China News - 13 October 2021

International

Britain to invest £1bn in African ports as part of Western response to China. CDC Group, the Foreign Office's investment arm, will partner with the UAE’s DP World to underwrite a £1.25 billion plan to expand three ports in Egypt, Senegal and Somaliland, in what a government source described as a direct challenge to "malign actors" in Africa. Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary, said the projects would provide "reliable and honest investment in developing countries" and opportunities for British business. The Telegraph, 12 October

China says over 100 nations adopt 'Kunming Declaration' to boost biodiversity. Today at the COP15 leaders’ summit in Kunming, China said representatives from more than 100 countries have adopted the "Kunming Declaration" which calls for "urgent and integrated action" in creating a new global biodiversity pact. President Xi, speaking yesterday to the summit, pledged 1.5 billion yuan (US$233 million) to establish a fund to protect biodiversity in developing countries. Reuters, RTHK, CGTN, 12 October

Mixed signals: China pledges solar farms and national parks to hit climate goals, but also plans more coal-fired plants. Xi also announced that the construction of 100 gigawatts of new wind and solar power projects was already underway. However, there are simultaneously plans for more coal-fired power plants and a rethink of China’s timetable to slash emissions, a significant blow to the UK’s ambitions for securing a global agreement on phasing out coal at COP26. The Times, The Guardian, 12 October

Almost half of Hong Kong’s BN(O) migrants are still unemployed, struggle with language and workplace culture differences. A new study finds only 18.5 per cent who moved to Britain under visa scheme had found full-time work for an employer as at end of August. SCMP, 12 October

Prince Charles invited to speak to ten of China’s most important business leaders. President Xi invited Prince Charles to speak to ten of China’s most important business leaders through the Prince’s Sustainable Markets Initiative. Daily Mail, 12 October

Taiwan asks Australia to support its bid to join CPTPP trade pact. Closer engagement with Taiwan makes sense after Beijing’s boycotts of Australian products, Taipei’s de facto ambassador tells Canberra parliament committee. SCMP, Reuters, 12 October

China reports progress on US disputes before Biden-Xi summit. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng said in an interview with state broadcaster CGTN that the group had already “made some progress,” without specifying details. Bloomberg, 12 October

China ‘overly optimistic’ on relations with US, Beijing adviser says. SCMP, 12 October

WHO will announce new team to study Coronavirus origins. NYT, 12 October

Harvard moves Chinese language programme from Beijing to Taipei. SCMP, 12 October

Economy & tech

Beijing to liberalise electricity pricing as coal price hits fresh high. China’s top economic planning agency said on Tuesday it would liberalise pricing in the state-controlled power market to help resolve the electricity crisis as coal prices rose by 10%. Premier Li Keqiang called for an “orderly” nationwide move towards carbon reduction, while chastising local provincial governments for cutting off power in a “one-size-fits-all” approach.  SCMP, RTHK, Reuters, BBC, SCMP, 12 October

'Made in China' chip drive falls far short of 70% self-sufficiency. The Chinese government's goal of meeting 70% of its semiconductor needs through domestic supply remains a long way off, private-sector research shows, with an estimated self-sufficiency rate of 16% last year despite an all-out government push to boost production. NikkeiAsia, 13 October

IMF: China has ability to address Evergrande situation but risks remain and growth likely to slow. Reuters, CGTN, 12 October

A Sino-Australian success story at risk of ending. Iron ore exports to China have soared despite political tensions but that boom looks set to stutter. FT, 12 October

China focus

China readies plan to elevate status of antitrust unit - sources. Urged on by President Xi Jinping, the once low-profile State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has made headlines this year. Reuters, 13 October

China ramps up support for college students in start-ups and innovation. A State Council guideline called for more efforts to enhance college students’ capability in innovation and entrepreneurship by improving relevant education systems in colleges and universities, enhancing teacher's ability, and strengthening training for students. PRC State Council, 12 October

China’s Haidou 1 reaches new depths exploring the Pacific Ocean floor. SCMP, 12 October

Reluctance to marry threatens further trouble for Chinese birth rate. Didi Tang. The Times, 12 October

All Hong Kong schools must display Chinese national flag, hold weekly flag-raising ceremonies from next year. HKFP, 12 October

Opinion & editorial

As Taiwan tensions grow, US and China seek right decibel. Shaun Tandon. HKFP, 12 October

The acute dangers of a conflict over Taiwan. The Editorial Board. FT, 12 October

Why is Taiwan a focal point in US-China tensions? Josh Chin. WSJ, 12 October

Xi is using Taiwan to distract from struggles at home – just like Putin did with Crimea. Sophia Yan. The Telegraph, 12 October

China’s bellicose behaviour is the driver of tensions in Asian waters. South-east Asia has become the world’s busiest staging ground for military rivalry between Beijing and liberal democracies. Kathrin Hille. FT, 12 October

Longer reads

Xi gambles on economic tumult to cement his legacy. Analysts and government advisers expect Xi to take advantage of what he has termed a “window of opportunity” to press ahead with difficult structural reforms. FT, 13 October

The London kidnapping that changed China. Sun Yat-sen arrived an obscure revolutionary figure, but by the time he left London in 1897, the ideas that helped create modern Asia were formed. Bill Hayton. The New Statesman, 12 October

LinkedIn's unanswered questions about China censorship. After blocking the profiles of several US journalists from its China-based website, LinkedIn has repeatedly avoided answering key questions about the censorship. Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian. Axios, 12 October

Reckoning with cyberpolicy contradictions in great power politics. The recent inaugural meeting of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council points to the difficulty of defining the proper scope of state power to access and exploit data - one of the defining governance challenges of our time. Brookings, 12 October

JPMorgan’s deal with Alipay carries security risk. Chinese mobile payment apps are a national security threat - but Western financial firms are misguidedly rushing to embrace them. Elisabeth Braw. Foreign Policy, 12 October

Fishing has ‘hooked’ China’s youth, reconnecting them with nature. Siyuan Meng. Radii China, 12 October