China News - 4 November 2021
COP26
UK secures ambitious commitments at COP26 summit. The UK has helped secure a 190-strong coalition of countries and organisations at COP26, with countries such as Poland, Vietnam, Egypt, Chile and Morocco pledging to phase out coal power. The commitments, brought together through UK-led efforts including the new ‘Global Coal to Clean Power Transition Statement’, will see major banks end coal financing and effectively ends all public financing of new unabated coal power. Gov.UK, Politics.co.uk
Coal-reliant China emits third of the world’s carbon, according to new report. Scientists who produced the annual Global Carbon Budget said that China’s share of global carbon emissions has risen to a record level and that global emissions could reach a new high next year unless China cuts its use of coal. The Times, 4 November
China hits back at criticism of Xi’s absence from COP26. Beijing claimed that the Chinese leader was prevented from joining summit by video link, with foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin saying that “actions speak louder than words” in response to climate change. FT, Al Jazeera, CGTN, 3 November
US, UK commit to stop financing foreign oil projects - China abstains. WorldOil, 3 November
Other international
China plans to quadruple nuclear weapons stockpile, Pentagon says. In a new report, the US defence department said China could have 700 deliverable nuclear warheads by 2027 and would boost its stockpile - currently estimated in the low 200s - to at least 1,000 warheads by the end of the decade. Experts labelled the projection as a ‘game-changer’ for Sino-US relations. The Economist, FT, The Guardian, NYT, The Times, 3 November
Top Hong Kong court rules against government bid to expand riot prosecutions. The five-judge panel in Hong Kong’s court of final appeal unanimously rejected an earlier ruling by a lower appeal court that supporters could be criminally liable without being actually present under the common law doctrine of “joint enterprise”. Criminal lawyers said Thursday’s ruling was highly significant and will be closely scrutinised amid an intensifying national security crackdown. The Guardian, Reuters, 4 November
Taiwan to teach EU how to tackle Chinese disinformation on landmark visit. Members of the European Parliament, in their first ever official trip to the island, will stay for three days of high-level talks focusing on foreign interference at a time of heightened tensions with Beijing. The Telegraph, 3 November
China moves to quash online rumours that Taiwan war is looming after stockpiling directive. Bloomberg, SCMP, 3 November
‘We need to be much clearer’: leading Democrat questions US strategy on defending Taiwan. The Guardian, 4 November
Lithuania says its rocky ties with China are a 'wake up call' for Europe. Reuters, 4 November
Asia tourism reopens with big-spending Chinese stuck at home. Reuters, 4 November
Economy & tech
Chip shortage a major problem for Mini sales. Supply bottlenecks currently occurring on international semiconductor markets have meant that deliveries of the car, two thirds of which are built in BMW’s Cowley plant near Oxford, dropped by 25% between July and September. The Times, 3 November
Tencent launches three self-designed chips in expansion drive, helping boost China’s semiconductor development efforts. SCMP, 3 November
China's nonferrous group suggests commercial reserves for cobalt, nickel. China should improve its capability to secure nickel and cobalt resources and set up commercial reserves for the metals, the Shanghai Securities News (SSN) reported on Thursday. Reuters, 4 November
Evergrande’s automotive unit poised to sell UK start-up Protean to EV maker Bedeo. SCMP, 4 November
Food prices in China climbed every week of October, commerce ministry says. CNBC, SixthTone, 4 November
China to turn closed coal-fired power plants into standby sources in industry upgrade plan. Global Times, 3 November
China focus
Survey of Chinese perceptions: this Twitter thread details a pilot survey of Chinese internet users carried out by US-China Perception Monitor, looking at Chinese citizens' attitudes toward the US and how Chinese citizens perceive China's international image abroad:
China to build more giant telescopes to explore the cosmos. Beijing is proposing to build five more of the most sensitive radio telescope to catch the faintest signals from outer space in an attempt to dominate the field of radio astronomy for another 50 years. The Times, 3 November
Xi Jinping presents China's top science awards to aircraft designer, nuclear expert. CGTN, Xinhua, 4 November
Opinion & editorial
Trashing the Industrial Revolution won't bring China to the Cop26 table. Far from building a consensus with high-polluting countries, Johnson's rhetoric is giving them an excuse to continue as they were. Mutaz Ahmed. The Telegraph, 3 November
I'm no fan of the Chinese Communist Party - but on the environment, they've got it right. Ross Clark. The Telegraph, 3 November
The entwining of trade and climate policy sets up a conflict with China. Simon Nixon. The Times, 4 November
Japan’s voters endorse getting tough on China. The weekend elections defied predictions - and gave Prime Minister Kishida room to step up defense spending, regional exercises and more. Bruce Klingner. WSJ, 3 November
Longer reads
Tech regulation in China brings in sweeping changes. Kai von Carnap and Valarie Tan. MERICS, 3 November
Can China maintain its zero-COVID policy? Despite extremely low case numbers, lockdowns are becoming increasingly disruptive. James Palmer. Foreign Policy, 3 November
Taiwan parties split over constitutional reform. After a month of increasing tensions, a proposal to amend Taiwan’s constitution may further strain the cross-strait relationship. Itamar Waksman. SupChina, 3 November
Report on military and security developments involving the People’s Republic of China. US Department of Defense, 3 November