China News - 13 December 2022
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International
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly sets out plans for Global Britain. The UK Foreign Secretary delivered a major speech yesterday morning, arguing that British diplomacy needed to move beyond long-established alliances and that the country’s policies have not “caught up” with the way the geopolitical centre of gravity was moving south and east. “When powerful states like China reject defensive alliances as ‘bloc politics’, they either misunderstand the desire of every nation to live in peace, without fear of aggression,” Cleverly said. Gov.uk, Beijing to Britain, 12 December
China’s rapid Covid reversal sparks whiplash as cases surge. Despite pleas from state media and health experts for people to self medicate and recover at home, many citizens are flocking to hospitals. Some facilities are struggling to find enough staff and others are suspending non-Covid treatments as health-care workers say they’re scrambling to meet demand for care. Bloomberg, 12 December
The Chinese authorities deactivated the national health tracker app on Monday, with China’s four telecoms firms promising they would delete users’ data associated with the app:
India and China troops clash on Arunachal Pradesh mountain border. India says its forces have clashed with Chinese troops in a disputed area along the border - both sides were involved with at least 20 Indian soldiers sufferinginjuries. The nations had been working to de-escalate tensions since a major clash in the Galwan Valley killed at least 24 troops in 2020. BBC, 13 December
Japan to join US effort to tighten chip exports to China. Japan and the Netherlands have agreed in principle to join the US in tightening controls over the export of advanced chipmaking machinery to China, according to people familiar with the matter. The two countries are likely to announce in the coming weeks that they’ll adopt at least some of the sweeping measures the US rolled out in October. Bloomberg, 12 December
China pushes back on US chip sanctions with WTO case. Caixin, 13 December
China readying $143 billion package for its chip firms in bid to compete with US. Reuters, 13 December
Chinese tech firms Hikvision and Dahua can see UK business crime data. Chinese-owned technology companies are being given privileged access to UK business crime data including hotspot trends and research, leading to concerns from privacy groups. Alicia Kearns, chairwoman of the China Research Group, voiced concern over threats to “global security and freedom”. The Times, 13 December
Hong Kong pressures Google to remove protest anthem from searches. Google has refused to change its search results to display China’s national anthem, rather than a protest song, when users search for Hong Kong’s national anthem. The city’s security chief has expressed “great regret” at the decision. The Guardian, 12 December
US falls behind China in exploiting open-source intelligence. The Times, 12 December
National security trial for Jimmy Lai postponed to September. Reuters, 13 December
Economy & tech
China’s Li Qiang makes speech for the State Council. In the clearest sign so far of a future role as premier, Li Qiang, Chinese President Xi Jinping’s right-hand man, has made his first public appearance representing the State Council, pledging support for the country’s private sector. SCMP, 12 December
UK ‘foreign influence’ register criticised by City group. New UK government proposals for a US-style register of “foreign influence” risks destroying Britain’s reputation as a global investment hub and will unnecessarily criminalise bank workers, academics and charities, a lobby group has warned. FT, 12 December
China November new bank loans rise more slowly than expected. Reuters, 12 December
Long reads & opinion
Mourning becomes China. Commemorations of the dearly departed are a licensed form of popular feeling that can make them dangerous moments for the authorities. Jeffrey Wasserstrom. The Atlantic, 12 December
Xi Jinping and China’s censorship trap. Xi may never have heard calls for him to resign. Ge Chen. The Diplomat, 13 December
In China’s diaspora, visions of a different homeland. Yangyang Cheng. ChinaFile, 12 December
How China is helping Middle East economies pivot away from Gulf oil. Wang Huiyao. SCMP, 13 December