China News - 17 September 2020
International
UK foreign secretary tells diplomats don’t get sucked into China ‘Cold War’. Bloomberg reports the details of an internal FCDO meeting earlier this month, providing an insight into the UK government’s stance on China. “We will need to pitch ourselves very carefully, both directly with China, but also with the U.S.,” Raab told the meeting. He said the UK had a niche as a “great convenor” of like-minded middle-ranking powers that together could “make a difference and shift the dial” - and described just talking about the big players - the US, Europe and China - as “intellectual laziness”. Bloomberg, 15 September
Taiwan calls for global coalition against China's aggression as US official flies in. Taiwan’s foreign minister has called for the international community to help defend his country against an intensifying military threat from China, fearing “a real possibility” of war. China said it will make the “necessary response” to a US official’s Taiwan visit. The Guardian, Reuters, AP, 17 September
US charges five Chinese nationals involved in cyber attacks on more than 100 companies. US federal prosecutors announced charges against five Chinese citizens that officials say appear to be linked to the hacking of over 100 companies in the US and abroad. Two Malaysian businessmen were also arrested. BBC, WSJ, TechCrunch, 16 September
European Commission chief says EU will seek to introduce European Magnitsky Act, condemns human rights violations in Hong Kong and Xinjiang. SCMP, CGTN, 16 September
China-US investment falls to lowest in almost a decade. FT, Bloomberg, Rhodium, 17 September
UK Foreign Affairs Committee launch parliamentary inquiry into Uyghur detention camps in Xinjiang. The Telegraph, Hindustan Times, 17 September
US plans big expansion of navy fleet to challenge growing Chinese sea power. The Guardian, 17 September
US plans $7bn arms deal with Taiwan as China ratchets up military threat. FT, 17 September
New China State Council white paper provides “official” data on Xinjiang “employment” efforts. Xinhua, 17 September
Economy & tech
Beijing unlikely to block ByteDance deal with Oracle, but Trump flags concerns over Chinese company’s majority stake. FT, WSJ, The Guardian, 16 September
China could be prove an obstacle in Arm sale to Nvidia. The Guardian, Global Times, 16 September
Beijing is publicizing its philosophy of how tech firms like TikTok must aid China’s rise. Quartz, 16 September
Longer reads & opinion
Putting money in the Party’s mouth: How China mobilises funding for United Front Work. Jamestown Foundation, 16 September
Report: Towards a "Principles First Approach" in Europe's China Policy. MERICS, 16 September
Is China escalating tensions with Japan in the East China Sea? The Diplomat, 16 September
Erdogan is turning Turkey into a Chinese client state. Foreign Policy, 17 September
Who are the TikTok saga’s biggest winners? The Economist, 16 September
Inquiry into Xinjiang detention camps can help stop such horrors from happening again. Tom Tugendhat MP in The Telegraph, 17 September
Instead of targeting TikTok and WeChat, the US should work on an alternative to China’s digital silk road. Sam Olsen in SCMP, 15 September