Next event: Next Tuesday 27 April at 10am - The view from Beijing with James Kynge, the FT’s Global China Editor, in conversation with Tom Tugendhat MP. Register here.
China and Russia plotting to seize control of technology, says GCHQ. Britain is facing a “moment of reckoning” over the cyberthreat posed by China and Russia and must adapt in the same way that animals do, the head of GCHQ has warned. Jeremy Fleming will use a rare speech at Imperial College to outline the “systemic challenges” the UK faces from states including China and Russia. The Times, FT, 23 April
UK MPs declare China's treatment of Uyghurs is genocide. The non-binding motion passed on Thursday, put forward by Nus Ghani MP, does not compel the government to act. The UK government’s position is that determining genocide is for “competent national and international courts”. In response, Beijing’s embassy in the UK accused the MPs of having “cooked up” the motion “with a view to discrediting and attacking China”. BBC, The Guardian, CNN, 22 April
China vows response to Australia’s cancellation of Belt and Road deals. Separately, new research by the Commonwealth Bank found that Chinese trade tensions cost $5.5bn in lost exports, with the majority of the shortfall from lower-priced coal exports. SCMP, The Australian, 23 April
Fudan University’s planned Budapest campus runs into local opposition. Leaked documents suggest project would cost US$1.3 billion debt. SCMP, 23 April
Anti-Asian hate bill passes by 94-1 in US Senate. The Times, 23 April
China watch
CPC issues new rules on work of primary-level organizations in universities. Tweet thread by Patricia Thornton, 23 April
China to pour more foreign exchange reserves into green finance. Caixin, 21 April
Economy & tech
China’s central bank fights Jack Ma’s Ant Group over control of data. The PBOC wants Ant to turn over its data to a state-controlled credit scoring company that would be run by former executives of the central bank, according to people close to the negotiations. FT, 23 April
China and Hollywood: the end of the affair. After years of joint ventures and co-investment, the two markets are diverging. FT, 23 April
Chinese youngsters rush to Bilibili to learn about Marxism, history of CPC. Global Times, 23 April
Longer reads & opinion
Analysis: New Zealand’s stance on China has deep implications for the Five Eyes alliance. Patrick Wintour in The Guardian, 22 April
China’s domestic surveillance programmes benefit foreign spies. An aversion to encryption makes the country’s networks vulnerable. The Economist, 23 April
China’s chip industry: running faster but still falling behind. China is unlikely to wriggle free of its chip chokepoints anytime soon. Rhodium Group, 23 April
The US has a new climate goal. How does it stack up globally? China is not yet committing to specific cuts before 2030. NYT, 22 April