China News - 3 December 2021
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China News - 3 December 2021
International
Alliance mooted to curb human rights abuse of tech. As part of next week’s Summit for Democracy, a group of countries next week will pledge to work together to curb exports of technology - including surveillance tools - that can be used by bad actors and repressive governments to violate human rights. WSJ, Reuters, 2 December
Students quit Hong Kong schools in record numbers, according to survey. An average of 32 students have withdrawn per school, with about 60% saying they planned to leave Hong Kong. The number of teachers stepping back from their roles has nearly doubled from the previous year amid a revamped curriculum in which pupils learn about the national security law, to respect the rule of the Communist Party, and identify as being Chinese. The Times, 3 December
Tory rebels back amendment to allow young Hong Kongers to move to UK. The amendment is due to be debated on Tuesday. The Telegraph, 2 December
Senior Chinese diplomat tells EU officials that Beijing would be ready to remove sanctions. The Chinese foreign ministry’s special representative on Europe, Wu Hongbo, expressed Beijing’s intention to withdraw sanctions imposed on EU lawmakers, diplomats and think tanks earlier this year - but only if the EU takes the first step and removes its sanctions on Xinjiang officials. Politico, 2 December
US and EU signal "converging" views on China. The US and EU released a lengthy joint statement on Thursday pledging continuous and close cooperation to "manage competition and systemic rivalry with China responsibly." Axios, 2 December
Men's tennis faces player revolt over failure to suspend tournaments in China amid Peng Shuai case. Despite the WTA decision to pull tournaments from China, the men’s tour argued that a “global presence” gave it a better chance of having “a positive influence on society”. Julian Knight MP, the chairman of the DCMS select committee told Telegraph Sport: “This is a crucial moment for the sport, whether or not the dollar sign is more important than solidarity and integrity in the game.” The Telegraph, 2 December
China hits back at WTA as IOC says it has spoken again to Peng Shuai. The Guardian, Reuters, 2 December
Steve Simon - the man who took on China and became sport's bravest administrator. The Telegraph, 2 December
Xinjiang: Twitter closes thousands of China state-linked accounts spreading propaganda. The operations used photos and images, shell and potentially automated accounts, and fake Uyghur profiles, to disseminate state propaganda and fake testimonials about their happy lives in the region. The Guardian, 3 December
Africa’s ties to China and the West are starting to look more alike. The Economist, 2 December
Argentina and China strengthen formally strengthen bilateral ties. MercoPress, 2 December
China focus
Young China Watchers survey: attitudes towards a changing China.
China’s Communist Party is looking for a new generation of leaders. Chen Xi, head of the Organisation Department, said top talents should possess qualities of loyalty, competence and integrity for the party to realise its goal of great national rejuvenation. SCMP, 3 December
Former deputy commander of Xinjiang paramilitary body accused of corruption. SCMP, 2 December
Chinese art auction stokes concerns about fate of missing entrepreneur.
FT, 3 December
Single mums in China want the same treatment as married ones. The Economist, 2 December
Economy & tech
China’s Didi to delist from New York and switch to Hong Kong. Chinese ride-hailing group Didi Chuxing, subject to recent increased regulatory scrutiny in China, said it would delist from the New York Stock Exchange, accelerating China’s decoupling from US capital markets as Beijing cracks down on the country’s leading technology groups. FT, SCMP, BBC, 3 December
China’s economy looks especially vulnerable to the spread of Omicron. If the Omicron variant is more infectious than other strains, it will increase the likelihood of covid-19 outbreaks in China, leading to more frequent lockdowns and a considerable toll on growth. The Economist, 2 December
China advisers to recommend lower 2022 GDP target as headwinds grow. Reuters, 2 December
Fidelity fund manager: China’s crackdown is over – investors need to pile in. Dale Nicholls, manager of the £1.6bn Fidelity China Special Situations investment trust, says China’s long-term growth prospects remain positive and predicts that companies that are focused on domestic consumption will keep growing. The Telegraph, 3 December
China set to embrace open source in new software push. New five-year plan plan places importance on homegrown open source software. Tech Radar, 2 December
China’s largest online travel platform Trip.com to focus on domestic bookings as Covid-19 disrupts outbound tours. SCMP, 3 December
TSMC enters pilot production of 3nm chips. DigiTimes, 2 December
Opinion and editorial
China says it is more democratic than America. Western dysfunction tempts the Communist Party to make risky boasts. Chaguan - The Economist, 2 December
Xinhua Commentary: For democracy or supremacy? Chinese state media questions the motives behind the Summit for Democracy. Xinhua, 2 December
Didi’s US exit shows Xi is the ultimate arbiter for China’s companies. The ride-hailing app’s pivot to list in Hong Kong is seen as a vindication of president’s crackdown. Tom Mitchell. FT, 3 December
Why it matters that tennis is standing up to Beijing. Ian Williams. The Spectator, 2 December
Long reads
Why the UK spy chief is warning about China’s ‘data traps’. Mary Hui. Quartz, 3 December
What Chinese dams in Laos tell us about the Belt and Road Initiative. Analysing Chinese dams in Laos provides insight into the local origins and drivers of the BRI, particularly along China’s borderland regions. Phillip Guerreiro. The Diplomat, 3 December
Eastern European countries are cosying up to Taiwan. The Economist, 2 December