China News - 18 June 2021
International
Hongkongers queue to buy Apple Daily copies after editor-in-chief arrested. The paper has a usual circulation of about 80,000, but printed half a million in anticipation of people once against buying it in support after yesterday’s national security law arrests. The arrests were condemned by the EU, UK and US. The Guardian, Reuters, 18 June
Editorial: With your support, we will persevere. Apple Daily, 18 June
Montenegro in ‘final phase’ of talks with Europe to refinance US$809 million debt to China. A European state financial institution is ready to refinance US$809 million of Montenegro’s 2014 debt to China, the country’s finance minister said on Thursday. Finance Minister Milojko Spajic declined to identify the European financial institution due to a non disclosure agreement, but said discussions were “in the final phase”. SCMP, 18 June
China’s Wolf Warrior diplomacy is our justified defence – get used to it, says outspoken diplomat. Lu Shaye, the Chinese envoy to France, said China had shifted its focus from late leader Deng Xiaoping’s mantra of “hide your strength, bide your time” – to a lesser known but more assertive line of “achieve something”. SCMP, 17 June
China sanctions Belgian lawmaker for motion warning of genocide risk against Xinjiang Uyghurs. Beijing responded on Wednesday that it had decided to sanction the member of parliament, Samuel Cogolati, who authored the motion, for “spreading lies and false information” and pushing the proposal. SCMP, 18 June
Has a top Chinese official defected to the US with Wuhan lab secrets? Rumors swirl vice minister of State Security Dong Jingwei fled Beijing in February with information that sparked Biden u-turn on COVID origins. Daily Mail, 18 June
White House considering talks between Joe Biden and Xi Jinping, according to Jake Sullivan. SCMP, 18 June
China ‘regrets’ Japan’s decision to complain to WTO over stainless steel anti-dumping duties. SCMP, 18 June
China focus
Chinese cotton industry launches program to counter Western crackdown on Xinjiang exports. The China Cotton Association (CCA) hopes to launch an independent certification system to rival the Better Cotton Initiative’s monopoly. Global Times, 17 June
China steps up antitrust pressure on internet forms. Agents from government agencies including the antitrust watchdog, the cyber police and tax authorities have paid surprise visits to some companies. WSJ, 17 June
Chinese academic suspended for advocating polygamy, sparking discussion around evolving attitudes. The Guardian, 18 June
Economy & tech
US, EU forge closer ties on emerging technologies to counter Russia and China. Central to the increased coordination will be a new high-level Trade and Technology Council the two sides unveiled on Tuesday, with the aim of boosting innovation and investment and strengthening supply chains. WSJ, 17 June
Chinese brands top Euro 2020 sponsorship. Four Chinese companies — Hisense, Alipay, Vivo and TikTok — are among the 12 sponsors of Euro 2020. Chinese companies are increasingly relying on high-visibility sporting events for global brand-building. Caixin, 17 June
The US and Britain end their aircraft subsidy dispute, mirroring an EU deal. The pact announced on Thursday also said the two nations would work together to “address the challenge posed by nonmarket economies, such as China” in the civil aircraft sector. NYT, 17 June
Longer reads & opinion
China and America are borrowing each other’s weapons. But the B3W plan and China’s new sanctions law may be less effective than they were in the original owner’s hands. The Economist, 18 June
Comment: China isn’t the issue. Big Tech is. Restraining US corporate powers from enriching themselves at the expense of Americans doesn’t weaken the country’s ability to restrain abuses by China or support competitive U.S. companies. NYT, 17 June
Hong Kong’s liberal media are under pressure. Over the past decade, Hong Kong has plummeted from 54th to 80th in the Press Freedom Index. The Economist, 18 June
New China Leadership Monitor Digest, summarising articles from Elizabeth Economy, Yanzhong Huang and Minxin Pei. Summer 2021 digest, 17 June