China News - 5 October
International
Aukus could weaken China deterrence, US congress research paper suggests. A new research paper analyses the US plan to sell Australia 3-5 Virginia-class submarines in the 2030s. It suggests this could in fact “weaken deterrence of potential Chinese aggression”. Daniel Hurst. The Guardian, 4 October
Treasury’s Yellen says US is over dependent on China for critical supply chains. At the Fortune CEO event in Washington, Yellen repeated her long standing view that the US does not want to decouple economically from China completely, but that clean energy products should broaden their supply chains. David Lawder and Kanishka Singh. Reuters, 3 October
China’s nuclear submarine suffers catastrophic failure. 55 have been reported dead after a Chinese submarine sunk in a trap intended for American and British vessels. The incident took place in the Yellow Sea, but China and Taiwan have denied the loss of the submarine. Ndtv, 4 October
Timor-Leste president hits back at Australian criticism of new partnership with China. Jose Ramos-Horta said he was “confused” by the concerns raised over the upgrading of ties between the two countries that includes enhanced military engagement as “imagines Chinese ghosts”. Helen Davidson. The Guardian, 3 October
Taiwan says China has a “very diverse” way of interfering in elections. Beijing interferes in all sectors, from military pressure, spreading fake news and manipulating polls. Ben Blanchard. Reuters, 4 October
Asian Games: China censors “Tiananmen” image of athletes hugging. A photo of two Chinese female athletes that made an inadvertent reference to the Tiananmen Square massacre has been censored on Chinese social media. Derek Cai. BBC News, 4 October
Economy & Tech
US takes aim at fentanyl with sanctions on China-based network. The Treasury has placed sanctions on 25 Chinese individuals and entities for their alleged involvement in drug manufacturing and smuggling. This comes amid Washington's efforts to crack down on the proliferation of fentanyl. Demetri Sevastopulo. Financial Times, 3 October
Capvision says “rectification” complete after China crackdown. Months after Beijing launched a crackdown on the operations of foreign consultancies and due diligence groups, Chinese authorities have approved the “rectification” of China-focused consultancy Capvision. Edward White. Financial Times, 4 October
Russian car sales jump in September as Chinese brands expand market share. As Chinese car brands have expanded their market share, car sales in Russia have jumped by 148.6% since last September. Gleb Stolyarov and Alexander Marrow. Reuters, 4 October
Opinion & long-reads
Fears China “closing in on itself” amid crackdowns and rising nationalism. China’s new laws on espionage and public security, combined with fewer foreign brands suggest that China is turning inwards and away from the world. Frederik Kelter. Al Jazeera, 3 October
China is suffering a Brain Drain. The US isn’t exploiting it. Many of China’s brightest people, including tech specialists, are emigrating but not to America. Difficult entry requirements as well as geopolitical tensions between the countries make Europe, Canada, Japan and Australia seem more attractive. Li Yuan. The New York Times, 3 October
China’s electric vehicles threaten to leave Europe in the dust. Around 60% of cars exported from China are sold in Europe, and two thirds of these are EVs. June Yoon. Financial Times, 4 October
How Chinese water deer found a home in the English countryside. Similar to the slightly smaller muntjac, the Chinese water deer escaped from the Duke of Bedford’s collection at Woburn Abbey almost a century ago. The species is vanishing in its native China. Paul Brown. The Guardian, 4 October