China News 8 May 2020
International
“China’s Covid-19 QR code surveillance state” The FT reports on the phone-based system that controls entry and exit to neighbourhoods and transport. “At one point in Wuhan, I received a call from a government minder. She said several journalists’ codes had turned yellow and asked if mine had too. When I replied it had, she told me I should not leave my hotel room until it turned green, despite knowing this was a glitch.” FT, 8 May
U.S. Pushes EU to Back Inquiry Into China’s Handling of Coronavirus. WSJ, 7 May
Beijing won’t allow inquiry until after “final victory” over coronavirus. Beijing will not invite international experts to investigate the source of Covid-19 until the “final victory” against the virus has been secured. SCMP, 7 May
Row over censorship of EU article rumbles on. “The EU Delegation strongly regrets that the Op-Ed was not published in its original, unedited form” said an EU statement. “While China now has’wolf warrior’ diplomats, the EU ambassadors act like sheep.” said Reinhard Bütikofer MEP . EU statement, Twitter
Coronvirus diplomacy:
“China Says It Contained COVID-19. Now It Fights To Control The Story.” NPR, 7 May.
“How China Is Losing Europe.” Bloomberg, 7 May
“What’s behind China’s new behavior in Europe?” Politico, 7 May
China expelling western journalists. Twitter
Chaotic scenes in Hong Kong legislative assembly as pro-democracy members carried out. Hong Kong Free Press, & RTHK 8 May
FT leader: Donald Trump’s erratic China policy undermines western unity. “Even before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the case was building for a reset in the west’s relationship with China. There is a range of subjects — including the treatment of the Uighurs, the autonomy of Hong Kong and relations with Taiwan — where the world’s democracies need to take a tougher and more co-ordinated position towards an increasingly authoritarian China. The nature of the Xi Jinping government also requires a new look at China’s investment in strategic industries in the west… Unfortunately, President Donald Trump’s approach to China is so erratic that it is more likely to alarm US allies than to unite them.” FT, 8 May
GOP sets up task force on China. 15 Senators from the Republican Party in the US are setting up a “China Task Force” to set priorities, disseminate information and coordinate policy on Sino-American relations. The Washington Post, 7 May
Hackers with Chinese military links behind five-year espionage campaign. Telegraph , CNBC & NYTimes, 7 May
State media says criticising Beijing over coronavirus will be bad for Austalia’s economy. The Global Times dubbed Australia “ignorant” and argues that “Australia has an identity crisis as the nation regards itself as a Western country in terms of ideology and values.” Global Times, 7 May
After advocating for his release, Uighur woman hears from father via state media. RNS, 6 May
China Is Virtually Alone in Backing Africa’s Coal Projects. Through Belt and Road Chinese companies and banks are involved in financing at least 13 coal projects across the continent, with another nine in the pipeline, according to data compiled by Greenpeace. Bloomberg, 6 May
Economy / tech
Tencent surveils foreign accounts to aid domestic censorship. Surveillance of private messages on WeChat is also applied to accounts registered to foreign mobile numbers, in order to build up its repository of sensitive files and thus better censor China-registered accounts. The FT reports that within China at least one man has been jailed for calling President Xi a “steamed bun” on the supposedly private messaging service. FT, 7 May & Citizenlab
US / China trade talks resume. China’s Vice Premier Liu He spoke Thursday evening with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and US Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin on the implementation of the ‘phase-one’ agreement. President Trump has said he is willing to terminate the agreement reached by China and the US in January this year should China fail to meet the terms agreed on, but both parties agreed in Thursday’s call that “good progress” was being made. FT, 8 May
A slump exposes holes in China’s welfare state. Economist, 8 May
Long reads
“Once again a battle-scarred Britain must find a new role in the world”. Patrick Wintour looks at UK-China relations. Guardian, 8 May
The Pandemic Bodes Ill for Both American and Chinese Power. Kevin Rudd, Foreign Affairs, 6 May