China News - 16 July 2021
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International
WHO chief says it was ‘premature’ to rule out COVID lab leak. The head of the World Health Organization acknowledged it was premature to rule out a potential link between the COVID-19 pandemic and a laboratory leak, noting his experience as a lab scientist. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for China to be more transparent as scientists search for the origins of the coronavirus. AP, The Guardian, 15 July
British MPs vote for diplomatic boycott of Beijing Olympics. MPs called on the British government to not send any representatives to the Games, including members of the royal family, diplomats and other VIPs. Sydney Morning Herald, 16 July
MPs urge government to block Chinese chips takeover bid. The Newport Wafer Fab case is under a review led by the national security adviser. Politico, 16 July
British MPs fret over China investment in university spin-offs. In the past decade, 79 of 1,547 U.K. university spinoffs have been sold to overseas companies, according to data from Beauhurst. Bloomberg, 15 July
US legislation targeting China and products from Xinjiang clears key congressional committee. The House Foreign Affairs Committee voted on the Eagle Act, omnibus-style legislation. In addition to calling for a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing 2022 Olympics, strengthening US ties with Taiwan, and cracking down on researchers in the US affiliated with the Chinese military, the bill also includes the House version of the Uygur Forced Labour Prevention Act. SCMP, The Guardian, 15 July
China snubs senior US official in worsening diplomatic stand-off. The US halted plans for Wendy Sherman to travel to Tianjin after China refused to agree to a meeting with Le Yucheng, her counterpart. FT, 16 July
China’s carbon market scheme too limited, say analysts. Analysts warned that oversupply, a limited scope and no cap on total emissions meant the scheme was unlikely to assume immediately its intended “central role”. FT, 16 July
Self-censorship hits Hong Kong book fair in wake of national security law. Far fewer politically sensitive titles are on display in the first such event since Beijing imposed sweeping new regulations. The Guardian, 16 July
Chinese Foreign Minister urges US not to dump Afghan ‘burden’ on neighbouring countries. SCMP, 15 July
Hong Kong national security police raid university student union as part of investigation into stabbed officer motion. SCMP, 16 July
China focus
Entire whisky distillery ships out to China. More than 35 tonnes of equipment, including stills, flooring, control valves and pipework, is leaving Buckie in Moray for the port of Tianjin. BBC, 16 July
China tunnel flood: Desperate search to find trapped workers. BBC, 16 July
China covid: Counties target unvaccinated students' families. Students will not be allowed back in school in September unless their entire family is fully vaccinated, some local governments in China have said. BBC, 16 July
A human case of bird flu is reported in China. NYT, 15 July
Economy & tech
Alibaba, Tencent, ByteDance and 30 other Big Tech firms sign voluntary antitrust ‘self-discipline’ pledge at event. Tech giants gathered at the China Internet Conference promising to maintain fair competition and prevent abuses of market position. SCMP, 15 July
Didi faces a new cybersecurity probe. China sent state security and police officials to Didi Global Inc.’s DIDI -2.06% ride-hailing business on Friday as a part of a cybersecurity investigation. WSJ, 16 July
In depth: Huawei’s plan to snatch Alibaba’s cloud crown. Huawei is fast growing in the market for third-party cloud services. Caixin, 15 July
Longer reads & opinion
China buys friends with ports and roads. Now the US is trying to compete. The US’ International Development Finance Corp is backed by $60bn. WSJ, 15 July
China Inc’s new inconspicuous expansion. Around the world Chinese companies are, fairly or not, viewed as instruments of the Communist Party. The Economist, 16 July
Let the bullets fly for a while. Lillian Li on changes in China’s regulatory environment for tech firms in Chinese Characteristics, 16 July
The South China Sea Arbitration Award: 5 Years and Beyond. The Diplomat, 15 July
Biden’s new China doctrine. Its protectionism and its us-or-them rhetoric will hurt America and put off allies. The Economist, 16 July