China Research Group News

Share this post

China News - 24 May 2021

chinaresearchgroup.substack.com

China News - 24 May 2021

May 24, 2021
Share
Share this post

China News - 24 May 2021

chinaresearchgroup.substack.com

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

Share
Share this post

China News - 24 May 2021

chinaresearchgroup.substack.com
Top
New

No posts

Ready for more?

© 2023 China Research Group
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start WritingGet the app
Substack is the home for great writing