China News 11 May 2020
International
Leaked Belgian intelligence reports reveal commercial and military spying by China in Brussels. Leaked intelligence reports covering the period 2010-16 reveal that Chinese agents targeted Belgian biological warfare and vaccine experts and also GlaxoSmithKline. EUObserver, 6 May
Hong Kong crackdown: 200 arrested, journalists pepper-sprayed, legislator pinned down by riot police. Over 200 people were arrested as protests build up towards the 1 July anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong. "Some journalists who were sprayed by pepper spray were not allowed to receive immediate treatment, and they were requested to stop filming" said the Hong Kong Journalists Association. Democratic Party legislator Roy Kwong was arrested, pinned to ground by riot police and suffered an injured neck. RTHK & SCMP, 10 May & Reuters 11 May
FT: US and China: edging towards a new type of cold war? The FT looks at deteriorating relations. Chen Zhiwu, a professor at the University of Hong Kong, says China’s return towards communist orthodoxies since Xi Jinping became President in 2013 has had a crucial impact. “Between 1978 and 2012, the Communist party put aside its communist roots and focused on developing economic strength. Once China succeeded economically, the CCP went back to refocus on its original intentions.” FT, 9 May
More on US-China relations:
COVID-19 Is Finishing Off the Sino-American Relationship. Minxin Pei, Project Syndicate, 29 April
China and US disagreement over WHO delays UN Resolution. CNN, 9 May, The Telegraph, 6 May
“U.S. Hits Back at China With New Visa Restrictions on Journalists”. New York Times, 9 May
Senate to vote soon on Rubio bill introducing China sanctions over Uighurs. Reuters, 7 May
Juliet Samuel: Beijing is doing its best to muzzle its brilliant scientists. In the Telegraph Samuel writes about the muzzling of various whistleblowers including Dr Ai Fen, nurses Yingchun Zeng and Yan Zhen and Dr Li Wenliang. She notes that “Chinese authorities issued a directive requiring all studies on the virus, especially relating to its origins, to be vetted by political authorities before being submitted to scientific journals. Unsurprisingly, the effect on free inquiry is chilling.” She argues that there is no evidence for conspiracy theories about the origin of the virus, but notes that, “China's regime does not love science. It cannot, because it is threatened by science's very lifeblood: the pursuit of truth.” Daily Telegraph, 9 May & Key Excerpts
Jeremy Hunt: “The single biggest thing that went wrong in the global coronavirus crisis was the cover-up in China”. Times, 9 May
Chris Patten: Communist party, not Chinese people, to blame over coronavirus. Daily Mail, 9 May
F.B.I. to warn China’s most skilled hackers working to steal US coronavirus research. New York Times, 10 May
Chinese official admits flaws in pandemic response. BBC, 9 May
New coronavirus outbreaks spark unease in China. Guardian, 11 May
“China grabs families of those who flee abroad.” The Times reports on how the Chinese government uses exit bans to hold foreign nationals as political or emotional bargaining chips. Times, 11 May
Soldiers hurt in India-China border clash.The Hindu, 10 May. BBC, 10 May
“China tries to calm ‘nationalist fever’ as calls for invasion of Taiwan grow” SCMP, 10 May
Germany urged to confront Chinese government over human rights at September summit. Deutsche Welle, 11 May
Economy / tech
The Chinese Challenge - David P. Goldman looks at how the Chinese government’s industrial policies are establishing a dominant position in the industries of the future. Claremont Review, Spring 2020
Japan tightens controls on foreign investment. Overseas investors now need to submit prior notification of stock purchases to the government if they plan to buy 1% or more of Japanese companies in 12 sectors – oil, railways, utilities, arms, space, nuclear power, aviation, telecoms and cybersecurity. The Ministry of Finance on Friday released a list of 518 companies in the 12 sectors deemed important to Japan’s national security. Regulation Asia, 10 May
Czech ministry of the interior wants to ban Huawei. Lupa.cz, 10 May
Morrison “extremely disappointed” if China’s plan to impose tariffs connected to diplomatic dispute. Guardian, 11 May
Chinese investment in US drops to lowest level since 2009. Rhodium, 11 May
Long Reads
Report with case studies on “Belt and Road” and its effects on various countries. FDD
CSIS Podcast on Military-Civil fusion. CSIS
Underground indie film-makers in China are using viral methods to beat censorship. Sixth Tone, 6 May
“The Silent Conquest. How China Undermines Western Democracies and Reorganizes the World”. New book by Clive Hamilton and Mareike Ohlberg, out in Germany now and in English in June. Sueddeutsche Zeitung, 10 May
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