International
Hong Kong threatens to jail HSBC bankers handling Jimmy Lai's accounts as repression hits top tier of financial system. Hong Kong’s security chief sent letters to media tycoon Jimmy Lai and branches of HSBC and Citibank this month threatening up to seven years’ jail for any dealings with the billionaire’s accounts in the city, according to documents seen by Reuters. Reuters, The Telegraph, 27 May
Trade Secretary Liz Truss: UK must not become dependent on China. In an interview Wednesday with POLITICO, Truss said China had been guilty of "forced technology transfer, IP violations or unfair industrial subsidies that haven’t been transparently declared," and said World Trade Organization reform was now needed to make its "rules tougher" and restore faith in free trade. Politico, 27 May
The British Chamber of Commerce in China has met Ambassador Zheng Zeguang before his departure to take up his position at the Chinese Embassy in the UK. B2B tweet, 27 May
Covid: Biden orders intelligence officials to “redouble” efforts to investigate virus origin as lab leak theory debated. He said the US intelligence community was split on whether it was the result of a lab accident, or emerged from human contact with an infected animal. Mr Biden asked the groups to report back to him within 90 days. BBC, 27 May
US and EU officials meet to discuss concerns about China moves, including in Xinjiang and Hong Kong. The meeting marked the resumption of a high-level US-EU strategic dialogue on China. SCMP, 27 May
U.S. says looking at Quad meeting in fall focused on infrastructure. Kurt Campbell added that other countries were welcome to work with the Quad. Reuters, 27 May
Australia’s ambassador to China barred from citizen’s spy trial. Yang Hengjun, a former Chinese state employee turned pro-democracy blogger who is a naturalised Australian citizen, has been held in China for more than two years on espionage charges. FT, 27 May
South Korean spy drones ready to reel in China’s crab poacher fleet. Illegal fishing around the western sea border with North Korea has increased three-fold in a year, with an average of 240 vessels a day now involved. The Times, 27 May
Taiwan reports record 13 deaths, 671 cases, as vaccination drive restarts. SCMP, 27 May
Economy & tech
UK businesses call on Beijing to make it easier to bring staff to China. Caixin, 26 May
US and China trade officials hold 'candid' first talks of Biden era. US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He held a virtual meeting on Thursday. BBC, 27 May
Tencent ordered by regulators to set up financial holding company for "better supervision”. Caixin, 27 May
Beijing faces scrutiny over clout at Latin American development bank after new head said China has gained an economic foothold in Latin America. FT, 27 May
Longer reads & opinion
Dominic Cummings is asking the wrong question about the UK’s pandemic response. China-watchers in the UK warned that shutting down movement over the Chinese New Year, the biggest annual migration of people in human history and the equivalent of closing down Christmas here, was a big, and worrying sign of transmissibility. New Statesman, 27 May
RTHK: How authorities cracked down on Hong Kong's only public broadcaster. BBC, 27 May
Rethinking German policy towards China. Noah Barkin in Chatham House, 26 May