China News 9 September 2020
International
WeChat and TikTok taking China censorship global. A new ASPI study finds evidence of TikTok censoring content outside of China, such as hashtags related to LGBTQ+ issues. Bloomberg, ASPI report, 9 September
Australian journalists Bill Birtles and Michael Smith tell of their escape from China. Having returned to Australia, the two journalists recounted the details of their police interviews. The Times, AFR, 9 September
Cheng Lei: China says journalist 'endangered national security'. China continues to detain the Australian journalist, who has been under “residential surveillance” in an anonymous location since 14 August. BBC, 8 September
Chinese government claims “there has never been such a thing as ‘re-education camps’ in Xinjiang”. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian continued to deny any mistreatment of Uighurs at his regular press conference yesterday. FMPRC, 8 September
US readies bans on cotton and tomato imports from Xinjiang. BBC, 9 September
Protesters boycott Disney’s Mulan film over ‘ties to Uighur camps’. The Times, 9 September
China accuses Australia of raiding its journalists' homes amid reports Canberra cancelled academics' visas. BBC, 9 September
Xi Focus: China holds meeting to commend COVID-19 fight success. Xinhua (state-owned media), Bloomberg, 8 September
Reunified Pakistani Taliban threatens China's Belt and Road. Nikkei, 8 September
Kim Jong Un’s dependence on China grows as virus hits economy. FT, 9 September
Economy & tech
US companies defy Trump’s demands to leave China. A new survey of US companies with operations in China finds that 70% of respondents have no plans to relocate any manufacturing out of China. FT, 9 September
Beyond Meat builds China presence with new production facility. It is the first foreign company specialising in plant-based meat to build production facilities in China. FT, 8 September
China’s economic recovery continues as pressure eases on consumers, manufacturers in August. SMCP, 9 September
China set to be top world corn buyer amid fears over domestic corn harvest. Yahoo Finance, 9 September
Bottled water flotation makes founder China's third-richest man. The Guardian, 8 September
Longer reads & opinion
China’s second-generation ethnic policies are already here. Made in China Journal, 7 September
China’s growing influence in the arts and entertainment industry. Axios, 8 September
How Disney enlisted ‘Mulan,’ a $200 million folktale, to court China. WSJ, 2 September
Chinaskepticism: Tory backbenchers press Boris Johnson to turn tough on Beijing. Politico, 9 September
Prickly, proud, authoritarian: how should Australia deal with China now? The Guardian, 9 September
China’s Middle East strategy comes at a cost to the US. FT, 9 September
How China's strained relationship with foreign media unravelled. The Guardian, 9 September
Tide of opinion turns against China over Taiwan and Uighurs. The Times, 9 September