China News - 24 March 2021
UK braced for Chinese retaliation over Uyghur abuse sanctions. The UK government is bracing itself for retaliatory action by China over its decision to impose sanctions on four Chinese officials. The British ambassador to China, Caroline Wilson, was summoned by the Chinese foreign ministry to hear “solemn representations”. But the UK is expecting the retaliatory sanctions imposed on it by China to be less numerous than those placed on the EU. Any measures are not expected to extend to government officials, or ministers. The Guardian, 23 March
Tory rebels plot to set up panel of peers to rule on Uyghur ‘genocide’. Tory critics of China are plotting to defy the Government by setting up a judicial committee of peers to rule on whether the Communist state’s persecution of the Uyghurs amounts to genocide. The committee is set to be composed of a handful of former Supreme Court judges and would be set up by peers amending standing orders in the Lords. The Telegraph, 24 March
MEPs hope for diplomatic thaw before decision on China deal. The CAI will not reach European parliament until late this year; MEPs involved in the process said their hope was that it would buy time for de-escalation while sanctions against MEP and other entities were unwound. FT, The Times, 24 March
China plans to invite Palestinians and Israelis for talks. The Chinese government plans to invite Israelis and Palestinians to hold talks in China, Al-Arabiya TV channel quoted Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday as saying in an interview. Reuters, 24 March
Elon Musk’s China charm offensive rolls on with praise for climate plans. WSJ, 23 March
China watch
CCP announces series of events for centenary celebrations, including the ongoing Party-wide campaign on CCP history learning and education. Xinhua, 24 March
Xi Focus: Health is primary indicator of people's happiness. Xinhua, 24 March
‘Stop interfering in China’s internal affairs’: patriotic products quoting US-Alaska summit take off online on Taobao. SCMP, 23 March
Economy & tech
Warner Music teams up with Tencent to crack China. Rivals Universal Music and Sony Music have also struck similar deals with Tencent. BBC, 24 March
Exclusive: Tencent boss meets China antitrust officials as scrutiny widens - sources. Reuters, 24 March
New rules restrict what kind of personal information apps can demand in China. China’s data regulation framework continues to develop with new rules that lay out what categories of data can be considered “necessary” for 39 types of mobile apps. Caixin, Sixth Tone
China debt: ‘under pressure’ local governments racked up US$2.3 trillion in hidden debt last year. SCMP, 24 March
China’s tech giants face a reckoning with the regulators. The benefits to consumers of a wave of anti-trust legislation in China are not immediately obvious. FT, 24 March
Longer reads & opinion
Comment: China has outsmarted, outworked and outsold America. The Telegraph, 24 March. Comment: The Chinese are buying into our private schools and we should be grateful. The Telegraph, 24 March
China's rural revolution: the architects rescuing its villages from oblivion. A deep dive into the rejuvenation of rural architecture in China. The Guardian, 24 March
Beijing’s European sanctions are also a bid to control who tells the China story. European academics and researchers feel that sanctions on MERICS could signal the end of an era of China research. Quartz, 24 March
New blueprint for transatlantic competition between US and Europe. Atlantic Council, 22 March
New report on China’s strategies in Tibet. Tibet Advocacy, 24 March