China News - 6 February 2023
International
US shoots down 'spy balloon' as China threatens 'further actions'. The US shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon that had been flying over its airspace with a missile fired by an F-22 fighter aircraft off the coast near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. A US defence official said the aircraft was a spy balloon and that China intended to use it on sensitive military sites. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken immediately called off a weekend trip to China over the "irresponsible act", with Chinese authorities insisting its purpose was for weather research and that it was blown off course by unexpected winds. Sky News, BBC, 5 February
Analysis:
Balloon drama comes at precarious time in US-China relations. Stephen Collinson. CNN, 3 February
How the spy balloon popped a US-China rapprochement. Gideon Rachman. FT, 5 February
Time's up for China's spy balloon, but the question now is: what will the FBI uncover? Jamie Johnson. The Sunday Telegraph, 5 February
Hong Kong pro-democracy activists go on trial in landmark national security case. Hong Kong’s largest national security law trial opened on Monday with 47 of the city’s most prominent pro-democracy activists facing up to life imprisonment in a landmark case that could spell the end of the territory’s once vibrant political opposition. The defendants, who include some of Hong Kong’s highest-profile politicians and campaigners, were arrested in January 2021. FT, 5 February
Australian and Chinese trade ministers meet for first time in three years. The Australian trade minister, Don Farrell, will fly to Beijing “in the near future” after attending the first meeting between an Australian trade minister and a Chinese commerce minister in three years. Farrell met virtually with his counterpart, Wang Wentao, for about 90 minutes on Monday. The Guardian, 6 February
China to aim for stronger ties with Russia this year, top diplomatic official says. A senior Chinese foreign official has reaffirmed his country’s close ties with Russia, saying Beijing wants to work with Moscow to advance the relationship this year. Chinese vice foreign minister Ma Zhaoxu delivered the message in talks in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the Chinese foreign ministry said. SCMP, 4 February
Senior Taiwan opposition leader to visit China amid continued tensions. Andrew Hsia, vice chairman of the KMT party, will lead a delegation to mainland China for talks with Song Tao, head of the State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing, and other senior officials involved in cross-strait issues. Reuters, 6 February
Disney cuts ‘Simpsons’ episode from streaming service in Hong Kong. Disney has cut an episode of The Simpsons cartoon that refers to “forced labour camps” in China from its streaming platform in Hong Kong. FT, 6 February
US weighs sanctions for Chinese companies over Iran surveillance buildup. WSJ, 4 February
Giant panda Le Le dies after 20 years at Memphis Zoo. AP, 4 February
Economy & tech
UK ‘risks’ losing IQE over delays to semiconductor strategy. A British semiconductor company could move overseas unless the government sets out its strategy for the sector in the next six months, its chief executive said. Americo Lemos said there was a “risk” that IQE, which is based in Cardiff, could leave the UK because he had a duty to shareholders to be in the best place for the business. The Sunday Times, 5 February
Delete TikTok to protect your private data, says MP. Alicia Kearns, chair of the China Research Group, said it was up to people with the app to decide whether to delete it to protect their data. TikTok said users who post on the platform can “trust” them with their data. The Times, 6 February
Digital infrastructure propels new SE Asian Tigers. China’s leading position in digital as well as physical infrastructure has created a natural economic partnership with Southeast Asia, which represents a vast pool of young workers to replace China’s aging and shrinking industrial labour force. Asia Times, 5 February
Optimism on Chinese stocks soars to five-year highs. CNBC, 6 February
EV battery material suppliers brace for gluts as competition heats up. Nikkei Asia, 6 February
Opinion & editorial
Wong’s colonial history lesson was actually a geopolitical play. Rory Medcalf. Australian Financial Review, 3 February
China Inc. is going global. Again. Anjani Trivedi. Bloomberg, 6 February
A bipolar currency regime will replace the dollar’s exorbitant privilege. Nouriel Roubini. FT, 5 February
Why Vladimir Putin is not a pariah in China. The Economist, 4 February
Long reads
Xi Jinping’s power grab is paying off. The Chinese leader will probably survive a turbulent time. Neil Thomas. Foreign Policy, 5 February
China’s top 10 semiconductor firms. Ten Chinese semiconductor firms to look out for and three that went down in flames. Arran Hope. The China Project, 3 February
British politicians on China, Minister Wong in London, Procurement headaches. Sam Hogg. Beijing to Britain, 5 February