• Rivalries aside, it’s vital for US and Chinese navies to keep talking
• Peru seeks to avoid arbitration over Chinese-built megaport
• Tesla’s stock leaps on reports of Chinese approval for the company’s driving software
• [Sport] Tesla shares jump after reports of China deal
• Giant pandas from China to visit San Diego zoo under conservation partnership
• How 5G, AI and a cotton revolution helped China beat US Xinjiang sanctions
• China should bail on US bonds even faster, scholar says, as bilateral tensions and anxieties mount
• Customs finds US$330,000 stashed in pillow, cake bags of 2 men trying to cross into Hong Kong from mainland China
• China’s consumers seek security in ‘the only safe asset’ as gold purchases remain strong
• Taiwan semiconductor firm KYEC to exit mainland China amid geopolitical tensions, changes in cross-strait chip supply chain
• China launches first of 8 advanced stealth submarines for Pakistan Navy
• China confirms Xi Jinping’s European tour will include visits to France, Serbia and Hungary
• Elon Musk visits China as Tesla seeks green light for self-driving cars
• Solomon Islands China-friendly PM Sogavare not standing for new term
• ‘Watershed moment’ for Tesla as Elon Musk’s visit to China reaps quick reward
• Mainland China’s top spy agency vows to fight ‘Taiwan independence’ ahead of William Lai’s inauguration
• Chinese man, 86, marries first love in touching, lively ceremony decades after they dated at Peking University
• [Sport] MP says he was deported from Africa over China criticism
• Elon Musk in China: Tesla passes data security assessment that could pave way for lifting of bars to its cars’ movements
• Global Impact: Mainland China pins its hopes on Taiwan’s former leader Ma Ying-jeou after meeting Xi Jinping during ‘journey of peace’
• China and Bolivia should safeguard Global South interests, says Wang Yi as South American nation appeals for Brics entry
• World’s largest electric container ship starts service between China’s major coastal cities
• Extreme weather in Guangzhou kills five and brings destruction to China’s industrial heartland
• Singapore sees fewer new Chinese family offices after money-laundering crackdown
• Man behind China’s first approved Covid-19 shot expelled from national legislature
• Japan aims to put a man on the moon ahead of China as it partners with US in ‘Apollo programme on steroids’

Rivalries aside, it’s vital for US and Chinese navies to keep talking

https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3260751/rivalries-aside-its-vital-us-and-chinese-navies-keep-talking?utm_source=rss_feed

April 23 marked the 75th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy in China, celebrated with various activities showcasing its achievements, capabilities and contributions to national defence and maritime security.

Alongside events in multiple coastal cities offering visitors the opportunity to board PLA navy vessels, significant attention was focused on the start of the 19th Western Pacific Naval Symposium in Qingdao, held from April 21 to 24.

Themed “Seas of Shared Future”, this biennial meeting was convened with more than 180 foreign naval officials from 29 countries, who voted to adopt the latest version of the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea and the updated disaster response guidelines. Additionally, it served as a stage for military diplomacy, and was closely observed for signs of increased engagement between China and the United States.

On April 23, during a talk in Washington, US navy secretary Carlos Del Toro called for enhanced engagement between the navies of both countries, in traditional and non-traditional security fields. He stressed the significance of cultivating a sustainable military relationship with China. This stance was articulated even as he has acknowledged that the recent trilateral summit involving the US, Japan and the Philippines was prompted by concerns over China’s maritime claims.

Amid discussions on China-US naval competition, concerns have arisen about major shipbuilding delays in the US. Some have even labelled the shipping industry as a new battleground in the US-China trade war. Additionally, there are concerns about China’s burgeoning shipbuilding industry and the PLA Navy’s expanding capacity, potentially providing Beijing with a strategic advantage in conflicts.

There are growing calls advocating for the US Navy to promptly develop and deploy additional capabilities, as well as address issues with ship design, production, maintenance, repair and human resources. Del Toro has said the US would be open to shipyards in Japan and South Korea assembling some warships to increase production.

Amid an increased US military presence in the South China Sea and the recent deployment of its Mid-Range Capability missile system, also known as the Typhon Weapon System, on the northern Philippine Island of Luzon, fostering increased dialogue between naval forces on maritime security issues is vital.

The participation of US Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Stephen Koehler at the latest Western Pacific Naval Symposium – following the first in-person meeting between US and Chinese military representatives in years, held in Hawaii in early April – signifies a shared political willingness to address maritime security challenges.

Both the US and China have shown the multifaceted roles of their navies, which encompass traditional and non-traditional security functions such as research, rescue, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and counter-piracy operations. For instance, the PLA Navy has collaborated with the US to combat piracy, notably off the coast of Somalia.

For more than 15 years, the PLA Navy has conducted hundreds of escort missions to safeguard international trade routes. In light of the current crisis in the Red Sea, there is growing pressure for collaboration between the Chinese and US navies in jointly escorting commercial vessels.

The US and China have collaborated on maritime law-enforcement matters, including efforts to combat illegal fishing and smuggling. Both countries are parties to international fisheries conventions and agreements.

These agreements aim to promote the conservation of fish stocks, ranging from bluefin tuna and pollock to endangered species of wild fauna and flora. One of the latest is the Agreement to Prevent Unregulated High Seas Fisheries in the Central Arctic Ocean, which aims to implement precautionary conservation and management measures.

Both China and the US have also helped other countries in their response to natural disasters and humanitarian crises. This includes deploying naval vessels, aircraft and personnel to deliver aid, conduct medical evacuations and support relief efforts.

US-China dialogue on maritime security issues, such as the Military Maritime Consultative Agreement (MMCA), serve as a platform for communication, crisis management and confidence-building measures.

The two-day discussions in Honolulu earlier this month marked the resumption of the MMCA Working Group, a series of annual operational safety dialogues. Military dialogue between the US and China had been suspended until high-level meetings last November in San Francisco.

During the discussions in Honolulu, military officials from both countries reviewed recent safety-related events in the region and discussed strategies for maintaining professionalism as well as maritime and aerial operational safety.

While cooperation in maritime security remains possible, it is overshadowed by overall US-China competition and geopolitical tensions. In the future, both countries are expected to persist in their strategic competition across various domains, including military capabilities, technology development, shipbuilding capacity, and influence in both regional and global affairs.

This rivalry may lead to an increased military presence as well as exercises and deployments in strategically significant areas. Therefore, effectively managing differences, fostering trust and adhering to international norms and rules are critical challenges when it comes to advancing US-China cooperation in this vital domain.

Improving communication among junior naval officials through various channels, such as capacity building and training, could also help to cultivate navy-to-navy relationships.

Furthermore, both navies should remain engaged in multilateral forums and initiatives focused on enhancing security and safety of navigation, regardless of whether they are sailing in international waters or in contested areas.

The 19th Western Pacific Naval Symposium provided a good example of a forum for dialogue and cooperation among naval officials from diverse nations, including the US and China.

Peru seeks to avoid arbitration over Chinese-built megaport

https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3260840/peru-seeks-avoid-arbitration-over-chinese-built-megaport?utm_source=rss_feed

The Peruvian government is looking to avoid an international arbitration process which could be filed by Chinese port operator Cosco Shipping over a legal dispute regarding exclusivity rights to a massive facility being built by the firm, an official said on Monday.

Cosco sent a letter to Peru’s economy ministry in mid-April to start a six-month negotiation process to reach an amicable resolution without having to resort to international arbitration, local media first reported on Monday.

Economy Minister Jose Arista said in an interview with local radio station RPP that he had received the letter but not yet replied.

In March, Peru’s port authority said an “administrative error” had given Cosco Shipping exclusivity over operations at the Chancay megaport and asked a judge to annul the decision. Cosco is expected to spend US$1.3 billion on the first stage of the site.

Since then, the government has pushed measures to allow private port operators to exclusively provide services.

Arista said he was “sure” that Peru and Cosco would not have to go through arbitration proceedings.

“We will reach an agreement before,” he said.

Cosco’s office in Peru did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Peru megaport to open new Pacific route to China. Will it be a win for all?

A free-trade agreement between Peru and China, which has been in effect since 2009, protects investments and has allowed increased trade between the countries.

“Our thinking is that [the proposition] will soon be up for a second vote in Congress, which will calm the mood,” Arista said.

In Peru, measures must be voted on twice to become binding. Lawmakers passed the motion in a first vote earlier this month, though the second vote is still pending.

This month, Cosco Shipping confirmed that its investment in the Chancay port was continuing and that it still expected to inaugurate the first part of the port in November for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) leaders’ summit.

Tesla’s stock leaps on reports of Chinese approval for the company’s driving software

https://apnews.com/article/tesla-china-fsd-autonomous-elon-musk-a5d65ebb4b289668f8a0bcf2760d0071FILE - A Model X sports-utility vehicle sits outside a Tesla store in Littleton, Colo., June 18, 2023. Shares of Tesla stock rallied Monday, April 29, 2024, after the electric vehicle maker's CEO, Elon Musk, paid a surprise visit to Beijing over the weekend and reportedly won tentative approval for its driving software. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

2024-04-29T19:02:07Z

NEW YORK (AP) — Shares of Tesla stock rallied Monday after the electric vehicle maker’s CEO, Elon Musk, paid a surprise visit to Beijing over the weekend and reportedly won tentative approval for its driving software.

Musk met with a senior government official in the Chinese capital Sunday, just as the nation’s carmakers are showing off their latest electric vehicle models at the Beijing auto show.

According to The Wall Street Journal, which cited anonymous sources familiar with the matter, Chinese officials told Tesla that Beijing has tentatively approved the automaker’s plan to launch its “Full Self-Driving,” or FSD, software feature in the country.

