China News - 22 January 2021
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International
Pro-Beijing Hong Kong politicians to be vaccinated before city residents. A group of more than 200 pro-Beijing politicians in Hong Kong is set to be vaccinated against Covid-19 in mainland China, ahead of the rest of the city’s population, in order to attend the Chinese Communist party’s premier political event this year. FT, 22 January
Sweden faces Chinese blowback over Huawei ban. China will "take all necessary measures" in response to Sweden's decision to ban Huawei Technologies from its 5G networks, deepening what is already the worst diplomatic stand-off between Beijing and any EU country. Politico, 21 January
Ericsson’s CEO lobbied Sweden’s trade minister in December to overturn Huawei ban, amid fears that Ericsson would be blocked from China - where it makes 10% of revenues. Bloomberg, 2 January
Hit back at China, US Republicans tell Joe Biden after American officials targeted with sanctions. Beijing’s restrictions on 28 US officials a test of resolve for the new administration, senator Jim Risch says. SCMP, 22 January
China falling short of US trade deal targets. China is falling short of its commitment to buy an extra $200bn (£146bn) worth of US goods over 2020 and 2021. China agreed to buy the goods in a trade deal with the US agreed last January in exchange for reduced tariffs on $120bn worth of goods. BBC, 22 January
Keep your eyes on the big picture, urges China's outgoing ambassador to the UK in farewell speech. Under Liu Xiaoming, the UK was the first Western country to join the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank and the first to appoint a special envoy to the BRI. CGTN, Global Times, Speech Readout, 21 January
UK-China partnerships:
Scottish schools team up with China to learn Mandarin, facilitated by the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools. Glasgow Times, 22 January
Natural History Museum livestream partnership with Alibaba platform reaches new Chinese audiences. 100,000 Chinese viewers joined the livestream within the first minute. Museums and Heritage, 22 January
China vaccine maker CanSino to offer Pakistan preferential access to 20 million doses. Bloomberg, 22 January
China watch
China's top legislature starts standing committee session. Electoral reforms to Hong Kong have been widely discussed in advance by Hong Kong delegates to the NPC. Xinhua, 21 January
New strain of African swine fever identified in Chinese big farms strains point to unlicensed vaccines. Two years ago, swine fever wiped our half of China’s 400 million head pig herd. Reuters, 22 January
China mine rescue: Survivors to remain trapped at least two more weeks. BBC, 22 January
Beijing launches mass virus tests as China's daily tally drops slightly. Reuters, 22 January
Economy & tech
Chinese lead the race to buy Arcadia: Online giant Shein puts in top offer for Sir Philip Green's fallen retail empire. The Times, This is Money, 22 January
China's BYD raises $4bn war chest to combat Tesla. Nikkei, 22 January
Longer reads & opinion
Must-read - Europe’s China deal: How not to work with the Biden administration. Andrew Small in ECFR, 21 January
Challenger to the throne: A Biden China doctrine emerges. Politico China Watcher, 22 January
Generation Xi: Young Chinese are both patriotic and socially progressive. That mix is already changing their country, says Stephanie Studer. The jiulinghou are China’s best-educated cohort yet. The Economist, 22 January
This Chinese Lab Is Aiming for Big AI Breakthroughs. Wired, 22 January
The right answer to Xi Jinping is a one-China policy. The more useful starting point is consistency. FT, 21 January
Comment: Biden hopes to forge a grand Western alliance to stand up to China. Don't count on it. The Telegraph, 22 January
The right condemns China over its Uighur abuses. The left must do so too. Owen Jones in The Guardian, 22 January
Wuhan lockdown: A year of China's fight against the Covid pandemic. The state-backed documentary Days and Nights in Wuhan is also set to be released. SCMP, BBC, 22 January