China News - 17 December 2020
UK government says credible evidence of forced labour in China's Xinjiang region. “Evidence of forced Uighur labour within Xinjiang, and in other parts of China, is credible, it is growing and deeply troubling to the UK government,” Minister for Asia, Nigel Adams told parliament. Adams also said that the government would seek to strengthen the Modern Slavery Act in the new year. Reuters, 17 December
Alibaba facial recognition tech specifically picks out Uyghurs. Alibaba’s website for its cloud computing business showed how clients could use its software to detect the faces of Uighurs and other ethnic minorities within images and videos. The reports follow news last week of Huawei’s “Uyghur alarm”. New York Times, Reuters, IPVM report, 17 December
China puts tanks to the test in a mock street battle for Taiwan. State television outlet CCTV reported on a recent military exercise which showed how the PLA would deploy its battle tanks in street combat in a possible war against Taiwan. The exercise is a typical drill simulating conflict between the PLA and its Taiwanese counterpart, with the mock Taiwanese team appearing to take the geographical advantage only to be hampered by weak firepower and troops. SCMP, 17 December
Germany sets high hurdle for Huawei. A new IT law falls short of a blanket ban on using products made by Huawei in 5G networks, as demanded by the US. But it sets out circumstances under which individual components or entire companies can be banned. Reuters, 17 December
Swedish court allows telecoms regulator to go ahead with Huawei exclusion. Reuters, 17 December
Hong Kong protests: 10 who fled by boat to Taiwan charged with illegal crossing. The group has not been put on trial yet but China’s court system has a conviction rate of about 99%. The Guardian, 17 December
China detains record number of journalists in bleak year for free speech, followed by Turkey. China has jailed more journalists than any other country this year, including at least four for reporting on the coronavirus outbreak. The Times, 17 December
Australia’s ‘amateurish’ China diplomacy sets business on edge. Opposition politicians and analysts warn Canberra’s approach is hurting the economy. FT, 17 December
US warns Pacific islands about China’s Huawei Marine bid for undersea cable project. Reuters, 17 December
China watch
Chinese spacecraft carrying rocks and soil from the moon returns safely. China has become only the third country to have retrieved samples from the moon. The Guardian, BBC, 17 December
Two provinces ration power as hard winter strains China’s electricity supply. Yicai, 16 December
China's drinkers develop taste for home-grown wines. BBC, 17 December
Economy & tech
UK exports lag behind rivals amid Brexit and Covid uncertainty. In the six months to November, Germany and Italy on a combined basis exported $6bn more to China than in the same period last year: a 9 per cent increase. Chinese imports from the UK fell 18 per cent. FT, 16 December
China reduces items on the negative list for market access, allows foreign companies to explore for and produce oil and gas in China. Reuters, 16 December
China’s online health platforms boom in wake of coronavirus as digital alternatives fill gaps in healthcare coverage. FT, 17 December
A huge increase in China biodegradable plastics production is outpacing the country’s ability to degrade the materials, according to a new report published by the charity Greenpeace. BBC, 17 December
Investment bankers revel in bumper fees from Chinese groups in 2020, with Goldman Sachs the biggest global earner. FT, 17 December
Private chemical producer fails to repay bonds on time but avoids default label as domestic debt troubles continue. Caixin, 17 December
Longer reads & opinion
How a Chinese Communist Party Members List Became a Scare Story. Foreign Policy, 17 December
China’s detention of journalists is a badge of shame. Edward Lucas in The Times, 17 December
Alibaba rival Pinduoduo investing in agritech to support China’s national digitalisation goals. TechCrunch, 16 December
Comment: Thatcher would never have backed sanctions against delinquent China. The Telegraph, 15 December