Although it’s called FSD, the software still requires human supervision. On Friday the U.S. government’s auto safety agency said it is investigating whether last year’s recall of Tesla’s Autopilot driving system did enough to make sure drivers pay attention to the road. Tesla has reported 20 more crashes involving Autopilot since the recall, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In afternoon trading, shares in Tesla Inc., which is based in Austin, Texas, surged almost 15% — its biggest one-day jump since February 2020. For the year to date, shares are still down 22%.

Tesla has been contending with its stock slide and slowing production. Last week, the company said its first-quarter net income plunged by more than half, but it touted a newer, cheaper car and a fully autonomous robotaxi as catalysts for future growth.

Wedbush analyst Dan Ives called the news about the Chinese approval a “home run” for Tesla and maintained his “Outperform” rating on the stock.

“We note Tesla has stored all data collected by its Chinese fleet in Shanghai since 2021 as required by regulators in Beijing,” Ives wrote in a note to investors. “If Musk is able to obtain approval from Beijing to transfer data collected in China abroad this would be pivotal around the acceleration of training its algorithms for its autonomous technology globally.”

[Sport] Tesla shares jump after reports of China deal

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgxwlqej0jjo[Sport] Tesla shares jump after reports of China deal

Giant pandas from China to visit San Diego zoo under conservation partnership

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/29/giant-pandas-san-diego-zoo

A pair of giant pandas will soon make the journey from China to the US, where they will be cared for at the San Diego zoo as part of an ongoing conservation partnership between the two nations, officials said on Monday.

The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance said its caretakers recently visited China to meet the giant pandas, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, ahead of their planned trip to southern California. An exact date for the handoff has not been set.

Yun Chuan, a mild-mannered male who is nearly five years old, has “deep connections” to California, the wildlife alliance said. His mother, Zhen Zhen, was born at the San Diego Zoo in 2007 to parents Bai Yun and Gao Gao.

Xin Bao is a nearly four-year-old female described as “a gentle and witty introvert with a sweet round face and big ears”.

“Our conservation partners in China shared photographs and personality traits of Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, but meeting them in person was so special,” said Dr Megan Owen, the alliance’s vice-president of conservation science. “It’s inspiring as people from around the world come together to conserve, protect, and care for these special bears, and we can’t wait to welcome them to San Diego.”

The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has a nearly 30-year partnership with leading conservation institutions in China focused on protecting and recovering giant pandas and the bamboo forests they depend on.

How 5G, AI and a cotton revolution helped China beat US Xinjiang sanctions

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3260766/how-5g-ai-and-cotton-revolution-helped-china-beat-us-xinjiang-sanctions?utm_source=rss_feed

A “revolutionary shift” in the technology used in Xinjiang’s textile mills has seen a record surge in exports, in defiance of US sanctions which have barred most Western fashion labels from selling any product woven with a strand of the region’s cotton.

Customs records show Xinjiang’s textile exports last year reached 108 billion yuan (US$14.8 billion), with a 74 per cent jump for yarn and other raw materials, and a rise of 30 per cent for clothing.

The 2023 results followed Washington’s sanctions imposed in June the previous year, which largely banned Xinjiang textiles over human rights concerns over the alleged treatment of the region’s largely Muslim Uygur population.

In the same period, Indian and Vietnamese textile exports dipped by 6 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively.

At about the same time, Chinese scientists, with government and industry support, introduced artificial intelligence and 5G to Xinjiang’s mills, according to a peer-reviewed paper published earlier this month by the Chinese academic journal Textile Technology.

The technologies slashed energy use and improved quality, boosting Xinjiang cotton’s global competitiveness, said the project team, led by senior engineer Huang Kehua, in the paper.

“The sweeping and efficient digital connection brings a revolutionary shift to the manufacturing process, making it smarter and more productive,” according to the team.

Xinjiang’s factories had already automated cotton spinning before the sanctions. But while the machines handled every step of the process, they operated independently and relied on human supervision, according to the paper.

The scientists found that malfunctions, downtime and other vital data and events were recorded manually, while quality assurance also relied on random manual checks because of the high output volumes.

Electricity bills, based on overall consumption, were paid monthly by the factories, without much consideration for how efficiencies could be achieved. But efficiency gains were also hampered by the reliance on manual machine management, they said.

According to European Parliament data, textile factories worldwide account for 10 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions, second only to the petrochemical industry and more than aviation and shipping combined.

Huang and his colleagues said there was a huge potential to increase the market appeal of Xinjiang’s textile products by reducing the energy consumption of the factories where they were made.

Their first step was to use 5G technology to connect all of a factory’s machines, not only the spinning machinery but also other energy-consuming equipment such as air conditioners and air purification systems.

Because of 5G’s swifter speeds compared to conventional wireless technology, it supports more connections and drastically cuts data transmission delays – paving the way for AI to oversee the factory’s entire operation.

The researchers said that in a typical Xinjiang textile factory today, AI was monitoring every spindle rotation to alert operators or maintenance staff to inspect potential problems identified by vast data gathering from sensors.

Because it continually learned and improved, AI could boost energy efficiency by coordinating devices and identifying any with unusually high consumption, cutting monthly power use by more than 1 per cent, the paper said.

With AI also overseeing the quality of every yarn, intervening to prevent any flawed strands from progressing to the next stage of production, the “brain system” had achieved “global control of the factory”, Huang and his colleagues said.

According to the paper, China Unicom, one of the country’s telecommunications giants, is providing substantial support for the technological advancements in Xinjiang’s textile sector.

In contrast to other countries – where 5G technology is rarely used in factories – mainly because of its high cost, China’s extensive construction of 5G base stations and rapid technological advances have significantly reduced the expense.

A cutting-edge 5G IoT communications module in China is now priced as low as 65 yuan (US$9), a fraction of the cost compared to similar products available in Western markets, according to industry data.

The transformation of Xinjiang’s textile industry represents just part of the broader upgrade taking place across the region’s entire industrial landscape.

China’s state grid expects Xinjiang’s renewable energy generation capacity to surpass fossil fuels by the end of this year – thanks to rapid development of solar and wind power – providing cheap, clean energy for manufacturing and AI computing centres.

Automated planting and harvesting have been adopted in nearly all of the region’s cotton fields, while drones are further improving crop quality through pest monitoring and pesticide application, local media has reported.

Despite a gradual decrease in the total area of its cotton fields over the years, Xinjiang’s output has increased as a result of these technological advancements, according to the reports.

Xinjiang, the largest provincial-level administrative region in China, produces more than 90 per cent of China’s cotton, and a quarter more than the entire output of the United States.

According to the US Labour Department, “it is possible that hundreds of thousands of workers are being subjected to forced labour as part of this [expansion of Xinjiang’s textile industry]”.

“Uygur detainees work as forced labourers to produce textiles. They receive little pay, are not allowed to leave, and have limited or no communication with family members,” the department said on its website.

The US government alleges that Xinjiang cotton products may involve forced labour and lawmakers are considering a new round of sanctions on popular Chinese fast fashion retailers.

Republican Senator Marco Rubio this month called for an investigation into Shein, a Hong Kong-backed fashion retailer, and e-commerce firm Temu for potential violations of his Uygur Forced Labour Prevention Act (UFLPA).

In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Rubio said the companies should be added to the UFLPA entity list if they were found to be in violation of the law.

Also in April, the Chinese government initiated the latest round in its nationwide effort to modernise manufacturing.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, projections indicate that by the end of next year, 70 per cent of China’s textile factories will have achieved digital connectivity and completed the AI transformation.

---

China should bail on US bonds even faster, scholar says, as bilateral tensions and anxieties mount

https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3260814/china-should-bail-us-bonds-even-faster-scholar-says-bilateral-tensions-and-anxieties-mount?utm_source=rss_feed

China’s investment in US government bonds is fraught with risks, tepid returns and other vulnerabilities – all of which should motivate Beijing to unwind its holdings further and avoid being held “hostage” by Washington’s “exorbitant privileges,” a prominent scholar has said.

Di Dongsheng, vice-dean of Renmin University’s School of International Studies, warned the enormous sums of Chinese assets and capital parked in the US could be “taken hostage” by Washington if Beijing were to step up the defence of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“There’s no reason to load up on US Treasuries,” Di said in an article for the April issue of Contemporary International Relations, the journal of state think tank the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations. “We have seen how Washington treated Russia’s overseas assets, and its sequestration of German and Japanese assets during World War I and World War II.”

He also said the prevalence of US Treasuries and the US dollar as a medium of international exchange exemplify the country’s “exorbitant privilege”, creating an entrenched global dominance that allows Washington to binge on debt and make gains at the expense of others.

The manufacturing prowess of the world’s second-largest economy makes it easier to reduce its holdings, argued Di, also a researcher with Renmin University’s International Monetary Institute.

Beijing has been steadily dumping US Treasury bills while diversifying its foreign assets, offloading US$22.7 billion in February alone. Its total holdings were US$775 billion at the end of that month according to the US Treasury Department, a far cry from the all-time high of US$1.316 trillion in November 2013.

That reduction is occurring as bilateral ties wane, with the two superpowers engaged in parallel struggles over trade and tech and the West taking steps to disentangle itself from China’s economy. Beijing has also grown wary of the US weaponising its financial power, and is making its own pivot to reduce exposure.

He said Beijing’s active promotion of the yuan’s use overseas – especially in emerging economies – as well as the creation of the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, New Development Bank and Cross-Border Interbank Payment System, have all created new channels for China to withdraw trillions in foreign reserves which would otherwise be controlled by Washington and its allies.

