China News - 19 December 2022
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International
China Covid: Health expert predicts three winter waves. Epidemiologist Wu Zunyou has said the current spike in infections would run until mid-January, while the second wave would then be triggered by mass travel around the week-long Lunar New Year celebrations. Dr Wu said that the third surge in cases would run from late February to mid-March as people return to work after the holiday. China today reported its first Covid deaths in weeks, although staff at crematoria said that overall deaths were much higher than normal. BBC, 18 December
What to make of China’s claims about Covid. The Economist, 16 December
China 'a significant threat to the UK on many different levels' and dependency should be curbed, MPs warn. A new report from the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC) claims it is ‘clear’ Britain needs to become more resilient and curb its dependence on the superpower to enable it to respond to aggression or abuses by Beijing. MPs on the FAC said the sustainability of the UK’s approach towards China needed to be addressed when updating the Integrated Review of defence and foreign policy. Sky News, 18 December
Australia’s foreign minister to meet counterpart in China. Penny Wong said she will meet with her counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing this week as Australia and China mark 50 years of diplomatic relations. Her trip signals a continued thaw in the relationship between the two nations since Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese won an election victory in May. AP, 19 December
Cop15 negotiators close to agreeing nature deal as talks draw to end. A potentially transformational agreement for nature is close to being reached at Cop15 in Montreal. After four years of negotiations, the Chinese president of Cop15 put forward its recommendations for a final agreement after two weeks of intense negotiations at the UN biodiversity summit in Canada. The Guardian, 18 December
As regional threats rise, Japan eases defence-only strategy. In a major break from its strictly self-defence-only postwar principle, Japan has adopted a $320 billion national security strategy declaring plans to possess pre-emptive strike capability and cruise missiles to give itself more offensive footing against threats from neighbouring China and North Korea. ABC, 17 December
EU’s trading partners accuse bloc of protectionism over carbon tax plan. The EU’s trading partners have hit out at the bloc’s plan to introduce the world’s first carbon border tax, saying it is protectionist and puts export industries at risk. FT, 17 December
US steps into ‘Middle East of renewables era’ – and direct competition with China. Washington has signed a memorandum of understanding with the DRC and Zambia to help develop their electric vehicle battery value chains. SCMP, 18 December
US State Department opens ‘China House’ to coordinate policy toward Beijing. CNN, 16 December
New measures tackling China’s dumping of Aluminium Extrusions to come into force. Gov.uk, 16 December
Economy & tech
Chinese business confidence falls to lowest in almost a decade on Covid. China's business confidence fell to its lowest since January 2013, a survey by World Economics showed, reflecting the impact of surging Covid-19 cases on economic activity with the abrupt lifting of many pandemic control measures. Reuters, 19 December
Apple supplier Foxconn to sell stake in embattled Chinese chip firm Tsinghua Unigroup. Taiwan's government said on Saturday it would fine Foxconn, the world's largest contract electronics maker, for an unauthorised investment in the Chinese chipmaker as it tightens legislation to prevent China from stealing its chip technology. SCMP, 18 December
Taiwan investigates TikTok for suspected illegal operations. Taiwan's government has opened a probe into Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok on suspicion of illegally operating a subsidiary on the island, though the company's owner denied the accusation. Reuters, 19 December
China threatens Volkswagen’s export miracle. The Sunday Telegraph, 18 December
Tech supply chains brace for impact as China shifts from zero-Covid to rampant Covid. The Register, 19 December
Opinion & editorial
Why didn’t China prepare better for Covid chaos? The country’s system excels at mobilising resources to fulfill the leadership’s top priority. But it’s not so good at multi-tasking. Minxin Pei. Bloomberg, 19 December
Despite abandoning zero-Covid, China’s economic challenges are huge. Beijing’s goal of a shift to greener high-tech industry requires a much more efficient financial system. Eswar Prasad. FT, 16 December
The US needs to change the way it does business with China. It is time to adopt an explicit policy of strategic decoupling. Robert E. Lighthizer. NYT, 18 December
Long reads
China’s dangerous decline. Jonathan Tepperman. Foreign Affairs, 19 December
Climate changers. Never has the prospect of geoengineering the global climate seemed so technically feasible — or potentially necessary. Eyck Freeman. The Wire, 18 December
As China opens up, the woman who captured the horrors of Wuhan is still paying the price. The Sunday Times, 18 December
PRC rare earth magnet export value jumps 25% YoY. The Rare Earth Observer, 18 December