China News - 9 November 2020
Next week’s event: China: The View from Europe. How will the EU respond to the rise of China? With CDU deputy chairman Johann Wadephul, Czech senator Pavel Fischer, ECFR Asia Director Janka Oertel and Tom Tugendhat MP. Tuesday 17 November, 10-11am. Sign up here.
International
US election: President Xi still yet to congratulate Biden on victory. President Xi Jinping has not yet publicly commented on Mr Biden’s victory over Mr Trump. The FT reports that Beijing expects less volatility but continued tough relations under Joe Biden. “There will be no significant difference under Biden on major issues such as Taiwan, Hong Kong, the South China Sea, Xinjiang, Tibet and China’s religious and human rights situations,” said Shi Yinhong, a professor at Renmin university in Beijing, who advises China’s State Council on foreign affairs. Chinese state media has focused on divisions within the US and Mr Trump’s unwillingness to officially concede. FT, NYT, The Guardian, 9 November
Biden urged to avoid repeating Obama’s mistakes in Asia, amid risk of myopic domestic focus that neglects key issues such as border clashes between India and China. FT, 9 November
Chinese government has crushed human rights in Hong Kong, reports US congressional-executive commission on China. The national security law introduced by Beijing in June has led to arrests, sackings and censorship, the congressional-executive commission on China, an agency that monitors human rights, said in a report. The Chinese military stoked further unease by sharing a video showing armoured vehicles rolling down the streets. The Times, 9 November
Academic freedom: Why Hong Kong students abroad fear the security law. "We are used to the Hong Kong government damaging our speech in Hong Kong, but we expected more freedom to speak in the UK," said one Hong Kong student at Leeds University. "It feels like we are still being monitored." BBC, 9 November
Taiwan says not yet invited to WHO meeting after China's 'obstruction'. The US mission in Geneva has urged WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to invite Taiwan to the WHO’s decision-making body, the World Health Assembly (WHA). Reuters, 9 November
Cambridge student Angela Gui reports being “stalked” by Beijing, having been fighting to free her jailed bookseller father since 2015. During that time, Gui, who is studying for a PhD in the history of science at Cambridge, says she has been subjected to repeated intimidation tactics by agents of the Chinese state. The Times, 8 November
China offers backing to Guinea president after disputed election. Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin congratulated him on his re-election despite accusations from the opposition of fraud during the vote. China has mining interests in Guinea in iron ore and bauxite. Reuters, 9 November
US removes shadowy group from terror list blamed by China for attacks. State department says ‘no credible’ evidence the East Turkestan Islamic Movement exists. The Guardian, 6 November
New guidance to help UK digital firms engage ethically with China. The UK government has launched a new campaign to help UK firms in the tech sector looking for guidance around opportunities in China. “The latest statistics show UK-China bilateral trade has exceeded the £76 billion mark for the first time”. DCMS, 6 November
China watch
Coronavirus: good public education and understanding of control measures key to China’s fight, disease expert says. SCMP
CGTN lauds seizure over 7,500 corrupt Chinese fugitives from 120 countries in past six years through anti-corruption initiative. CGTN
Economy & tech
Analysts expect Biden administration to continue to view China as a competitor; China to continue pursuing increased domestic self-reliance. But analysts are optimistic about a loosening of tech sanctions and more strategic thinking. Bloomberg, Nikkei Asia, 9 November
Scottish Mortgage: 'Ignore the pandemic – it’s all about China'. Baillie Gifford’s flagship investment trust has 23pc of its portfolio in Chinese shares. Co-manager Tom Slater highlighted the east coast of China as the “only place in the world which can rival the west coast of America in terms of creation of new large companies”. The Telegraph, 7 November
China sends 'world's first 6G' test satellite into orbit. BBC, 8 November
Longer reads & opinion
Hong Kong tilts further toward Beijing with Carrie Lam's trip. The Chinese government aims to turn Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao into one supersized Greater Bay Area. And a new proposal would allow Hong Kongers to vote from the mainland in the city’s Legislative Council election in September 2021, expected to boost pro-Beijing candiates. Nikkei, 6 November
Drink up — and help to foil Beijing’s bullying sanctions against Australia. Edward Lucas in The Times, 7 November
China extends reach in the Caribbean, unsettling the US. NYT, 8 November
In China, sports and politics are inseparable, played on an international stage. SCMP, 8 November
In plain sight: how an alleged Chinese spy tried to build an Australian business empire. The Guardian, 7 November
The week ahead
Monday
Fosun-backed Gland Pharma opens IPO in India, becoming the first Chinese-owned company to list in India.
3:15pm: Commons Defence Sub-committee hears oral evidence on foreign involvement in the Defence Supply Chain, with a focus on SMEs.
Tuesday
President Xi Jinping set to virtually attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Russia, alongside India, Pakistan and Central Asia.
2:3pm: Commons Defence Committee hears oral evidence on the Integrated Review with evidence from Dr James Lewis of CSIS and Dr Beyza Unal of Chatham House.
Wednesday
Alibaba’s annual Singles Day takes place and Huawei hosts a two-day broadband forum in Shanghai.
Thursday
Special virtual ASEAN summit kicks off, focusing on Covid-19.
Quarterly results from Tencent and SMIC, which was hit by US export controls.
Friday
Saudi Arabia hosts extraordinary meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors, expected to be focused on debt forgiveness amid the COVID-19 pandemic.