Under an earlier export-oriented model, China was a prolific buyer of Treasuries, taking pains to prevent the yuan from appreciating and keep its goods competitive.

But maintaining over a trillion US dollars’ worth of Treasuries also led to years of losses through overseas investment, Di said, especially compared to what American investors were raking in from the Chinese market.

“Part of the Chinese people’s hard-won US dollars flows back to the US through capital circulation.”

The analyst also called for more confidence in managing the yuan as China’s exports grow more competitive, questioning the necessity of suppressing the currency’s appreciation through large foreign exchange purchases.

“There’s no need, since China has progressed up the value chain and upgraded products from cheap goods to tech-intensive ones, whose export is less sensitive to prices,” Di said. “A more competitive export sector means the impact from a relatively volatile yuan is manageable, and the yuan can hold up even amid shorting attacks.”

Citing views from other authorities, including former central bank adviser Yu Yongding, Di concluded that the key to fending off external risks and short seller attacks is decisive control over capital accounts rather than a bulging foreign reserve fund.

Customs finds US$330,000 stashed in pillow, cake bags of 2 men trying to cross into Hong Kong from mainland China

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3260815/customs-finds-us330000-stashed-pillow-cake-bags-2-men-trying-cross-hong-kong-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed

Mainland Chinese customs officers have intercepted about US$330,000 in banknotes from two visitors who hid some of the cash in a pillow and bags of cake while attempting to enter Hong Kong.

The General Administration of Customs said on Monday that the two men, who were departing in a group, were stopped at the Luohu border checkpoint building in recent days after an X-ray scanner detected abnormalities in their luggage.

Thirty-five stacks of US$100 bills amounting to about US$330,000 were subsequently found in a pillow, books and bags of cake, it said.

Under mainland laws, inbound and outbound passengers carrying over 20,000 yuan, or more than US$5,000 or an equivalent amount in other foreign currencies, in cash, must make a declaration to customs.

On April 20, Luohu customs also caught a passenger trying to bring US$88,600 into Hong Kong. Nine stacks of US dollar bills were found in the passenger’s trouser pockets, shoe soles and backpack, as well as round the waist and abdomen area.

Early last month, Huanggang port’s customs detected another Hong Kong-bound traveller carrying US$195,400 in cash in a backpack

China’s consumers seek security in ‘the only safe asset’ as gold purchases remain strong

https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3260798/chinas-consumers-seek-security-only-safe-asset-gold-purchases-remain-strong?utm_source=rss_feed

Chinese consumers are increasing their appetite for gold, seeking to protect their assets amid a volatile stock market, a depreciating yuan and property doldrums, which analysts said would continue to boost international gold prices coupled with geopolitical uncertainties.

Consumers in China bought 308.9 tonnes (10.9 million ounces) of gold in the first quarter, representing a 5.9 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2023, according to data released by the China Gold Association on Friday.

Purchases of gold bars and coins, which largely reflect investment and hedging demand, surged by 26.8 per cent year on year to 106.3 tonnes, while gold jewellery sales declined by 3 per cent from a year earlier to 183.9 tonnes.

But China’s domestic gold production rose by 21.2 per cent to only 139.184 tonnes in the first three months of the year, with 53.2 tonnes produced with imported ores or materials, indicating an overreliance on overseas suppliers.

“Gold represents the only safe asset for [Chinese consumers] to protect their wealth against domestic inflation, asset price declines as well as against geopolitical risks,” said Chen Zhiwu, the chair professor of finance at the University of Hong Kong.

“I expect Chinese household demand for gold to rise more in the future. And the Chinese central bank will also continue to purchase more gold to prepare for more geopolitical turmoil ahead.”

As of Friday, the benchmark London gold price had reached US$2,337.6 per ounce, marking a 13.5 per cent increase since the beginning of the year, and about a 54.1 per cent increase from the start of 2020.

“The escalation in gold holdings by global central banks, coupled with heightened gold demand in the Chinese market, has emerged as significant drivers propelling recent gold prices beyond market expectations,” the Bank of China said on Friday.

China’s central bank bought 160,000 ounces of gold bullion in March, marking its 17th consecutive monthly purchase and bringing its total reserves to 2,262 tonnes (72.74 million ounces), as it aims to diversify holdings away from US bonds amid strained bilateral relations.

Over the past two years, China’s stock market had continued to oscillate at a low level, coupled with declining interest rates and reduced returns on wealth management products.

The instability has heightened the appeal of gold, especially as more countries pivot away from US dollar assets amid geopolitical tensions and the weaponisation of currency, leading to an increase in gold holdings, the Bank of China report added.

“In the future, gold prices are expected to sustain their robust upwards trajectory, driven by ongoing global central bank efforts to de-dollarise, escalating geopolitical uncertainty, and shifts in the [US] Federal Reserve’s monetary policy,” the report said.

China eclipsed India as the largest purchaser of gold jewellery in 2023, with consumption totalling 630 tonnes last year, representing an annual increase of 10 per cent.

“The China story is one of the reasons supporting gold prices, but the global risk-off sentiment is also fuelling the demand,” said Gary Ng, senior economist at Natixis Corporate and Investment Bank, who expected China’s demand for gold to remain resilient in 2024.

“Beyond China, whether the US can take inflation is another determinant for future gold prices, which is probably the biggest uncertainty.”

Taiwan semiconductor firm KYEC to exit mainland China amid geopolitical tensions, changes in cross-strait chip supply chain

https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3260807/taiwan-semiconductor-firm-kyec-exit-mainland-china-amid-geopolitical-tensions-changes-cross-strait?utm_source=rss_feed

Taiwan’s King Yuan Electronics Co (KYEC), one of the world’s largest semiconductor testing and packaging services firms, has divested its entire stake in a subsidiary at manufacturing hub Suzhou, in eastern Jiangsu province, as part of efforts to exit mainland China amid geopolitical tensions and cross-strait chip supply chain changes.

KYEC unit KYEC Microelectronics Co has disposed of its entire 92.16 per cent share in subsidiary King Long Technology (Suzhou) for 4.9 billion yuan (US$676 million) to a consortium that includes King Legacy Investments, LePower (HK), Anchor Light Holdings, Suzhou Industrial Park Industrial Investment Fund, TongFu Microelectronics Co, and the Shanghai State-owned Enterprises Integrated Improvement and Experiment Private Equity Fund Partnership, according to an April 26 announcement published on the KYEC website.

That deal is expected to be completed within the third quarter of this year. The funds raised will be used to invest in high-end testing technology and equipment “to meet the strong demand in artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance computing and related markets”, according to KYEC.

“The board of directors has made a decision to withdraw from [mainland] China’s semiconductor manufacturing business,” KYEC said.

The company, based in the northwestern city of Hsinchu in Taiwan, said its decision was based on the impact of the United States’ restrictions on mainland China’s semiconductor industry, which has led to changes in the cross-strait chip supply chain, and on intensified market competition.

The Taiwan-listed shares of KYEC closed up 3.56 per cent to NT$98.90 (US$3.03) on Monday.

KYEC did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the same day.

The company’s decision to exit its operations in mainland China show how intensifying US tech restrictions continue to affect the country’s manufacturing supply chain, which has prompted companies like Foxconn Technology Group, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co and Intel to expand production in other markets.

The decision by KYEC to exit the mainland comes weeks after the Biden administration updated semiconductor-related export restrictions against China to close loopholes in previous curbs imposed last October, with the goal to prevent Beijing’s development of AI for military use.

KYEC was one of the first Taiwanese semiconductor firms to set up manufacturing on the mainland after China joined the World Trade Organization in December 2001.

As the demand for advanced semiconductors in China used in electric vehicles, cloud computing and AI applications continues to grow, Beijing has called for increased self-reliance on high-end technologies and support for domestic enterprises to acquire locally made chips.

China launches first of 8 advanced stealth submarines for Pakistan Navy

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3260820/china-launches-first-8-advanced-stealth-submarines-pakistan-navy?utm_source=rss_feed

China has launched the first of eight advanced Hangor-class submarines being developed for Pakistan, in a sign of strengthening military cooperation between the two countries, the Pakistan Navy has said.

A launch ceremony for the vessel, attended by high-ranking officials from Pakistan and China, was held on Friday at Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group’s Shuangliu Base in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, according to a Pakistan Navy statement.

The contract for the submarines was signed between the Pakistan government and China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Company Ltd (CSOC) during a visit to Pakistan by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2015, the statement said.

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The submarines will play a pivotal role in maintaining peace and stability in the region, Admiral Naveed Ashraf, the Pakistani chief of naval staff, said during the ceremony.

The construction contract for the submarines would “add a new dimension to the ever-tested Pakistan-China friendship”, he added.

Under the contract, which includes an agreement to transfer technology, four of the submarines will be built in China and the other four will be built in Pakistan.

The stealth vessels would be fitted with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors, the statement said.

China is Pakistan’s top supplier of weapons, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which tracks global arms sales.

In a March report, SIPRI said 82 per cent of Pakistan’s arms imports were from China between 2019 and 2023, compared to 69 per cent from 2014 to 2018.

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China accounted for 5.8 per cent of total global arms exports in between 2019 and 2023, SIPRI said in its report. In the same period, China delivered major arms to 40 states, but well over half of these exports, 61 per cent, were shipped to just one nation – Pakistan, the report said.

A former senior Pakistan naval officer with knowledge of the negotiations told the Financial Times in 2015 that the contract could be worth between US$4 billion to US$5 billion.

Specifics about the eight submarines remain unknown, but online media outlet Naval News reported that the vessels were an export variant of the Chinese navy’s Type 039A/041 Yuan-class submarines.

