China News - 20 October 2021
International
Drop Chinese investments, MPs and peers tell parliament’s pension fund. A cross-party group of more than 137 parliamentarians, including 117 MPs, have called on parliament’s pension fund to divest from Chinese companies accused of complicity in gross human rights violations or institutions linked to the Chinese state. The Guardian, The Times, Sky News, 19 October
Government defeat as peers demand action to bolster future telecoms security. The House of Lords supported by 180 votes to 176 a legislative change that would require the Government to provide an annual update on network diversification to strengthen the nation’s telecoms security. The Lords narrowly rejected a move to require prior parliamentary approval of Government regulations directing network suppliers to take specified security measures. Evening Standard, 19 October
COP26: wait for decision on Xi Jinping’s summit appearance, Chinese envoy says. Climate envoy Xie Zhenhua says Beijing is working for the success of the conference and that the foreign ministry has yet to make an announcement on whether Xi will be in Glasgow. SCMP, 19 October
EU reiterates support for Lithuania in row with China over Taiwan. As the European Parliament debated its first position paper exclusively on Taiwan, European Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager vowed to push back against China’s “attempts to intimidate” Lithuania and other member states. SCMP, 20 October
Piraeus port deal intensifies Greece’s unease over China links. Beijing cements control of key EU infrastructure but locals say they have not seen the investment they expected. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is set to visit Athens days before the G20 summit in Rome, Greek media reported. FT, 19 October
AUKUS spurs French strategic review with tilt toward Japan, India. Nikkei Asia, 19 October
At least 13 phone firms hit by suspected Chinese hackers since 2019, say experts. The Guardian, 19 October
US must put new limits on Chinese drone maker DJI, says Federal Communications Commission member. SCMP, Reuters, 19 October
UK surpasses China as top buyer of expensive Australian wine. Al Jazeera, 19 October
'Polar Silk Road' features in 2021 Arctic Circle Assembly. CGTN, 18 October
Economy & tech
China’s property and construction sectors contract in third quarter as officials stay silent on Evergrande crisis and tougher regulation hit home. Real estate and construction industries’ output shrank 1.6% and 1.8% respectively in the third quarter for the first time since the pandemic. The crisis could deepen further if Evergrande fails to meet a deadline of Saturday night to stump up a $83.5m bond interest payment, triggering an official default. SCMP, NYT, The Guardian, 20 October
Push back against Chinese conglomerate’s restructuring plan, including a property-tax. FT, Reuters, Bloomberg, WSJ, 19 October
China’s Xi vows tighter oversight of tech firms, digital economy. Xi ordered better regulation of the country’s technology sector, and called for greater integration of traditional industries and the digital economy, underscoring the intense scrutiny and upheaval faced by Chinese internet giants following their rapid growth. Bloomberg, CGTN, Xinhua, Caixin, 19 October
China presses McDonald’s to expand e-currency system before Olympics. According to people familiar with the matter, Beijing has told McDonald’s to expand a digital renminbi payments system at restaurants across the country as it prepares to launch the world’s first major e-currency. FT, 20 October
Beijing weighs coal market intervention, triggering plunge in prices. Caixin, Bloomberg, Reuters, 20 October
China opens VPN services to foreign investment in Beijing. SCMP, Caixin, 19 October
Jack Ma makes first trip outside China since running afoul of Beijing. FT, 20 October
China focus
Further CCP personnel reshuffling as 20th Party Congress edges closer. Seven new provincial-level party secretaries were appointed in a move seen as a further consolidation of power by Xi Jinping. A full breakdown can be found via this Twitter thread:
As 5 Hong Kong ex-students sentenced to nearly 5 years’ jail for rioting, court rulings free Hong Kong police to probe older offences. HKFP, The Standard, The Japan Times, Reuters, 19 October
China test fires ‘world’s largest, most hi-tech solid-fuel rocket engine’. SCMP, 19 October
Experts bowled over as British Museum dish thought to be worth £5,000 is revealed to be £15m Chinese artefact. The Telegraph, 20 October
Opinions & editorial
America’s political and business elites no longer agree on China. Janah Ganesh. FT, 19 October
Alibaba: new chip could end up costing an Arm and a leg. FT, 19 October
Why President Xi dare not turn his back on King Coal. Roger Boyes. The Times, 19 October
Russia-China alliance of autocrats makes sense. For now. Hal Brands. Bloomberg, 19 October
China’s bullying is becoming a danger to the world and itself. Thomas L. Friedman. NYT, 20 October
Longer reads
Course correction: China’s shifting approach to economic globalization. Beijing is tightening control over international exchanges as cross border flows come under greater scrutiny. MERICS, 19 October
The architecture of repression. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute investigates how China’s campaign against the Uyghurs has been implemented and which offices and individuals have played a leading part. ASPI, 19 October
The Inevitable Rivalry: America, China, and the tragedy of Great Power politics. John J. Mearsheimer. Foreign Affairs, 19 October
Can COP kickstart US-China climate action? Katrina Northrop. The Wire, 17 October
Is US foreign policy too hostile to China? Foreign Affairs, 19 October
Why AUKUS alarms ASEAN. William Choong and Sharon Seah. Foreign Policy, 19 October
Move over McGregor, China’s revving up on MMA. China is now a formidable force in what has become one of the world’s fastest-growing sports — mixed martial arts. Jesse Pottinger. RadiiChina, 19 October