International
Republican senators have moved to block US fighter jets being deployed to UK over Huawei concerns. An amendment “to prohibit the stationing of new aircraft at bases in host countries with at-risk vendors in their 5G or 6G networks” is being put forward by Sen. Tom Cotton, a critic of the Chinese government. Telegraph, 6 April & Twitter thread
CRG Chair Tom Tugendhat writes an editorial in the Telegraph, arguing that “the Huawei decision has cost us some of the confidence that underpins the relationship and the US reaction only makes us look more divided. Whatever the outcome, that will encourage our enemies and discourage our friends.” Telegraph, 6 May
UK and US issue alert about cyber warfare against coronavirus researchers and healthcare policymakers. BBC, 5 May
Beijing: Hong Kong democracy protesters are “political virus”. China’s Hong Kong affairs office said: “As long as the protesters are not removed, Hong Kong will never be calm.” Reuters, 6 May
AP reports on China’s use of exit bans for foreign citizens. “American citizens are too often being detained as de facto hostages in business disputes or to coerce family members to return to China—this is shocking and unacceptable behavior by the Chinese government and a clear violation of international law,” said James P. McGovern, chair of the bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China. AP, 5 May
Parts of Matthew Pottinger speech censored in China. People repeating Pottinger’s mentions of Xu Zhangrun on Chinese social media find their posts are automatically deleted. Pottinger praised Zhangrun, a law professor who was suspended from teaching after he criticized President Xi Jinping. Inkstone, 5 May & Pottinger speech
“Australian intelligence knocks back US government's Wuhan lab virus claim” The Sydney Morning Herald, 4 May
France may have had coronavirus case in December. Chinese state media Global Times says Covid-19 has “multiple birthplaces around the world”. BBC, Global Times, 5 May
Decision in Meng Wanzhou legal case could be announced this summer. The Supreme Court of British Columbia in Canada is set to rule on whether the case against Meng Wanzhou, CFO of Huawei and daughter of founder Ren Zhengfei, meets test of ‘double criminality’. The case has led to a row between Beijing and Canada. SCMP, 28 April. The Diplomat, 4 May
Taiwan hits back at China, lobbies to attend World Health Assembly. Taiwan is lobbying to attend the World Health Assembly later in May as an observer, as it did from 2009-2016 before Beijing blocked its participation. Reuters, 5 May
Chinese military strategist: invading Taiwan not “top priority”: Qiao Liang, a retired air force major general and co-author of the book Unrestricted Warfare said: “we shouldn’t make this the top priority.” He argues China should focus on national rejuvenation instead. SMCP, 4 May
Economy / tech
Imagination CEO admits Chinese investor pushed for board appointments. In Tuesday’s Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on the FCO’s role in blocking foreign asset stripping, Imagination Technologies investor and CEO Ray Bingham admitted that limited partner China Reform had pushed for greater influence over the company through the suggested appointment of four board members. Bloomberg, 5 May
“Ex-Imagination bosses warn over 'incredible risk' of British technology in Chinese hands” Telegraph, 5 May
India offering land to firms moving out of China. Bloomberg, 4 May
Global research networks on AI and chipmaking are fracturing, with pressures for tech decoupling. Tech Node, 5 May
Long reads
GMFUS piece on the limits of German scepticism about the Chinese government and European relief that an awkward EU-China summit will likely be cancelled. GMFUS, 5 May
“Coronavirus: China and US in ‘new Cold War’ as relations hit lowest point in ‘more than 40 years’, spurred on by pandemic” SCMP, 5 May
“U.S. Naval Standoff With China Fails to Reassure Regional Allies” Foreign Policy, 4 May
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