The two countries have been “all-weather strategic cooperative partners” since Xi visited Pakistan in 2015, and their close ties have been underpinned by long-standing wariness of their common neighbour and rival, India.

The two countries also have shared economic interests centred around the US$65 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a centrepiece of Beijing’s belt and road cooperation with Pakistan.

They conducted joint air exercises last year, the first joint drills between the two militaries since Pakistan commissioned Chinese-made J-10CE fighters in its air force in 2022.

China confirms Xi Jinping’s European tour will include visits to France, Serbia and Hungary

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3260810/china-confirms-xi-jinpings-european-tour-will-include-visits-france-serbia-and-hungary?utm_source=rss_feed

China has confirmed that President Xi Jinping will visit Europe next month, travelling to France, Serbia and Hungary between May 5 and 10.

The visit comes at a crucial time amid escalating trade tensions between Beijing and Brussels and with Russia’s war in Ukraine continuing.

The trip to France, where he will meet President Emmanuel Macron, will be Xi’s first in five years.

Lin Jian, a spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, said China looks forward to working with France to further enhance political mutual trust and cooperation through Xi’s visit, which could also “inject stability into the development of China-Europe relations and make new contributions to peace and stability in the world”.

Macron had promised to visit China every year while in office and he expects these visits to be reciprocated by China’s leader.

The foreign ministry also said that Xi would discuss upgrading China-Serbia relations when he meets his counterpart Aleksandar Vučić.

China has no ‘fundamental’ conflict of interest with Germany, Xi tells Scholz

Lin said China looks forward to working with Serbia, which is not a member of the European Union, and using this visit as a chance to “cement ironclad friendship” and expand practical cooperation between the two countries.

During Xi’s visit to Hungary, he is expected to hold talks with Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok and Prime Minister Viktor Orban respectively. Hungary has confirmed the Chinese president will visit on May 8-10 after he visits Serbia.

Hungary under Orban has been the most China-friendly country in the EU. Orban attended the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing in October, pledging to enhance infrastructure collaboration between the two countries, and they are now working on the completion and opening of the Budapest-Belgrade Railway.

Hungary and Serbia are also close to Russia, with Orban repeatedly rejecting calls within the EU to sever economic ties with Moscow, which Hungary depends on for oil and gas supplies.

Xi’s trip comes at a time of growing European concern about trade practices, including limited access to the Chinese market and the huge trade imbalance.

The bloc has launched a series of investigations into alleged subsidies that help Chinese firms undercut their European competitors. It recently launched a probe into China’s public procurement of medical devices, solar panels and wind turbines, following a previous investigation into the electric vehicle sector that began in October.

Beijing has repeatedly objected to these actions, and has urged countries to exert their strategic autonomy – a stance that aligns with Macron’s call for a more robust and independent EU.

China under scrutiny over Ukraine as Xi prepares for Europe tour, Putin visit

Next month Xi will welcome Russian President Vladimir Putin to Beijing, following his last visit in October – a trip that is certain to attract close attention from the international community.

China’s closeness to Russia and its stance on the Ukraine war are a major source of tension with the EU despite its insistence it is neutral in the conflict.

Elon Musk visits China as Tesla seeks green light for self-driving cars

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/04/29/china-tesla-elon-musk-autopilot/2024-04-29T01:02:46.307Z

Tesla received some encouraging news during CEO Elon Musk’s two-day visit to China, overcoming a major data security hurdle and sealing a deal to use maps created by China’s biggest search engine, moving it one step closer to being able to use its Autopilot technology in the country.

Both were positive developments for Tesla, which reported a steep plunge in profits last week, as it tries to convince Chinese regulators that its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software is safe for use — despite repeated crashes in the United States.

Beijing has been cautious about FSD, both because of safety concerns — three people were killed in China on Friday in an apparent autopilot accident involving an SUV made by a domestic company — and because it wants to ensure local carmakers aren’t left behind.

Tesla has reached a deal with search giant Baidu to use its street-level mapping data in China, a person familiar with the agreement said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive business decision. This comes with a credential of the highest level of surveying and mapping qualification, clearing a key obstacle to later approval from the government, the person said.

Bloomberg first reported that Tesla had struck a partnership deal with Baidu, clearing a key regulatory hurdle for Tesla to offer its driver-assistance system in China. Under the deal, Tesla will deliver its autonomous driving services based on Baidu’s mapping and navigation functions.

That came as all cars produced in Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory were declared to be compliant with the country’s data security requirements.

The government-backed China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said it will allow Tesla vehicles to park or drive near government- and military-related properties. Teslas had previously been banned from such areas, with officials citing potential security risks and concerns over what data the carmaker could collect. Those fears have now apparently been assuaged.

The green light on data security could signal a change, some experts said.

“Data compliance was once the most outstanding restriction faced by Tesla,” said Qiu Kaijun, a Chinese automotive industry analyst. “Now that has been cleared, I see no major hurdles policy-wise for Full Self-Driving’s entry to the Chinese market.”

Musk sat down Sunday with Premier Li Qiang, who was in charge of Shanghai in 2018 when Tesla became China’s first wholly foreign-owned automaker and opened a sprawling manufacturing base in the Chinese financial center. Li, a loyal lieutenant of top leader Xi Jinping, had previously called the Tesla founder an “old friend.”

At a state guesthouse reserved for foreign government leaders and some of Beijing’s most important guests, a smiling Li told Musk that Tesla’s Gigafactory in Shanghai had been a “paradigm of success” for foreign enterprises in China, according to state media.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry and state media didn’t confirm whether Musk raised the issue of the FSD system. But the vice president for Tesla China, Grace Tao, wrote on social media that Musk told Li about his expectations for autonomous driving and artificial intelligence.

Earlier this month, Musk wrote on X, the social media platform he owns, that the FSD rollout could happen “very soon.”

Media outlets reported Monday that Tesla had made progress on these issues during Musk’s visit.

Chinese officials had “tentatively approved” the company’s request to launch its FSD software in the country, the Wall Street Journal cited an anonymous source in saying.

The first hint that the Chinese government was reviewing Tesla’s request favorably came a year ago, when Chen Kele, the deputy director of Shanghai’s intelligent manufacturing promotion division, told state media that the municipal government would boost ties with Tesla in bringing autonomous driving and robot modules to Shanghai.

While the progress does not give Tesla immediate access for FSD, it is “at least a display of confidence” from Beijing, said Qiu, the analyst, adding that a partnership with a Chinese company may help alleviate security concerns.

But others said that regulators in Beijing had little incentive to facilitate a fast rollout by a foreign company when rival Chinese automakers, such as Xpeng, are trying to gain an advantage over Tesla by releasing similar software.

“There’s no strategic value” for Beijing to support FSD’s domestic rollout when there are high-quality domestic alternatives, tech analyst and equity researcher Junheng Li said on X.

There are still plenty of doubts about the reliability of self-driving software. Crashes in China and the United States have raised alarms about safety and prompted regulators to go slowly.

After a two-year investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration identified hundreds of crashes — 13 of them fatal — and is now reviewing whether Tesla’s fixes during the December recall of 2 million vehicles went far enough.

Tesla insists that drivers are solely responsible for crashes, but lawsuits — and a federal investigation — contend that Tesla exaggerated the capabilities of the Autopilot feature, creating a false sense of complacency that led drivers to tragedy.

In China, electric car companies are also reeling from a series of deadly crashes associated with autopiloting mode.

A Chinese-made AITO M7 electric SUV, powered with Huawei’s autopiloting technology, crashed into a sprinkler truck on a highway on Friday in Shanxi, killing all three passengers, including a 2-year-old boy. Seres, the Huawei-backed carmaker, said it is cooperating with police for an investigation into the case.

Tesla’s sales in China are dwindling in the face of intense competition from domestic rivals. Tesla accounted for 3.7 percent of total car sales in China last month, almost one-fifth lower than in March last year, according to the latest data by the China Passenger Car Association.

Christian Shepherd in Beijing and Pei-Lin Wu and Vic Chiang in Taipei, Taiwan, contributed to this report.

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Solomon Islands China-friendly PM Sogavare not standing for new term

https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3260804/solomon-islands-china-friendly-pm-sogavare-not-standing-new-term?utm_source=rss_feed

Solomon Islands incumbent Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said he would not be a candidate when lawmakers vote next week for a new prime minister, and his political party would instead back former Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele.

The two major opposition parties in the Solomon Islands struck a coalition deal on Saturday as they vie with Sogavare’s party to form a government after an election on April 17 delivered no clear winner.

This month’s election was the first since Sogavare struck a security pact with China in 2022, inviting Chinese police into the Pacific Islands archipelago and drawing the nation closer to Beijing.

The election is being watched by China, the US and neighbouring Australia because of the potential impact on regional security.

Sogavare announced he would not be a candidate for prime minister at a televised press conference on Monday evening.

Sogavare said his government had been “under pressure from the United States and western allies” and he had been “accused of many things”.

“Geopolitics is at play, after we made a very important decision in 2019,” he said, referring to his government’s decision to switch diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing.

Manele said that if he was elected as prime minister, he would have the “same foreign policy basis – friends to all and enemies to none”.

Election results on Wednesday showed Sogavare’s OUR party won 15 of50 seats in parliament, while the opposition CARE coalition has 20. Independents and micro parties won 15 seats, and courting the independents will be the key to reaching the 26 seats needed to form a government. Sogavare said on Monday, his party had support for 28 seats.

Lawmakers are expected to vote on May 8.

