China News - 6 April 2023
International
Conservative politicians push for a tougher procurement bill. Led by FAC chair Alicia Kearns, a group of Tory MPs want to strengthen ministers’ power to exclude companies that are deemed a national security risk. Eleni Courea. Politico. 4 April
All Party Parliamentary Groups to be probed by security services. The Parliament’s standards committee has warned of improper links to both commercial bodies and foreign governments who may seek to influence legislation. Concerns were raised following revelations last year that the chairman of the now disbanded Chinese in Britain APPG received more than £500,000 in donations from Christine Lee, who was later revealed to be a spy. Adam Forrest. The Independent. 5 April
Taiwan and Japan monitor Chinese military activity after President Tsai Ing-wen meets US speaker. A carrier strike group, which appears to be on a training exercise, was sent to waters south-east of Taiwan on Wednesday. Helen Davidson and Amy Hawkins. The Guardian. 6 April
The foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia meet in Beijing. The two nations agreed to restore diplomatic ties last month during lower-level talks brokered by China. BBC. 6 April
Chinese C.D.C publishes long-awaited study about Wuhan market. Swabs taken in March 2020 confirm that DNA from racoon dogs and other animals susceptible to the coronavirus were found at the market. Benjamin Mueller. The New York Times. 5 April
Ahead of state visit, Macron announces Europe must resist reducing trade and diplomatic ties with China. Macron travels with a 50-strong business delegation including Airbus, LVMH and EDF. Reuters. 5 April
China calls on WTO to review coordinated chip export restrictions by US, Japan and Netherlands. State media questions whether the existence of a deal between the three nations violates WTO principals of openness and transparency. Cyril Ip. South China Morning Post. 5 April
US, Japan and South Korea conduct joint anti-submarine exercise in the East China Sea. This marks the fourth round of trilateral maritime exercises as the three countries seek to counter North Korean threats. Takahashi Kosuke. The Diplomat. 5 April
The International Tennis Federation resumes tournaments in China, with no update on Peng Shuai. Activity was suspended in late 2021 after the disappearance of Peng, who publicly accusing a former high-ranking party official of sexual assault. The Independent. 5 April
Economy & tech
China considers banning exports of rare earth magnet technology used in EVs, wind turbine motors. MOFCOM is currently in the process of revising its ‘Catalogue of Technologies Prohibited and Restricted from Export’. Nikkei Asia, The Japan News. 5 April
Beijing leverages merger-review process and antimonopoly rules to put pressure on foreign companies. Intel Corp. and MaxLinear Inc. are among American companies awaiting approval from the State Administration for Market Administration. Lingling Wei and Asa Fitch. The Wall Street Journal. 4 April
Small businesses in China bounce back after Covid. In the first three months of 2023, nearly 7.57 million small and micro-sized enterprises were registered in China - considered an encouraging sign of economic recovery. Ji Siqi. South China Morning Post. 5 April
Volume of Made-in-India iPhones surges as Apple diversifies supply chains. Mainland China may be at risk of losing its primary role in Apple’s supply chain as Foxconn Technology Group plans US$700 million manufacturing plant in India. Xinmei Shen. South China Morning Post. 5 April
Opinion & long-reads
When might US political support be unwelcome in Taiwan? Survey data reveals how the Taiwanese public feel about relations with China and the US. Alastair Iain Johnston, Tsai Chia-hung and George Yin. Brookings Institution. 5 April
It is getting even harder for Western scholars to do research in China. Foreign researchers face new hurdles as China limits access to OSINT resources. The Economist. 5 April
China is getting comfortable with the Gulf Cooperation Council. The West must pragmatically adapt to its growing regional influence. A look at China’s burgeoning relationship with the MENA region. Joseph Webster and Joze Pelayo. Atlantic Council. 5 April
TSMC’s turning point. Does TSMC’s international expansion represent cracks in Taiwan’s ‘silicon shield’? Gregor Stuart Hunter. The Wire. 5 April
US-China tech war: without advanced chips, can China’s smartphone industry survive? He Huifeng and Jane Cai. South China Morning Post. 4 April