China News - 2 December 2020
Hong Kong: Joshua Wong and fellow pro-democracy activists jailed. Hong Kong democracy activists Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow and Ivan Lam have been sentenced to jail for their involvement in mass protests last year. The trio had been found guilty of unlawful assembly - but as their offences took place before the national security law's enactment, the activists have avoided a potential life sentence. Wong has received a sentence of 13.5 months in jail, while Chow and Lam will be imprisoned for 10 and seven months respectively. BBC, The Telegraph, 2 December
Australia-China dispute: UK and US lock in behind Australia in China row. The British government has vowed to stand with Australia to “protect our key interests and values” and push back at “disinformation” amid a deepening rift in Canberra’s relationship with Beijing. The Guardian, 2 December
Democracy wine: politicians worldwide pledge to drink Australian wine in stand against China. The Guardian, 2 December
Biden says will not kill Phase 1 trade deal with China immediately, nor take immediate steps to remove tariffs on Chinese exports. He first wants to conduct a full review of the existing agreement with China and consult with our traditional allies in Asia and Europe, he said, “so we can develop a coherent strategy.” NYT interview, Reuters, CNBC, 2 December
Uyghurs: Daily Mail gave NHS masks linked to Chinese Uighur factory. 100,000 masks from Medwell were donated to the NHS. But Medwell's factory, in the town of Fenglin, in Jiangxi province, eastern China, was identified by the New York Times in July as using suspected forced labour from the country's Uighur minority. According to the NYT, Uighur Muslims make up 25% of the workforce at the factory. BBC, 2 December
U.S. accuses China of 'flagrant' N.Korea violations, offers $5 million reward. Reuters, 1 December
China and Pakistan sign military deal amid tensions with India, as PLA official calls for higher level ties. The Hindu, 2 December
155 MPs write to Carrie Lam, asking her to advocate for better rights for the 'Hong Kong 12'.The Telegraph, 2 December
China: Horse head looted 160 years ago returns to Beijing's Old Summer Palace. BBC, 2 December
China watch
Xi stresses need for China needs to strengthen intellectual property rights and manage IP transfer. Xinhua, Bloomberg, 2 December
China #MeToo: Court to hear landmark case of intern versus TV star. BBC, 2 December
Economy & tech
China successfully lands spacecraft on moon's surface. The mission makes China only the third country to have retrieved lunar samples, following the United States and the Soviet Union. The Telegraph, BBC, 1 December
HSBC’s Hong Kong investors find redemption in 51% rally. Europe’s biggest lender is up 51% in Hong Kong since touching its 25-year low in September, and is the best-performing stock on the Hang Seng Index this quarter. Bloomberg, 2 December
China tightens rules on waste imports for recycling from around the world, set to halt all solid waste imports next month. The Times, 2 December
China's Xiaomi aims past Apple and Huawei with 2021 orders. Smartphone maker raises $3bn as it plans to produce 240m devices. Nikkei Asia, 2 December
Huawei's 5G deal with Indonesia spearheads Southeast Asia push. Nikkei Asia, 2 December
Longer reads & opinion
US can’t afford to let China win new space race. Roger Boyes in The Times, 2 December
Comment: There can be no ‘new chapter’ with China while Hong Kong’s freedoms are trampled. City AM, 2 November
Climate change: Biden and China could put Paris Agreement back on track. The Times, 2 December
The not-so-niche food delivery player to watch: UK-based food delivery startup for Chinese speaking customers raises $70m. Sifted, 1 December
New China-led environmental coalition calls for greener Belt and Road Initiative. Sixth Tone, 1 December
Could China replace Australian iron ore with metal from Africa? Amid rising trade tensions, Chinese interests are keen to develop a high-quality deposit in Guinea. Analysts warn any restrictions on Australian sales to China would ‘send shockwaves through the market’. The Guardian, 2 November.