‘Watershed moment’ for Tesla as Elon Musk’s visit to China reaps quick reward

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/apr/29/tesla-elon-musk-china-visit-li-qiang-mapping-data-baidu

Elon Musk’s visit to China has reportedly reaped immediate rewards with a deal for Tesla to use mapping data provided by web search company Baidu, a major step in introducing driver assistance technology in the world’s largest car market.

Musk made an unannounced visit to China over the weekend. The billionaire posted a picture of his meeting with the Chinese premier, Li Qiang, on X, the social network he took over in 2022.

Baidu, which dominates web search in China, will provide mapping and navigation functions to help Tesla operate its driver assistance technology, which it calls “full self-driving”, or FSD, according to sources cited by Bloomberg News. Mapping services – crucial to driver assistance technologies – are strictly controlled by China’s government.

Despite its name, FSD does not provide autonomous driving abilities: it requires a driver who has “hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment”. However, launching it in China could help Tesla in the fierce competition for market share in the country, and provide more income. It costs $8,000, or $99 (£80) a month, although it is not available in many countries.

Musk is often combative in his dealings with politicians, such as strident criticism of US President Joe Biden, or a standoff in Brazil against a government he claims is censoring X, formerly known as Twitter. However, he adopted a more emollient tone towards China’s second most powerful politician, saying he was “honoured” to meet Li.

Honored to meet with Premier Li Qiang.

We have known each other now for many years, since early Shanghai days. pic.twitter.com/JCnv6MbZ6W

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 28, 2024

Musk has a tangled relationship with China because of his various business interests. X is blocked by China’s government – which has rigid censorship. China’s government has also complained to the UN about close encounters between its space station and satellites launched by SpaceX, Musk’s rocket company.

However, Tesla runs a factory in Shanghai, and its Model Y was the third bestselling electric or plug-in hybrid car in China in March 2024, according to Clean Technica. BYD, a Chinese manufacturer that vies with Tesla to be the world’s biggest seller of electric cars, boasts the two top-selling models.

The visit and report of the Baidu deal was greeted with excitement by Tesla investors, many of whom are counting on potential autonomous driving abilities to justify Tesla’s position as the world’s most valuable carmaker. Tesla’s share price rose by 6% in trading before the New York markets opened.

Dan Ives, a tech analyst at Wedbush, an investment bank, wrote in a note to clients: “This is a watershed moment for Musk as well as Beijing at a time that Tesla has faced massive domestic EV competition in China along with softer demand. While the long-term valuation story at Tesla hinges on FSD and autonomous, a key missing piece in that puzzle is Tesla making FSD available in China which now appears on the doorstep.”

Mainland China’s top spy agency vows to fight ‘Taiwan independence’ ahead of William Lai’s inauguration

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3260801/mainland-chinas-top-spy-agency-vows-fight-taiwan-independence-ahead-william-lais-inauguration?utm_source=rss_feed

Beijing’s top anti-spy agency vowed on Monday to fight “Taiwan independence” and expand public support for peaceful reunification.

Minister of State Security Chen Yixin said in a Monday article in the Study Times, a newspaper published by the Central Party School, that mainland China’s top intelligence agency would “resolutely fight any form of Taiwan independence moves, counter interference from foreign forces, and punish Taiwanese spies who act as the vanguard of ‘Taiwan independence’ in accordance with the law”.

“(We must) try our utmost to promote reunification, strengthen the power of patriotic and pro-unification forces, and broaden the public opinion base for peaceful reunification,” it said.

The article also called on Beijing’s secret service agencies to “help advance the reunification of China”.

Incoming Taiwan cabinet to feature fresh faces but security left to old hands

Chen’s article, published just weeks before the inauguration of Taiwanese president-elect William Lai Ching-te, is the second time this year that Beijing’s top anti-spy body has issued a public warning to the island’s separatist forces.

In January, just before the island’s presidential election, the Ministry of State Security said in an article that it would “strike to curb the ‘Taiwan independence forces’” and accused Taipei’s intelligence agencies of being “hitmen” for these forces.

The January article also revealed that the ministry had organised several operations in 2018 and 2020 to detain Taiwanese spies, resulting in the dismantling of several espionage networks set up by Taipei against Beijing.

Taiwan’s president-elect calls on Beijing to join party-to-party talks

Lai, a member of the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party, is expected to take office on May 20.

Beijing has repeatedly accused Lai of being a “stubborn separatist”.

Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China, to be reunified by force if necessary. Most countries, including the US, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington opposes any attempt to take the self-ruled island by force and has pledged to arm Taiwan.

In recent years, Beijing has made public several cases in which Taiwanese citizens were deemed to have threatened national security.

In April of last year, Beijing announced that publisher Li Yanhe was under investigation for allegedly “endangering national security” after Taiwanese media reported that he had disappeared after travelling to Shanghai to visit his family last March.

The publishing house founded by Li is known for books critical of Beijing’s human rights record.

In August 2022, state security authorities in Wenzhou in the eastern province of Zhejiang detained Taiwanese politician Yang Zhiyuan on suspicion of engaging in separatist activities. It was one of several actions Beijing took in response to a Taiwan visit by then US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Beijing has yet to release an update on the case since Yang was formally prosecuted in April of last year.

Taiwanese activist Lee Ming-che served a five-year sentence on the mainland for subversion. He was released and returned to Taiwan in April 2022.

In Monday’s article, Chen also vowed that the ministry would continue to guard against “colour revolutions” and manage ideological risks online and at universities.

The article added that mainland China’s counter-espionage agencies would protect “traditional security”, encompassing political, economic and military security, as well as “non-traditional security” – a term that includes biosecurity, data security and artificial intelligence.

Chen added that the ministry would continue to crack down on terrorism.

Mainland China’s intelligence agencies have carried on a massive propaganda campaign for more than a year, warning of the threat posed by foreign spies and urging the public to share information about suspicious activities.

Chinese man, 86, marries first love in touching, lively ceremony decades after they dated at Peking University

https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3259426/chinese-man-86-marries-first-love-touching-lively-ceremony-decades-after-they-dated-peking?utm_source=rss_feed

An 86-year-old man in China has married his first love, a fellow former student at Peking University, decades after they met.

The wedding sparked widespread interest, with the elderly couple receiving heartfelt blessings from across the Chinese online community.

The groom, Zhou Guilin, from Yiyang city in Hunan province, central China, arranged the nuptials for April 14.

The affection between the couple was evident, and the wedding quickly became a sensation on mainland social media.

Zhou had been a student of law at Peking University, one of the most prestigious universities in China.

He later founded Gaoping Middle School in his hometown and served as its first principal, dedicating his life to education.

His 81-year-old bride, Yang Xiugui, who also studied at Peking University, once shared a youthful and beautiful love with Zhou during their student days.

Despite their deep connection at that time, they went their separate ways and spent decades apart.

Teachers working at Zhou’s school recounted to BaiLu Video that Zhou and Yang had each established families after parting.

It was not until their spouses passed away that the two reconnected and found joy in the other’s company once again.

Being reunited invigorated them and so the couple decided to spend their remaining years together, formalising their union with a wedding.

According to trending online videos, the ceremony was simple but adorned with many thoughtful decorations.

There were heartfelt poems dotted around the venue, such as,“For sixty years, like swallows parting ways, no brocade book could capture the depth of our yearning. A century of sincere hopes, and now by the red candlelight, we inscribe our first love anew.”

During the festivities, the bride joyously danced, sang and played the drums, adding to the lively atmosphere of the group that had gathered to celebrate.

A friend of the couple, surnamed Chen, revealed that the intimate banquet comprised just three tables, attended only by close friends and relatives – a small reception by traditional Chinese standards.

The story resonated deeply with many people online, who regarded it as a celebration of enduring love and a fulfilled life.

“This is true love. Even at his age, he made sure to welcome the bride with liveliness, not just quietly together. Nowadays, many who are marrying aren’t willing to put in such effort,” one person said.

“It’s quite blissful. At this age, to fulfil a lifelong yearning, I send my blessings,” said another.

“Their life has come full circle – this is what true fulfilment looks like,” wrote a third.

[Sport] MP says he was deported from Africa over China criticism

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cll41e26880o[Sport] MP says he was deported from Africa over China criticism

Elon Musk in China: Tesla passes data security assessment that could pave way for lifting of bars to its cars’ movements

https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3260774/elon-musk-china-tesla-passes-data-security-assessment-could-pave-way-lifting-bars-its-cars-movements?utm_source=rss_feed

Tesla has passed a test of its compliance with Beijing’s data security rules thanks to a watershed decision it says could pave the way for the removal of some restrictions on the use of its cars in mainland China.

The American carmaker has been assessed by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), a government-backed industry consortium, and given the all-clear for its protection of privacy in handling of personal data, which encompass facial recognition, and the collection and processing of cockpit data.

The result of the review on Sunday evening coincides with CEO Elon Musk’s visit to Beijing where he met Chinese Premier Li Qiang to discuss Tesla’s operations in the world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) market.

Tesla said in a statement that the endorsement of its Model 3 and Model Y vehicles assembled at the Shanghai Giga factory would lead to an easing of restrictions on its cars’ access to certain state-backed entities, airports and motorways.

The CAAM assessment that began in November is voluntary, and Tesla is among the first batch of carmakers to received the endorsement, along with BYD, Li Auto, Nio, Hozon and Lotus.

“The result of the review will give Tesla car owners and other fans of its cars a lot of confidence in driving them on the streets of China,” said Chen Jinzhu, CEO of consultancy Shanghai Mingliang Auto Service. “Since the CAAM is a government-backed auto industry association, the review certainly will have an influence on relevant authorities’ policymaking.”

The endorsement also bodes well for the approval of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, its autonomous driving software, in China.

