China News - 3 June 2021
International
Beijing quashes annual Hong Kong rally to mark Tiananmen massacre. The annual candlelight vigil at Victoria Park in Hong Kong typically attracts tens of thousands of people to remember those who died in Beijing on June 4 1989. The FT reports that activists believe the threat of the National Security Law will dissuade Hong Kongers from attending this year, meaning the highly symbolic vigil will not take place for the first time in three decades. While last year’s vigil was banned by Hong Kong police on public health grounds, thousands of people still converged to light candles as police looked on. FT, 3 June
Editorials in today’s papers: The Times view on Tiananmen Square commemorations: Hong Kong Silenced, The Guardian view on remembering Tiananmen 1989: mourning for those who cannot.
Biden to amend Trump’s China blacklist, target key industries. President Biden plans to amend a US ban on investments in companies linked to China’s military this week. Under Biden’s amended order, the Treasury Department will create a list of companies that could face financial penalties for their connection to China’s defence and surveillance technology sectors. Bloomberg, 2 June
Free Hong Kong Road: Budapest renames streets to frustrate Chinese campus plan. Four street signs at the planned site for Fudan University now bear the names Free Hong Kong Road, Uyghur Martyrs’ Road, Dalai Lama Road, and Bishop Xie Shiguang Road, the last referring to a persecuted Chinese Catholic priest. The Guardian, 3 June
China would have destroyed Covid lab leak evidence, says ex-MI6 chief. Sir Richard Dearlove said it would now be difficult to prove the role of the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The Telegraph, The Times, 3 June
Brother of World Uyghur Congress President Dolkun Isa sentenced to life in prison in China’s Xinjiang. Radio Free Asia, 6 June
Hong Kong students could be forced to use official Chinese language in exams. The Times, 3 June
UK news
UK looks to seal Australia trade deal after G7. Senior Whitehall officials said that talks between the UK and Australia were nearing their conclusion, with a tentative agreement “pencilled in” for the week commencing June 14 following the G7 summit. It would be the UK’s first significant post-Brexit trade deal. FT, 2 June
Conservative rebels to force vote on reversing aid cuts. A group of Tory MPs say they have enough support to defeat the government on its plans to cut almost £4bn of aid spending this year. BBC, 3 June
3-4 June: G7 health ministers assemble in Oxford. Health ministers from around the world are aiming to agree on how they can help reduce the risk of a future pandemic. UK gov readout, 3 June
China watch
Coronavirus: China hits out at vaccine ‘hoarding’ nations during BRICS talks. Wang Yi made the remarks at a virtual BRICS meeting. SCMP, 2 June
China reports first human case of rare H10N3 bird flu strain in isolated incident. The Telegraph, 2 June
China scrambles to stop escaped herd of wild elephants from descending on the city of Kunming. The Telegraph, 3 June
Economy & tech
US ‘may exacerbate national security risks’ with unclear China tech restrictions, new congressional report says. The report, published by the US-China Security and Economic Commission, calls for the US to develop a list of “emerging and foundational” technologies for which exports to China are restricted. SCMP, 3 June
JPMorgan applies to take full control of China securities venture. It is the latest example of a US bank expanding its foothold in the country’s financial markets. FT, 3 June
Nike, Zara, H&M amongst Western brands accused by China of selling substandard products amid Xinjiang row. SCMP, 3 June
Longer reads & opinion
Analysis: Powers of persuasion. Despite Xi’s order to tell China’s story in a more “lovable” way, confrontation is likely to remain a core component of the CCP’s communication. China Media Project, 2 June
Trade Secrets: A tough road ahead for US on forced labour. A “flashy” announcement by the US Department of Homeland Security about a Chinese fishing fleet caught using forced labour is a sign of Biden’s trade policy towards China. FT, 3 June
A Christian congregation fled Xi Jinping’s China, but escaping control had a price. About 60 church members from southern China are seeking asylum in South Korea, citing persecution by the CCP.WSJ, 2 June
Covid reorders the world's strategic landscape – but not as China expected. The democratic West did not lose the pandemic after all, argues Ambrose Evans-Pritchard. The Telegraph, 3 June
I went to Wuhan to investigate the origins of Covid. Here’s what we can learn from Huanan market. The Telegraph, 2 June