China News - 3 February 2022
International
The CCP training programme at the heart of Cambridge. According to a report in The Spectator, the Cambridge China Development Trust charity - “effectively a training programme for Chinese officials and heads of state-owned firms” - has received millions in donations from CCP elites and Western multinationals. The trust boasts close links to the CCP’s United Front Work Department. Fellows at Cambridge are leading an independent review of the China Centre, where students have been cautioned in the past about debating sensitive topics. The Spectator, The Times, 3 February
Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping form alliance to defeat sanctions over Ukraine. President Putin and President Xi will sign a series of deals in Beijing tomorrow as well as discuss a new gas pipeline to China that could provide Russia with an economic lifeline in the event of western sanctions. Gazprom, the state-backed energy company, said the pipeline would deliver 50 billion cubic metres of gas a year, doubling Russia’s annual exports to China. The Times, 3 February
Beijing Winter Olympics
UN accused of colluding with China to delay Xinjiang human rights report until after Beijing Winter Olympics. Leaked documents show China’s negotiating position over an inspection of Xinjiang has not changed for years, amid criticism of a ‘mutually convenient stalemate’. The UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said there was still no timeline to release its first ever report on the region, which has been in the works for three years and is believed to have been ready for publication for much of that time. SCMP, 3 February
Xi Jinping says Beijing will deliver ‘safe and splendid’ Games, IOC chief bemoans ‘boycott ghosts’. The Beijing Olympics, which officially begins on Friday, will be streamlined, safe and splendid, Chinese President Xi Jinping has said, as the head of the IOC decried boycott ghosts “rearing their ugly heads again” over human rights concerns. SCMP, 3 February
China cracks down on dissent ahead of Olympics. Activists, journalists and academics report receiving police warnings and censorship of their social media platforms in recent weeks as Beijing prepares to host the Winter Olympics. The Guardian, 3 February
Long reads:
Japan should press China more on human rights, PM adviser says. Japan should do more to pressure China on human rights, an adviser to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said in a rare interview, backing a path that could increase tensions between Asia’s biggest economies. Bloomberg, 3 February
Biden plans 'several' stops on first Asia trip as president. Reuters, 3 February
Nigeria gives up waiting for China Exim loan for railway project. Bloomberg, 2 February
China and Russia seek bigger security role in post-coup Burkina Faso. SCMP, 3 February
Economy & tech
China’s property market off to bleak start in 2022. China’s real estate market continued its downward spiral in the first month of 2022, as total sales of China’s top 100 property developers fell 39.6% year-on-year by value. China Real Estate Information Corp. (CRIC), the consultancy that compiled the data, said sales could shrink further in February. Caixin, 2 February
Gen Z in China and India more environmentally conscious: report. The survey of 10,000 young consumers in 10 countries suggests significant opportunities in the food, fashion, travel, tourism and housing industries for companies that offer products that align with their values, and risks for those that do not. Al Jazeera, 3 February
Bulk shipping rates tumble 90% as China steel output shrinks. Freight rates for large bulk carriers fell more 90% from last year's peak amid sharply lower demand for iron ore in China, the world's largest steel producer. Nikkei Asia, 3 February
China CSI 300 index’s tilt to industrials wins cautious approval. FT, 3 February
Volkswagen to boost Chinese EV capacity to 1 million by 2023. Nikkei Asia, 3 February
China focus
China fortifies its borders with a ‘Southern Great Wall,’ citing Covid-19. An extensive buildup of barriers along China’s 3,000-mile southern border is under way, according to public documents, official statements and interviews with residents, ostensibly to battle Covid-19 but with likely long-lasting ramifications on trade and travel. WSJ, 2 February
China’s Lunar New Year box office sales strong despite coronavirus outbreaks, ticket prices. SCMP, 2 February
Five highlights from the 2022 Spring Festival Gala: From standup comedy to blessings from outer space. SupChina, 3 February
Opinion & editorial
The day I was tapped up by Chinese intelligence. Chinese officials, party members and citizens have long been active across a broad front in advancing the interests of the CCP. Charles Parton. The Spectator, 3 February
Frozen: can China escape its zero-Covid trap? Cindy Yu. The Spectator, 3 February
West fears new axis of autocrats. This week’s Winter Olympics summit between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin is likely to show they are cementing an alliance to make the world safe for autocrats. Roger Boyes. The Times, 3 February
China’s economy is heading toward stagnation, not collapse. Diana Choyleva. Foreign Policy, 2 February
Long reads
China doesn’t just want to be part of the global order – it wants to shape it. As the Winter Olympics begin in Beijing amid growing geopolitical tension, Xi Jinping's message is clear: the days of seeking international approval are over. Katie Stallard. The New Statesman, 2 February
Taiwan’s diplomatic offensive in Eastern Europe. Growing disillusionment with China has created new opportunities for Taiwan in Central and Eastern Europe. Gregory Coutaz. The Diplomat, 3 February
“Axis of Inconvenience”: China, Russia and the crisis in Ukraine. Michael Cox. LSE Ideas, 2 February
Podcast: the looming threats to China’s economic growth. The Economist, 2 February