During his meeting with Musk on Sunday, Premier Li said Tesla’s operations in China represented a successful example of an economic tie-up between China and the US as he encouraged more cooperation between the two countries.

Musk’s visit to Beijing aims to bring the Austin, Texas-based carmaker’s autonomous driving technology to China amid intensified competition with local competitors in an EV market that accounts for about 60 per cent of global sales, the Post reported on Sunday.

Grace Tao, Tesla’s vice-president of external relations in China, wrote a commentary piece in the official People’s Daily newspaper on Friday saying autonomous driving is a key growth driver for the country’s EV sector and arguing that the technology will hatch new business models such as robotaxis, a vision that Musk has embraced.

In the US, Tesla charges US$8,000 to buy its FSD software, or US$99 a month for a subscription.

“This is a watershed moment for Musk as well as Beijing at a time that Tesla has faced massive domestic EV competition in China along with softer demand,” Wedbush Securities said in a research note on Sunday evening. “While the long-term valuation story at Tesla hinges on FSD and autonomous, a key missing piece in that puzzle is Tesla making FSD available in China which now appears on the doorstep.”

Bloomberg reported on Monday that the US carmaker would strengthen its partnership with Baidu, a Chinese search engine and artificial intelligence firm, to clear another key hurdle to introducing its FSD system to the mainland market.

Tesla will be able to deploy its autonomous driving services on the basis of “lane-level navigation” and mapping provided by the Beijing-based internet giant, Bloomberg’s report said, citing unidentified sources.

Since the inauguration of the Shanghai-based Gigafactory 3 at the end of 2019, Tesla has had several run-ins with regulators and customers regarding the quality of its cars and safety in China.

In April of 2021 the company faced a social media backlash from Chinese customers after a woman in a T-shirt emblazoned with the words “brake malfunction” and a Tesla logo jumped on top of a Tesla car on display at the Shanghai Auto Show, to draw attention to a crash involving her Model 3 she blamed on the company.

Tesla later released the data log of the specific Model 3 to the owner, bowing to pressure from the market regulator.

The US carmaker did not attend the Shanghai car show last year and is absent from the Auto China Show in Beijing that started last Thursday because of worries about similar incidents, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

Beijing has restricted the use of Teslas by military staff and employees of key state-owned companies because of security concerns since 2021. The Chinese-made Model 3s and Model Ys are also barred from accessing some areas, such as airports.

China is now the second-largest market for Tesla, with 603,664 deliveries last year, trailing only the US where the company handed 654,888 cars to American customers last year, up by a quarter from 2022.

Global Impact: Mainland China pins its hopes on Taiwan’s former leader Ma Ying-jeou after meeting Xi Jinping during ‘journey of peace’

https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3260729/global-impact-mainland-china-pins-its-hopes-taiwans-former-leader-ma-ying-jeou-after-meeting-xi?utm_source=rss_feed

Global Impact is a weekly curated newsletter featuring a news topic originating in China with a significant macro impact for our newsreaders around the world. Sign up

As Taiwan is about to see a changing of the guard amid rising cross-strait tensions, mainland China’s response has been closely watched.

Since the independence-leaning William Lai Ching-te – branded by Beijing as a “separatist” – won the island’s mainland China has ramped up efforts to before he takes office in May.

The primary conduit for these efforts is Ma Ying-jeou, the former Taiwanese president who led the island from 2008 to 2016 and still carries weight within the Kuomintang (KMT) opposition party. The KMT is seen as more friendly to mainland China compared to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Cross-strait relations have soured since President Tsai Ing-wen of the DPP took office in 2016, with Beijing cutting official ties with Taipei after she refused to accept the

Though it has lost three consecutive presidential elections, the KMT is still viewed by Beijing as the most viable political party to guard against inclinations towards independence.

Ma, a private citizen who does not hold any government or party titles, was in Beijing at the end of an 11-day “” earlier this month. It was their first meeting since 2015, when they held historic talks in Singapore.

Observers have suggested that by showcasing Ma’s visit, China is sending a message to Lai and reaffirming its pursuit of peaceful reunification with Taiwan, despite escalating tensions that have caused concern among regional powers and Western nations.

Both sides sought to strike a conciliatory tone.

“There is no grudge that cannot be resolved. No problem that cannot be talked through. And there are no forces that can separate us,” Xi said.

Differences in political systems could not change the fact that the two sides were one country, he added, as “foreign interference” cannot stop the historic trend of a “family reunion”.

In response, Ma said, “we are all descendants of the Yellow Emperor, belonging to the same Chinese nation”, and war “would be unbearable”.

Ma returned to the island as a peacemaker and called upon Lai to ”, “confirm the one-China framework based on the constitution” and refrain from “walking the path of independence”.

Lai, meanwhile, has been busy filling his new cabinet, brushing off Ma’s stance as representative of the public. His choices, analysts said, have largely kept with Tsai’s policy, with no explicit desire to alter the cross-strait status quo.

Lai has named confidant Cho Jung-tai, a former DPP chairman and ex-cabinet secretary general, as premier.

Beijing bets on Ma Ying-jeou trip to help win Taiwanese hearts and minds

Known for his relatively moderate stand and skill for communication between rival camps, Cho has been tasked as mediator for a legislature where opposition parties hold the majority and might boycott or veto proposals from the DPP.

Most of the new cabinet members, particularly those within the , are well-known political figures, analysts said, with expertise in managing the intricate dynamics between Beijing and Washington – capable of toeing Beijing’s “bottom line” while seeking closer ties with the US.

Wellington Koo, secretary general of the National Security Council, will become defence minister.

Tsai Ming-yen will remain as leader of the National Security Bureau, while Chiu Chui-cheng, the hawkish deputy secretary general of the semi-official Straits Exchange Foundation, will head the Mainland Affairs Council.

New faces include semiconductor industry veteran Kuo Chih-hui, who was appointed as – a sign that the government intends to reduce economic reliance on the mainland and promote self-sufficiency in key industries.

Despite greater political tensions, younger Taiwanese are considered more open to the possibility of rapprochement, with both Xi and Ma emphasising youth exchanges.

During his stay, Ma led Taiwanese students to pay tribute at the Huanghuagang Martyrs’ Cemetery and the former home of Sun Yat-sen – modern China’s founding father – in Guangzhou.

Other historic sites included Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s mausoleum in Xian, as well as the Great Wall and Marco Polo Bridge sites in Beijing. The latter still bears scars from the Japanese invasion during World War II.

Observers said young Taiwanese could show more willingness to change their perceptions of the mainland after first-hand observations and interactions with locals.

and could serve as a bridge between cultures, according to an article published in a mainland China journal focused on Taiwan affairs.

After Ma’s trip, more KMT heavyweights were invited to tour the mainland. Ex-Taipei mayor Hau Lung-bin attended a ceremony to honour the Yellow Emperor in Henan province.

Incumbent KMT vice-chairman Sean Lien will also visit the mainland in June for the Cross-Strait Forum, while the party’s former chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu will lead 200 young Taiwanese on a trip to Zhejiang province.

And despite the KMT and Beijing’s best efforts, the DPP has moved to chip away at historical links with mainland China.

Earlier this week, Taiwan’s interior ministry said it would swiftly . Chiang, superintendent of the Whampoa Military Academy, led KMT troops to Taiwan and set up an interim government in 1949 after being defeated by the Communists on the mainland.

Taiwan’s KMT risks irrelevance as it faces pressure for new cross-strait stance

The removal was proposed by a DDP justice commission after finding Chiang had persecuted political dissidents and misused government funds, but analysts said it would be seen “as an unfriendly gesture towards mainland China”.

Meanwhile, Beijing’s “carrot and stick” approach to trade with Taipei has continued, embedding political messages ahead of game-changing events on the island.

Last week, Beijing imposed , with duties set to increase by nearly a quarter in advance of Lai’s inauguration in May.

The move follows the suspension of tariff cuts on 12 products from Taiwan in December, just weeks before Lai’s election.

60-Second Catch-up

Ma Ying-jeou urges Taiwan’s next president to respond ‘pragmatically’ to Xi Jinping’s ‘olive branch’.

No problem that can’t be talked through, President Xi Jinping tells Taiwan’s Ma Ying-jeou in historic Beijing talks.

Video: ‘Foreign interference cannot stop family reunion’: President Xi Jinping hosts Taiwan’s Ma Ying-jeou.

Fresh faces for Taiwan’s next cabinet but security left to old hands who know Beijing’s ‘bottom line’.

Taiwan semiconductor veteran JW Kuo named as economy minister as new government signals plans to reduce reliance on mainland China will continue.

Opinion: Taiwan’s incoming government faces tough task to win back public.

Taiwan will tear down all remaining statues of Chiang Kai-shek in public spaces.

Beijing slaps anti-dumping tariffs on Taiwan’s polycarbonates after protracted probe.

Deep dives

When Taiwan’s former leader Ma Ying-jeou was received by mainland Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, he was referred to simply as “Mister Ma” as Beijing walked the tight rope between offering hospitality while refraining from endorsing the island’s government.

Yet he is much more than a “mister” to Beijing. Ma, the first former or sitting Taiwanese president to be received by mainland China’s leader, remains Beijing’s top choice to help it win Taiwanese hearts and minds.

Read more.

Political risks across the Taiwan Strait were likely to spike next year but younger Taiwanese could still be won over on social media, observers in mainland China said in a recent article.

According to the article in Cross-Taiwan Strait Studies, a mainland journal focused on Taiwan affairs, a period of “instability” and uncertainty” has set in since self-ruled Taiwan chose independence-leaning candidate William Lai Ching-te to be its next president.

Read more.

