China News - 2 October 2020
International
New GCHQ oversight report: Out of date Huawei kit posed “national” risk to UK telecoms security. A new oversight report released yesterday by GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre said that Huawei failed to adequately tackle security flaws in equipment used in the UK’s telecoms networks. The report also refers to a vulnerability of “national significance”. The NCSC stressed its belief that the vulnerabilities were the result of poor engineering rather than Chinese state interference. FT, Sky, BBC, 1 October
National Day in Hong Kong: heavy police presence sees 69 arrested at pro-democracy rallies. 1 October saw one of the territory’s first attempts at co-ordinated protests since the imposition of the new security law, met by 6,000 police officers. Journalists faced restrictions on reporting after the police stopped recognising press cards issued by the Hong Kong Journalists Association. The Guardian, FT, 1 October
Chinese UN Mission release rebuttal to British remarks at UNHRC. The Chinese UN Mission spokesperson Liu Yuyin released a statement after Lord Ahmad raised concerns over China’s human rights violations at the UN last week. Liu denied Hong Kong and Xinjiang are “human rights issues” - and attacked the UK for “arrogance” given its “human rights abuses” over the right to life during COVID-19 and rising racial discrimination. UN, Lord Ahmad’s Remarks, 25 September
China confirms death of Uighur man whose family says was held in Xinjiang camps. The Guardian, 2 October
Beijing urges swift British response to Hong Kong pro-democracy protests outside China’s London embassy, including flag burning. SCMP, 2 October
Families plead for ‘Hong Kong12’ activists accused of trying to flee by speedboat. The Guardian, 1 October
US includes Hongkongers among refugees whose applications will be prioritised. SCMP, 1 October
US makes fresh pitch to Latin America in bid to counter China's influence with Growth in the Americas programme, expected to antagonise Beijing. The Guardian, 1 October
China watch:
China celebrates National Day and Golden Week, with an estimated 550m travelling domestically. Xinhua, BBC, 1 October
Xi raises 4 proposals to advance women’s interests at World Conference on Women in Bejing. Xinhua, 1 October
Comment: The future of US-China relations. Fu Ying (formerly Chinese ambassador to the UK, now Chair of China’s NPC Foreign Affairs Committee) in China US Focus, 30 September
Economy & tech
Donald Trump to expand rare earths mining, citing China threat. SCMP, 1 October
Longer reads & opinion
UK-China Relations: from gold to dust. The Diplomat, 2 October
America’s bleeding democratic image: The US brand is in measurable freefall, much to China’s delight. Edward Luce in FT, 1 October
US probes of Chinese researchers draw more organised opposition in response to rising anti-China sentiment. WSJ, 2 October
In US-China tech feud, Taiwan feels heat from both sides with its chip industry under pressure. NYT, 1 October
Taiwan analysis: China’s sabre-rattling over Taiwan rises as US tensions grow. FT, 30 September
Rwanda's clothing spat with the US helps China as Rwanda seeks to build on nascent clothing industry. BBC, 1 October