China News - 24 May 2021
Intelligence on sick staff at Wuhan lab fuels debate on Covid-19 origin. Three researchers from China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology became sick enough in November 2019 that they sought hospital care, according to a previously undisclosed US intelligence report seen by WSJ. Current and former officials familiar with the intelligence about the lab researchers expressed differing views about the strength of the supporting evidence for the assessment. Anthony Fauci has called for an inquiry into the Wuhan laboratory’s Covid role. WSJ, The Telegraph, The Times, 24 May
Welsh chip maker Newport Wafer Fab fears Chinese takeover by stealth. Britain’s largest semiconductor foundry has accused a Chinese-owned company of trying to seize control in the first big test of new foreign takeover rules, but the government has advised that it does not pose a national security concern. Sunday Times, 23 May
'Spies' in UK universities ‘could lead to arrests within weeks’ as academics are suspected of passing pioneering British technology to Beijing. Specialists at the Foreign Office, Special Branch and HMRC have drawn up a list of academics suspected of passing sensitive information to Beijing. Universities under scrutiny include Manchester and Imperial College. Mail on Sunday, 23 May
Russia and China will 'behave responsibly', First Sea Lord says, as Carrier Strike Group sets sail. “I don’t expect to see aggression from China when UK forces with their allies are going about activity in a very legal and clear manner.” As HMS Queen Elizabeth set sail this weekend, Boris Johnson told reporters that "one of the things we'll be doing clearly is showing to our friends in China that we believe in the international law of the sea.” The Telegraph, 24 May
China’s top diplomat heads to Russia as ties reach ‘best level in history’. Yang Jiechi is set to travel to Russia on Monday for security talks, as both countries place greater emphasis on bilateral relations. FT, 23 May
Lithuania announces it will quit ‘divisive’ 17+1 grouping. A member of the group since 2012, the Baltic country urged fellow EU members to also leave. SCMP, 23 May
G7 agrees to stop funding coal-fired power stations ahead of COP26. The Times, 24 May
Australian writer detained in China on espionage charges to face trial. Canberra says Chinese authorities have not provided any explanation or evidence for the charges facing Dr Yang. The Guardian, 21 May
China watch
‘Our American studies are too weak’: Chinese scholars warn of knowledge gap with US peers.. SCMP, 24 May
China marathon: Fans mourn top runners killed after extreme weather hit an ultramarathon race in Gansu. BBC, 24 May
Jack Ma to step down as president of his elite business school. Hupan University will also restructure its educational programme and has changed its name. FT, 24 May
Economy & tech
Iron ore prices drop after China warns of ‘excessive speculation’. China’s economic planning agency said on Monday it would crack down on monopolies in commodities markets, the spread of false information and hoarding. FT, 24 May
US-China tech fight opens new front in Ethiopia. A US-backed consortium beat a China-financed group in a bid to build Ethiopia’s new 5G-capable network. WSJ, 22 May
Chinese company faces retail investor backlash over takeover on London-listed lithium miner Bacanora. The Telegraph, 24 May
Longer reads & opinion
Long slide looms for world population, with sweeping ramifications. By the end of the century, Nigeria could surpass China in population. NYT, 24 May
Can anything control a new generation of tiger parents? Earlier this month, Reuters reported Chinese government discussions on curtailing the country’s $120bn private tutoring industry. FT, 23 May
Sherard Cowper-Coles: Chinese bank executives know more about Jane Austen than I do, says Jane Austen Society president. The Telegraph, 23 May
To fix social media’s business model, look to China for an alternative to advertisements. Wired, 24 May