhan lab row threatens US-China co-operation in science. FT, 11 June
The Times view on the G7 summit: Standing Together. The Times, 11 June
Why this G7 summit matters more than most. The Asian tilt of D10 is no accident. The UK sees this as crucial to any effort to contain China. The Spectator, 10 June