Former Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou called on younger generations to learn from the past to “resolve disputes peacefully” during a visit on Monday to a museum in Beijing commemorating the second Sino-Japanese war.

“People in both the mainland and Taiwan had been bullied by Japanese warlords, and suffered heavy casualties. Although we were lagging behind in terms of equipment and training in a disadvantaged situation, we were united in our determination,” he said in a speech at the Museum of the War of the Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

Read more.

Beijing has imposed anti-dumping tariffs on Taiwanese polycarbonates, with duties to go up by nearly a quarter from Saturday.

Imports of the thermoplastic polymer from Taiwan will be charged the extra duty for the next five years, the mainland Ministry of Commerce said in a statement issued on Friday.

Read more.

Former Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou has weighed in on the debate over the Diaoyu Islands, saying Japanese claims to the disputed island chain are at odds with historical records.

During a Saturday visit to a museum in the ancient imperial city of Xian in mainland China, Ma was shown ancient manuscripts that he said proved that the islands “do not belong to Ryukyu” – the name of a kingdom that was a Chinese tributary state for more than 500 years until it was annexed by Japan in 1879.

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China and Bolivia should safeguard Global South interests, says Wang Yi as South American nation appeals for Brics entry

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3260759/china-and-bolivia-should-safeguard-global-south-interests-says-wang-yi-south-american-nation-appeals?utm_source=rss_feed

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Bolivian counterpart on Sunday their two countries, which both oppose “hegemony and bullying”, should guard the common interests of the Global South and strengthen political mutual trust.

The remarks were made during a meeting in Beijing between Wang and Bolivian Foreign Minister Celinda Sosa Lunda, who is on a three-day visit until Tuesday. During the meeting, Wang called for enhanced coordination on multilateral strategies between Beijing and La Paz.

“China and Bolivia share the same goals of opposing hegemony and bullying by powerful powers and upholding fairness and justice,” Wang was quoted as saying in a foreign ministry readout.

“The two nations should jointly defend the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, and firmly safeguard the common interests of Global South countries.

“Consolidating and developing the China-Bolivia strategic partnership is an established policy of the Chinese government … the two countries should continue to enhance cooperation between the governments, legislatures and political parties, and synergise development strategies,” Wang added.

He also noted that the two countries should explore the potential for cooperation in new areas such as the digital economy, plateau agriculture, information and communication and green development.

The Bolivian foreign ministry said Sosa had been invited to visit by Beijing and she would address a broad agenda, including cooperation in tourism, technology, energy and others areas of mutual interest.

According to Wang, Beijing is willing to promote the China-Bolivia strategic partnership to a new level. He said China firmly supported Bolivia finding a development path suited to its national conditions, and resolutely opposed external forces interfering in its internal affairs.

According to the Chinese readout, Sosa expressed steadfast support for the one-China principle and said Bolivia was eager to further collaborate with China within the Brics framework and other multilateral organisations.

China and Russia in united stand to reform West-led global system

She also highlighted China’s role as a crucial strategic partner for Bolivia, indicating Bolivia’s desire to deepen cooperation with China, including in economic and trade sectors. Bolivia encouraged Chinese businesses to invest in the country and aid its industrialisation, she said.

Wang noted that China was willing to work with Latin American and Caribbean countries, including Bolivia, to find more development opportunities under the Belt and Road Initiative.

China is Bolivia’s second largest trading partner. In 2023, China-Bolivia bilateral trade totalled nearly $2.6 billion, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.

Bolivia is among more than 40 countries that wish to join the Brics group of major emerging economies – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – in a bid to develop its emerging lithium industry and boost commodities exports.

In a recent interview with Russia’s state-operated Sputnik News, Bolivian President Luis Arce expressed his country’s desire to join the group and offered its natural resources in exchange for technology. He said Bolivia had “a lot to share”, particularly its natural resources.

With an estimated 23 million tonnes of lithium reserves, Bolivia is now recognised as the world’s largest owner of this crucial metal. Governments and carmakers urgently seek to secure the supply of lithium, which is essential for batteries in electric vehicles. However, La Paz has long found it difficult to increase industrial production or develop commercially feasible reserves.

Before heading to China, Sosa was on a two-day visit to Russia where the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, confirmed his country’s support for Bolivia to join Brics. Moscow holds the rotating Brics presidency this year.

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World’s largest electric container ship starts service between China’s major coastal cities

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3260352/worlds-largest-electric-container-ship-starts-service-between-chinas-major-coastal-cities?utm_source=rss_feed

The world’s biggest fully electric container ship built by China will start sailing between Shanghai and Nanjing every week, state broadcaster CCTV has reported.

Developed and manufactured by the state-owned China Ocean Shipping Group (Cosco), the Greenwater 01 is powered entirely by batteries.

It can save 3,900kg (8,600 pounds) of fuel for each 100 nautical miles it sails, cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 12.4 tonnes.

After the ship’s maiden voyage on Monday, Cosco said on its WeChat social media account: “It could achieve significant emission reductions throughout the year and provide strong support for the shipping industry to achieve the goal of ‘peaking’ carbon emissions and achieving carbon neutrality.”

Its first trip with “zero emissions, pollution and noise has set a new benchmark for the transformation for the shipping industry towards the goals of low carbon and environmentally friendliness”, the shipbuilder wrote.

The vessel has broken a number of world records when it comes to electric container ships, Cosco said, including its length, moulded breadth, number of containers it holds, deadweight tonnage and battery capacity.

The ship is equipped with a main battery of more than 50,000 kilowatt-hours, while more battery boxes could be added for longer voyages.

Battery boxes containing 1,600kWh of electricity, of sizes similar to standard 20-foot containers, can be loaded onto the cargo ship to increase its travel range.

Captain Wang Jun told CCTV that with 24 battery boxes, the vessel can complete a trip that consumes 80,000kWh of electricity. A standard container ship would use 15 tonnes of fuel for a similar journey.

The electric vessel is around 120 metres (394 feet) long and 24 metres wide – about the size of 10 basketball courts. Its maximum speed is around 19km/h (12mph).

After docking, officers from the port will inspect the battery packs as well as the fire detection and alarm system of the battery compartment on board.

Yangshan Port officer in Shanghai, Zhang Lifu, told CCTV that crew members had received special fire training to handle any emergencies.

A fire accident related to lithium iron phosphate batteries can only be extinguished by a special fire suppression gas which is a compound of carbon, fluorine and hydrogen, he said. It cannot be put out by carbon dioxide or water, the usual practice for fires on ships.

“For this fire extinguishing method, the most challenging part is to train the crew members so that they can detect the fire accident in the battery boxes in advance and take emergency responses as required. This is our major focus.”

Extreme weather in Guangzhou kills five and brings destruction to China’s industrial heartland

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/29/china-extreme-weather-guangzhou-tornado-death-toll-damage-floods

At least five people were killed and 33 injured after a tornado struck the Chinese city of Guangzhou over the weekend, state media reported, in the latest bout of extreme weather to hit the country’s industrial heartland.

China’s official Xinhua news agency said that the tornado hit the Guangdong province capital, in the country’s south on Saturday. About 140 factories were damaged, but there were no reports of collapsed houses.

Guangdong, China’s most populous province, is home to 127 million people and thousands of factories that power the nation’s export sector.

Aerial photos posted by Chinese state media on Sunday showed the tornado had caused wide devastation in parts of the city. The images showed block upon block of damage in the hardest-hit areas with a few clusters of buildings standing amid the destruction.

Rescuers from the city’s emergency management, weather, fire, waterworks and health departments, as well as local residents, were sent to the area, Xinhua said, adding that search and rescue work was completed there.

Earlier this week, torrential rains in Guangdong caused serious flooding, leaving four dead, in what was reported to be the worst flooding some parts of the province had seen since the 1950s.

Tornadoes are not unusual in China. In 2023, Jiangsu was hit by a violent storm which killed 10 people after torrential rain lashed China’s southeast, causing massive evacuations and landslides in the wake of unrelenting weather brought on by the remnants of Typhoon Haikui.

In 2021, two tornadoes struck the country in one day, killing 12, including eight in Wuhan.

Agence France-Presse and the Associated Press contributed to this report

Singapore sees fewer new Chinese family offices after money-laundering crackdown

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3260533/singapore-sees-fewer-new-chinese-family-offices-after-money-laundering-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed

In Singapore, the growth of Chinese family offices has been slowing amid the fallout from last year’s multibillion-dollar money-laundering scandal and tighter checks on new applicants.

More than S$3 billion (US$2.2 billion) in assets have been seized so far in connection with the sprawling case, which first hit the headlines in August last year when 10 China-born suspects were arrested.

Singapore jails Fujian native in US$2.2 billion money laundering case

Some of those suspects had links to the city state’s around 1,400 single family offices – private wealth-management entities established to oversee and manage the financial affairs of a single affluent family or individual.

Prime Minister-in-waiting Lawrence Wong, who is also chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, confirmed the number of family offices in a reply to a parliamentary question last month.

About 10 per cent of that total are family offices handling money of Chinese origin, according to Loh Kia Meng, chief operating officer and a senior partner at Singapore law firm Dentons Rodyk.

Going forward, Loh foresees no change in the proportion of Chinese family offices, but he said the rate of growth had indeed decelerated due to heightened requirements on assets under management in the city state.

“I anticipate the growth rate to continue to be stable in the next two to three years,” he told This Week in Asia. “Assuming that there are no major changes to the tax incentive schemes in relation to the qualifying criteria for family offices.”

Tighter checks on family offices in the city state have coincided with Singapore’s presidency of the Financial Action Task Force, the global money-laundering and terrorist financing watchdog.

