China News - 27 February 2023
International
Zelensky wants Xi Jinping meeting following China's peace points. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he plans to meet China's leader Xi Jinping to discuss Beijing's proposals on ending the war in Ukraine. The 12-point document does not specifically say that Russia must withdraw its troops from Ukraine and the Chinese authorities have so far not publicly responded to Zelensky's call for a summit with Xi. BBC, 27 February
Biden does not anticipate China giving Russia major weapons aid. Bloomberg, 25 February
Belarus President Lukashenko to visit China this week. Al Jazeera, 25 February
Lab leak most likely origin of Covid-19 pandemic - US Energy Department. The US Energy Department has concluded that the Covid pandemic most likely arose from a laboratory leak, according to a classified intelligence report recently provided to the White House and key members of Congress. The Energy Department’s conclusion is significant because the agency has considerable scientific expertise and oversees a network of US national laboratories. WSJ, 26 February
Chinese CCTV cameras being used at British Army bases. A Mail on Sunday investigation discovered CCTV cameras from equipment providers such as Hikvision and Dahua are being used at Army bases over a year since they should have been replaced, it has emerged. Tobias Ellwood MP called for a Cabinet-led inquiry, but said that the process should not stop the MoD acting now “to ensure their systems are not relying on Chinese surveillance technology”. The Mail on Sunday, 26 February
China pushes for resurrection of EU investment deal. Beijing has proposed it and the EU simultaneously scrap sanctions that derailed the proposed Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) in 2021 in its latest effort to improve ties with the Brussels-based bloc. Emmanuel Macron is to visit China in April in an attempt to convince Beijing to put pressure on Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine. Nikkei Asia, 25 February
TikTok under investigation by Canadian privacy authorities. Canadian privacy protection regulators have launched an investigation into TikTok over its collection of users' data. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is resisting calls to ban government officials from using TikTok amid renewed concerns from some MPs. BBC, 25 February
China approved most coal power plants since 2015 last year, research shows. China embarked on a massive expansion of its coal-fired power capacityin response to last summer’s historic power crisis, approving the equivalent of two large coal power plants per week, new research has found. SCMP, 27 February
Deepfake newsreaders pump out pro-China news. A British company’s AI technology has been hijacked to create a pro-Chinese news channel featuring a pair of computer-generated presenters. The Times, 25 February
Xi pick for next chief of staff draws speculation before leadership shuffle. Nikkei Asia, 27 February
Abby Choi: dismembered body of Hong Kong model found. The Times, 25 February
Economy & tech
Missing Chinese billionaire banker Bao Fan assisting authorities in investigation, company says. It is the first time China Renaissance Holdings has given a reason for the disappearance of its founder and chairman, who was reported missing 10 days ago. No details about the investigation were shared. The Guardian, 27 February
US, Asian partners discussed supply chains in ‘Chip 4’ talks. Officials from the so-called Chip 4 grouping of the US, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan held a video conference on Feb. 16 to discuss an early warning system to ensure a steady chip supply, a Taiwanese official familiar with the talks said on Sunday. Bloomberg, 26 February
HSBC admits putting human rights at risk in China pivot. Freedom of speech and freedom from arbitrary arrest were among a host of human rights that an internal review found the bank was at risk of undermining as a result of its business activities and relationships. The admission marks the first time the London-headquartered company has acknowledged the impact its operations could have on human rights. The Telegraph, 25 February
EY China staff encouraged to wear Communist party badges. FT, 27 February
Billionaire Chinese owner of Newport Wafer Fab was handed jail sentence over alleged stolen trade secrets. The Telegraph, 25 February
Opinion & editorial
Xi and Putin have declared a new Cold War. It’s time to wake up before it's too late, and for Britain to lead the way in defending Western values. Tobias Ellwood MP and Hamish de Bretton-Gordon. The Telegraph, 27 February
The autocratic axis gains strength every day — it’s time to take a stand. Uniting for Ukraine is just the start in what is now a global struggle to prevent a Third World War. Matthew Syed. The Sunday Times, 26 February
Opinion: How to counter China’s scary use of AI tech. Paul Scharre. Los Angeles Times, 26 February
China’s public is fed up, but not on the brink of revolt. David Rennie. The Economist, 25 February
Long reads
Why Penny Wong says we can’t ‘reset’ with China. Andrew Tillett. Australian Financial Review, 24 February
The implications of China’s mid-income trap. The IMF has chainsawed longer-term growth forecasts. Robin Wigglesworth. FT, 27 February
From opportunity to risk: The changing economic security policies vis-à-vis China. Francesca Ghiretti. MERICS, 22 February
Xi the Survivor. How Washington overestimates Chinese weakness. Christopher Johnson. Foreign Affairs, 22 February