China News - 27 October 2021

International

China to be squeezed out of UK nuclear projects under new deal. Kwasi Kwarteng, business secretary, on Tuesday set out a bill to revamp nuclear facilities’ funding model following the cancellation of recent projects. The nuclear energy financing bill will enable the costs of new nuclear projects to be front-loaded onto consumers, as ministers look to bring in new investors and shut out Chinese involvement. FT, The Times, The Telegraph, NYT, 26 October

US official calls out Xi Jinping for his anticipated absence from the G20 and COP26 meetings. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan criticises Xi for not travelling to two impending global conferences in Europe, contrasting his absence with President Biden’s plans to engage in energised meetings with other world leaders. SCMP, Daily Mail, 26 October

China issues plan to hit carbon emission peak before 2030. China’s State Council announced it will take action to reduce waste, promote renewables and unconventional fuel, and reform its electricity network as part of its plan to bring carbon emissions to a peak before 2030. Reuters, 27 October

China Telecom’s operating licence revoked by US FCC due to national security concerns. The US Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday voted to order China Telecom, one of China’s biggest telecoms companies, to stop providing services in the US. Officials said the Chinese government's control of the company gave it the opportunity "to access, store, disrupt, and/or misroute US communications”. BBC, Bloomberg, Al Jazeera, The Times, 27 October

European lawmakers to visit Taiwan next week to meet with Taipei officials. The small party plans to travel early next week, according to multiple sources familiar with the schedule, taking high-level meetings with senior Taiwanese government officials in a move sure to provoke Beijing. SCMP, NHK, Nikkei Asia, 26 October

Blinken calls on UN member states to support Taiwan participation. SCMP, Independent, Reuters, Bloomberg, NHK, 26 October

Xi Jinping and Emmanuel Macron speak for first time since AUKUS announcement. Xi told his French counterpart on Tuesday that China and France should advance cooperation and that the EU should maintain its autonomy in foreign policy. SCMP, Reuters, CGTN, 26 October

China-Australia wine dispute: WTO agrees to investigate China’s tariffs. During a meeting in Geneva on Tuesday, the WTO’s dispute-settlement body said the new panel will investigate the dispute, with 15 countries – including Canada, Britain and New Zealand – reserving a spot on the panel as third parties. SCMP, 26 October

China courts Vietnam and Malaysia for support on CPTPP bid. Nikkei Asia, 27 October

Posters with Tibetan flag reportedly removed outside Chinese Embassy in Denmark. Reuters, 26 October

Economy & tech

China urges property developers to pay international debts. China’s economic planning agency, the NDRC, encouraged the country’s companies to repay their international debts days ahead of another payment deadline for property developer Evergrande after it narrowly avoided a default last week. FT, SCMP, 27 October

Modern Land becomes latest Chinese developer to miss a bond payment.Reuters, Al Jazeera, 26 October

Xi Jinping calls for efforts to achieve sci-tech self-reliance at higher level. Xi hailed the country's rapid development in science and technology and big advancement in innovation capabilities during the 13th Five Year Plan, calling on efforts to "break new ground" in military equipment and weapons development for the People's Liberation Army. CGTN, Reuters, Xinhua, 26 October

TikTok tells US lawmakers it does not give information to China's government. An executive at TikTok faced tough questions on Tuesday during the video-sharing app's first appearance at a US congressional hearing, saying it does not give information to the Chinese government and has sought to safeguard data. Reuters, 26 October

China tech stocks rebound on hopes peak regulatory risk has passed. FT, 27 October

China launches world’s fastest programmable quantum computers. SCMP, 26 October

China’s NDRC studying mechanism to stabilise coal prices over long-run. Reuters, Caixin, 26 October

China focus

Anti-terrorism expert is new Urumqi party chief in China’s Xinjiang region. Yang Fasen, a former PLA soldier with extensive anti-terrorism experience has been confirmed as party chief of Urumqi, capital of China’s far western Xinjiang region. SCMP, 26 October

China’s education, tutoring industry posts 10 available jobs for every applicant amid crackdown, study finds. K-12 tutoring companies have ‘transitioned their businesses’, but millions of jobs were affected after Beijing said firms ‘violated the laws of education’. SCMP, 27 October

China locks down city of four million over COVID cases, doubles down on COVID-zero strategy. Al Jazeera, HKFP, The Guardian, NYT, 26 October

Hong Kong: 3 months in prison for Hong Kong activist Figo Chan and new rules by two registries tightening public access to government records. Independent, HKFP, 26 October

Opinions & editorial

China will honour its climate pledges – look at the changes we have already made. China’s ambassador to the UK argues that China is serious about reducing carbon emissions and pursuing green development. Zheng Zeguang. The Guardian, 27 October

Six key messages in China’s new decarbonisation roadmap. Guo Peiyuan. Caixin, 26 October

What's next after the release of Meng Wanzhou? Ms Meng and the two Canadian Michaels are home - but will the relations with China ever be the same? BBC, 27 October

Germany Inc.’s China syndrome. Germany’s China strategy, shaped to serve the needs of its export industry, is looking increasingly unsustainable. Matthew Karnitschnig and Laurenz Gehrke. Politico, 26 October

China must restore growth or face economic uncertainty. Yu Yongding. The Japan Times, 25 October

Could China be about to unban Bitcoin? Anthony Cuthbertson. Independent, 26 October

Longer reads

Analysis: Where does China stand on climate change ahead of COP26? As the summit nears, we explore Beijing’s approach to climate action and the challenges that remain. Chris Cash. China Research Group, 26 October

China’s energy crisis complicates its plans for climate announcements ahead of COP26. Sha Hua and Keith Zhai. WSJ, 26 October

Iran turns East. Conservative President Ebrahim Raisi, deeply distrustful of the West, looks to deepen ties with China and Russia. Zakiyeh Yazdanshenas. Foreign Policy, 26 October

Chinese censorship is going global. Suzanne Nossel. Foreign Policy, 26 October

Pentagon has a Pacific posture predicament. White House and admirals can't agree on how to deter China. Ken Moriyasu. Nikkei Asia, 27 October

Got itchy feet? You can now visit China from home on YouTube. RADII, 27 October