In November, the intergovernmental organisation announced new measures aimed at increasing scrutiny of schemes designed to offer wealthy investors residency or citizenship as it warned they are “attractive to criminals and corrupt officials seeking to evade justice and launder the proceeds of crime”. Many of the 10 China-born suspects arrested in Singapore’s money-laundering crackdown held foreign passports.

But the city state isn’t turning its back on family offices, by any means. In February, the government announced it would extend some tax incentives for family offices by another five years to the end of 2029 – a move Dentons Rodyk’s Loh said “signals Singapore’s commitment to continue to attract and support fund management activity and private wealth management”.

In addition to tightened regulations, industry insiders say the slowdown in Chinese family offices has other causes, including elevated property prices and the higher stamp duty for foreign buyers that was introduced last year.

Family offices’ investment portfolios usually include real estate – as well as bonds and equities – but property agents say there have been fewer purchases by Chinese nationals of late.

“I see some rich Chinese looking into investing in Singapore and Southeast Asian companies, but the valuation gap is restricting the completion of deals,” said one Singapore consultant who declined to be named.

Still, Singapore’s government is doing its best to make the nation more investment-friendly for family offices.

Dentons Rodyk’s Loh expects changes to tax incentives for family offices to be announced in the third quarter of this year, including expanding tax breaks to cover limited partnerships registered in Singapore.

He said this would be “a welcome change to give more flexibility to Singapore-based fund managers in choosing a suitable form for managing their investment funds”.

The scope of family office’s investments may also change in future, Loh said, as the government is encouraging more philanthropy and an increase in local and sustainable investments.

“This is a sign of a maturing private wealth-management landscape. Chinese family offices which have established themselves in Singapore in the past five years during the ‘boom’ time will also mature,” he said.

Singapore’s Wealth Management Institute, which was established in 2003 by the city state’s sovereign wealth funds GIC Private Limited and Temasek Holdings, introduced two new initiatives in September last year to deepen family offices’ engagement.

The first, developed with support from the Economic Development Board and Singapore’s central bank, aims to guide newly arrived family offices and introduce them to a spectrum of investment opportunities.

The second initiative seeks to bolster the family office sector’s capabilities, help safeguard against financial crime, including money laundering, and ensure adherence to compliance requirements.

In a statement, the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the central bank, said it “actively collaborates with our international counterparts to effectively combat money laundering and syndicated crime networks given that criminals frequently operate across borders”.

“However, as a matter of policy and in line with international practices, we do not comment on the specifics of such collaborations.”

Man behind China’s first approved Covid-19 shot expelled from national legislature

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3260709/man-behind-chinas-first-approved-covid-19-shot-expelled-national-legislature?utm_source=rss_feed

A former senior executive at China’s largest vaccine maker, who led the development of the country’s first inactivated Covid-19 shot, has been dismissed from the national legislature.

Yang Xiaoming was removed from his post as a deputy of the legislature for alleged “serious violations of discipline and law”, the National People’s Congress (NPC) said in an official statement on Friday, using a common euphemism for corruption.

Yang, 62, is a veteran researcher and former chairman of China National Biotec Group, a vaccine subsidiary of state-owned Sinopharm. He led a team that developed Sinopharm’s BBIBP-CorV vaccine, China’s first coronavirus shot approved for general use.

The NPC statement, which followed a four-day meeting of its standing committee, suggests Yang is already being investigated by the party disciplinary body – the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

The Sinopharm shot and Sinovac Biotech’s CoronaVac were the most widely used in China and the leading Covid-19 vaccines exported by the country.

Yang’s dismissal comes amid the biggest crackdown on China’s healthcare system, expanding a sweeping anti-corruption drive launched by President Xi Jinping in late 2012.

The crackdown aims to root out widespread corruption in a system plagued by kickbacks. It targets hospitals, drug companies and insurance funds, with dozens of hospital chiefs detained since last year.

Another former Sinopharm senior executive, Zhou Bin, who once served as the company’s deputy general manager, was placed under investigation by the CCDI in January.

Yang, whose research focused on vaccine innovation and development, also served as a chief engineer and chief scientist at Sinopharm.

He is also the chief scientist of the vaccine project under China’s national 863 programme, a state-funded and administered platform for developing advanced technologies.

The Covid-19 vaccine developed by Yang’s team was approved for general use in December 2020. Within a year, it was approved for use in 112 countries and regions, making it the coronavirus vaccine with the widest supply range at the time, according to media reports.

In an interview with state media in 2021, Yang said that the vaccine went from development to market release within just about 330 days, describing it as a “miracle”.

Yang also revealed that he was among the first to receive trial shots of the Sinopharm vaccine in March 2020, and “had about 60 tubes of blood drawn in nine months” to test for antibodies. Antibodies could be detected a week after the first dose, he said.

1 million Chinese injected with Sinopharm vaccine under emergency use scheme

Yang was also among the recipients of a national award in September 2020 for his role in fighting the pandemic.

In November, Yang was recognised by the Chinese Society of Immunology as an outstanding scholar. This was followed in December by the Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation award, which recognises Chinese scholars in science and medical fields.

In addition to being stripped of his qualification as NPC representative, Yang has also lost his membership of the NPC’s Ethnic Affairs Committee, according to Friday’s statement.

A review of the qualifications of some deputies was a point of agenda for the NPC Standing Committee meeting last week. Three other deputies apart from Yang were also dismissed for “serious violations of discipline and law”.

Japan aims to put a man on the moon ahead of China as it partners with US in ‘Apollo programme on steroids’

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3260599/japan-aims-put-man-moon-ahead-china-it-partners-us-apollo-programme-steroids?utm_source=rss_feed

The announcement that the next non-American to walk on the moon is set to be a Japanese during a recent meeting between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida signals that Tokyo aims to surpass China’s space ambition.

However, analysts warned that the plan could provoke Beijing into accelerating its lunar projects in a bid to claim a prestigious victory in space over its Asian rival.

Under the plans outlined by Biden and Kishida at the White House on April 10, Japan will work with the US to put an astronaut on the moon in 2028 and a second astronaut in 2032. Both countries are aiming to stick to that schedule to prevent Beijing from scoring a propaganda coup by landing a Chinese astronaut on the moon before 2028, according to analysts.

“Certainly, I expect Beijing to take this as a direct challenge,” said Lance Gatling, president of Nexial Research and an aerospace and defence analyst.

“For years, the Japanese and Chinese have headed opposing space cooperation organisations or networks that sought to corral Asian nations’ space aspirations and both use their accomplishments in space as propaganda,” Gatling told This Week in Asia.

“Chinese experience in manned space is still relatively recent, and it is difficult to say how advanced they are – but placing humans on the moon is a very hazardous undertaking,” he said.

China has been stepping up its efforts to prepare for future lunar missions.

On Thursday, three astronauts lifted off at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China and safely docked with the orbiting Tiangong space station. The astronauts are slated to spend six months aboard the space station, conducting experiments and making preparations ahead of a likely manned moon mission.

Beijing plans to send an unmanned lunar probe to the far side of the moon as early as next month and astronauts to land on the lunar surface by 2030, according to Chinese media reports. A basic lunar base jointly developed by China and Russia is also targeted for completion by 2035.

Hundreds of thousands of things must go right for any moon mission to be a success, Gatling said. In the event of a failure – particularly one that involved the loss of crew – it would be “a massive propaganda disaster”, he added.

“But I expect the question to evolve into how the Chinese assess the risks, manage them and decide to proceed.”

The joint Japan-US plan is part of the Artemis lunar exploration programme, which involves several other nations and is designed to serve as a foundation for future space exploration.

Japan has agreed to develop and sustain the operations of a pressurised lunar rover. The US will tap its more extensive experience in manned space missions, provide flight opportunities and astronaut training and “manage the risks of these challenging and inspiring lunar surface missions,” a statement from the White House said.

The two nations plan to jointly explore the use of materials found on the lunar surface, such as water ice at its south pole, which will be critical to sustaining human life during a moon mission.

The agreement also covers collaboration on a Low Earth Orbit detection and tracking constellation for missiles, such as hypersonic glide missiles.

Japan’s bears are coming out of hibernation. And they’re in a ‘bad mood’

Gatling said this part of the agreement was “a big deal” as Tokyo was previously opposed to the Japan Space Exploration Agency taking part in any military or defence project.

“The challenge of the importance of the space industry to national economic and security issues, along with the challenge of China, has combined to convince Japan to change its policies and embark on explicitly military space programmes,” he said.

Kazuto Suzuki, a professor of science and technology policy at Tokyo University, said the importance of the White House agreement was mostly symbolic.

“The meeting was all about ritual, but that is done to demonstrate to the rest of the watching world – primarily China – that the US and Japan are all in together, that they are working on AI, semiconductors and space,” he said. “The message is that they are looking to the future and that space and moon exploration is critical to that.

“They are very aware that they are competing with China in exploration of the moon, so this is going to be the Apollo programme on steroids.”

Japan warns of scorching summer as it experiences ‘very worrying’ temperatures

According to Suzuki, the aim of having a Japanese as the first non-American to set foot on the moon “is so that it is not a Chinese astronaut, as that would increase Chinese pride in their space capabilities and make them believe they are equal to the US”.

While China had made good progress in its space projects in recent years, including having an orbiting space station, it was not ready to put an astronaut on the moon any time soon, Suzuki said.

“They know they are still behind, and they are focused on making steady progress with the space station, a probe on the other side of the moon and only then will they look at landing on the surface,” he said.

“An astronaut on the moon is a very tough proposition, and they will not want to risk lives. They still need to build their capacity before they attempt that.”