China News 7 May 2020
International
Australian PM writes to UK and G20 leaders, seeking support for international inquiry at World Health Assembly on 18 May. Scott Morrison said: “I was talking to Boris the other night, I mean, this thing nearly killed Boris, and I can assure you he's pretty keen to understand what happened.” The Australian PM said: “I don't want to express an opinion about the origin. I want to know.” He added: “I've written to all the G20 leaders and asked for this to be done at the World Health Assembly, which is on the 18th of May.” The Sun, 7 May & Australian PM’s office, 6 May
The European Union is to put forward proposals for a mechanism to learn from the coronavirus pandemic at the next meeting of the World Health Organization (WHO) but will stop short of calls from the US and Australia for a full international inquiry. The Guardian reports that "Brussels is trying to steer a course between the US and China in the blame game between the superpowers." Guardian, 7 May
PRC Ambassador accuses UK politicians of ‘poisoning’ Sino-British relations with “Cold War mentality”. China’s Ambassador to the UK, Liu Xiaoming, said politicians calling for changes to Sino-British relations will ‘poison’ the relationship, and international solidarity during the Coronavirus pandemic. “Regrettably a few politicians in the U.K. have been addicted to the cold war mentality to compare China to the former Soviet Union.” He said UK critics of the Chinese government, “do not even represent the Parliament.” (…) “I believe the U.K. government and Prime Minister Johnson is still committed to a stronger relationship with China. I feel confident that we can work with the U.K. government.” Bloomberg, 5 May. Business Insider, 6 May
EU allowed Chinese government to censor coronavirus comments. The EU has said it went ahead with a joint EU-China op-ed despite “considerable reluctance” after censorship of comments on the origins of coronavirus. Bundestag Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Norbert Röttgen said he was “doubly horrified” this had been allowed: “Speaking with one voice is nice & good, but it also has to reflect our values and interests.” Buzzfeed & Süddeutsche Zeitung, 6 May Twitter
UK debate on Chinese government. Former PM Theresa May writes in the Times: “The question should not be “whose side are you on” but how can we work together to engage with China to ensure that it adopts higher standards on intellectual property, carbon emissions, human rights and regional security. Any frustrations we have about the performance of institutions like the World Health Organisation should be channelled into reforming them.” Times, 6 May. Defence Select Committee Chair Tobias Ellwood says the UK is “going through a mindset change on China”. He added that China had been “less than transparent, in denial about how this started in the first place [and] not a country that we should be cozying up to to do long-term security deals with.” Politico, 6 May. Imran Ahmad-Khan MP calls for repatriation of supply chains from China. Conservative Home, 7 May
Labour MP Stephen Kinnock said that: “This aggressive, vindictive tone from Chinese authorities is deeply troubling. Describing pro-democracy protestors in Hong Kong as ‘demented’ & ‘a political virus’ is utterly unacceptable. Our PM & F.Sec must stop being intimidated, & take a stand for peace, justice & democracy.” Twitter
Taiwanese official reveals China suspected 'human to human' transmission by January 13. Telegraph, 6 May
“China plays divide and rule in South China Sea”. The PRC has been exploiting recent tensions between Vietnam and Indonesia to redraw the maritime map to its advantage, and undermine international norms like UNCLOS. Asia Times, 3 May
China's Bargain on Global Influence Is Paying Off. The Atlantic, 6 May
Don't let China host the 2022 Winter Olympics without honoring human rights norms. Washington Examiner, 6 May
Ratcliffe: China is "the greatest threat" to U.S. national security. The proposed US Director of National Intelligence also said: "Look at where we are with respect to covid-19, and the role that China plays, the race to 5G, cybersecurity issues - all roads lead to China now." Washington Post, 6 May
Uygur toddlers separated from parents at boarding schools. Radio Free Asia, 6 May
Economy / tech
China borrowing from World Bank at 1%, lending through Belt and Road at 6%. “Djibouti’s debts to China totaled 80% of GDP; Ethiopia’s amounted to almost 20% of GDP. And Kyrgyzstan, one of the first countries to receive the IMF’s coronavirus funds, owed China more than 40% of its GDP.” Asia Times, 4 May
“US looks to step up economic action against China”.FT, 6 May
A Wall Street Journal review of 23 cabinet-level agencies and officials in the US show that nearly all are moving against China. WSJ, 6 May
“China Steps up the Long March to 5G”. The Diplomat, 6 May
“Chinese Chip Giant Prepares to Build Its War Chest During U.S.-China Tech Battle”. Wall Street Journal, 6 May
Adam Tooze on risks in China property sector. Discussing financial crisis risks Tooze says, “The real estate sector is one obvious one, and some of the highly leveraged Chinese development companies. Evergrande is, I think, most people’s favorite as the weakest link in the Chinese real estate development sector.” Tyler Cowen blog
Long reads
Freedom House annual report has special feature on how the CCP is exploiting fragile democracies. Nations in Transit 2020
Reuters wins Pulitzer Prize for photography of Hong Kong protests. Chinese state media criticised the award. Reuters, 6 May and Global Times, 6 May
If you found this news summary useful, please do send it to friends or sign up.