China News - 27 October 2022
Debrief: China's 20th Party Congress. Th China Research Group provided MPs with a short debrief of the Chinese Communist Party’s 20th Party Congress. The briefing has now been made public, available for all to read here.
International
China ‘has Europe-wide network of secret police bases’. China has been accused of operating secret police stations across Europe, with two found in London and another in Glasgow. According to researchers from the NGO Safeguard Defenders, outposts are used to conduct “persuasion operations” aimed at coercing Beijing’s critics to return to China. China Research Group MPs urged the Home Office to launch a formal investigation, after the Dutch government labelled the unlicensed police stations as “illegal” yesterday. The Times, 27 October
Chinese overseas police station in Dublin ordered to shut. The Irish Times, 27 October
Chinese police operatives operating in Canada, US says in new court filing. The Globe and Mail, 26 October
China's Xi says willing to work with United States for mutual benefit. President Xi Jinping said China is willing to work with the United States to find ways to get along, Chinese state television reported, ahead of a possible meeting with US President Joe Biden at the G20. As major powers, China and the United States should strengthen communication and cooperation to help provide stability to the world, Xi said at an event of the National Committee on US-China Relations. Reuters, 27 October
Germany, France divided over energy crisis and China. The rift was apparent in the decision to scale back a summit Wednesday between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron. Mr. Macron recently questioned the wisdom of allowing China to invest in infrastructure that is essential to Europe after the German government agreed to allow Chinese shipping giant Cosco to invest in Germany’s largest port in the northern city of Hamburg. WSJ, 26 October
China urges rich world to shun 'empty slogans' ahead of climate talks. Rich countries must move on from "empty slogans" when it comes to climate change and make progress in meeting a $100 billion-a-year funding commitment, Li Gao, head of the climate change office at China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment, said ahead of the COP27 summit in Egypt next month. Reuters, 27 October
Australia rides out Chinese sanctions as exports boom. China’s introduction of trade sanctions on some Australian products in 2020 has resulted in unexpected benefits, with the latest economic statistics showing exports booming for the resource-rich country as it has been forced to shift its focus to other markets. Australia’s trade figures have also improved due to Chinese dependence on critical products, notably iron ore, wool and natural gas. FT, 27 October
Pakistan, China aim to jump-start Belt and Road plans in key talks. Pakistan and China aim to revive Belt and Road projects in the South Asian country at an annual huddle, scheduled to take place virtually on Thursday. In the run-up to the talks, cash-strapped Islamabad appears to have accepted a Chinese demand to increase the cost of a railway, as it seeks to secure more financing. Nikkei Asia, 27 October
Retired RAF pilots will be prosecuted if they shared state secrets during China flying lessons. RAF pilots will be prosecuted if they are found to have shared state secrets during China flying lessons, defence sources have warned. A defence source told The Telegraph that while teaching the discipline of flying was not classified, teaching how to fight was. The Telegraph, 26 October
International Trade Committee: Mechanisms for trade deal scrutiny not fit for purpose. Parliament.uk, 27 October
Hong Kong court bars activist from saying ‘Tiananmen massacre’ in national security trial. HKFP, 26 October
China focus
State-run media: China Communist Party officials 'offered' to quit top ranks. Certain top Chinese Communist Party officials voluntarily stepped down from leadership, the state-run Xinhua News Agency reported, apparently referring to the surprise retirements of Premier Li Keqiang and previous No. 4 Wang Yang. The departures of Li and Wang from the Politburo Standing Committee, before the traditional retirement age of 68, had caused a stir. Nikkei Asia, 27 October
Politburo newcomer and Xi protégé confirmed as China’s new propaganda chief. Li Shulei, 58, will enforce Xi Jinping’s vision on ideology, films, internet and media and is expected to spearhead Beijing’s drive to shape global narrative about China. SCMP, 27 October
China locks down part of Wuhan, nearly three years after first Covid case emerged. China reported a third straight day of more than 1,000 new Covid cases nationwide, a modest tally compared with the tens of thousands a day that sent Shanghai into a full-blown lockdown earlier this year but enough to trigger more curbs and restrictions across the country. The Guardian, 27 October
Economy & tech
Global chip firms continue to fret over US export controls. A senior executive at South Korea’s SK Hynix, one of the world’s top memory chip makers, reportedly said the firm may sell its massive Chinese plant in the extreme scenario where Washington’s latest export controls made it too difficult to sustain production. Meanwhile, leading chipmaking equipment supplier KLA estimates up to a $900m revenue hit in 2023 from the China chip ban. SCMP, Nikkei Asia, 26 October
US alleges Seagate broke export rules to sell Huawei hard drives. Seagate Technology Holdings said in a filing on Wednesday the US government has warned the company that it may have violated export control laws by providing hard disk drives to a customer that a source familiar with the situation identified as Huawei Technologies. Reuters, 26 October
China sets out 15 ideas to boost foreign investment. SCMP, 26 October
Long reads & opinion
An era just ended in China. Xi Jinping chooses smothering security over the economic success that made China strong. Yuen Yuen Ang. NYT, 26 October
The next era of reform. China has ambitious development goals. Meeting them will require even more commitment to reform. Nie Riming. Sixth Tone, 26 October
Europe and America are moving closer on China. Julia Pallanch and Bonnie S. Glaser. Foreign Policy, 26 October
Bolsonaro vs. Lula: What’s at stake for China in Brazil election? Jacob Mardell. The China Project, 27 October
Event: China’s Global Security Initiative. CRG Director Chris Cash will be joined by Alicia Kearns MP and Beijing to Britain’s Sam Hogg for this Council on Geostrategy event. The event takes place in the Palace of Westminster - 6pm on Wednesday 2nd November. Register here.