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• Will Chinese firm Gotion’s Michigan project help swing US election?
• China’s Great Wall Motors to open factory in Brazil in May: report
• China unveils road map to become world leader in space science by 2050
• China accuses Philippine ships of violating sovereignty after Spratly Islands collision
• Taiwan to have satellite internet service as protection in case of Chinese attack
• Can a divided Asean benefit China in the long run?
• China mother sits children on 23rd-floor outdoor air con unit to annoy husband during row
• Chinese brands and Apple drive global smartphone shipment growth for fifth straight quarter
• Most Philippine voters won’t support pro-China candidates in 2025 elections: survey
• Russia’s defence chief hails ‘common understanding’ with China
• Nobel Prize-winning research pushes Chinese economists to call for institutional reforms
• Why the collapse of the Soviet Union haunts China’s 75th anniversary | Podcasts
• China and US start new chapter in panda diplomacy as bears head to National Zoo
• Pony.ai teams up with Alibaba’s Amap unit to expand robotaxi service in China
• China’s Li Qiang vows ‘upgraded’ Pakistan economic corridor on first visit to Islamabad
• Most Singaporeans rate China’s clout above US, prefer it as strategic partner: survey
• China calls on Israel and Iran to avoid ‘falling into vicious circle’
• China’s solar firms eye ‘self-salvation’ amid burning rivalry, growing threats
• Asia’s youngest nation defends its China ties: ‘it’s the Chinese helping us’
• Xpeng’s AI-powered P7+ to challenge Tesla, eyes China’s autonomous driving market
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• Can China find a way around US restrictions on hi-tech computer chips?

Will Chinese firm Gotion’s Michigan project help swing US election?

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3282508/gotion-effect-will-chinese-companys-project-michigan-help-swing-us-election?utm_source=rss_feed

The presidential race between and comes at a time of rising geopolitical tensions on multiple fronts. In the second of an in-depth series, Khushboo Razdan reports on a Chinese company’s US project that could influence the election’s outcome.

A Chinese battery manufacturer’s plans to build a plant in a small village in the midwestern United States could well influence the outcome of the presidential election that is less than a month away.

The dispute over the US$2.4 billion project by China-based Gotion High-Tech for Green Charter Township in the US state of Michigan has been brewing for some time. A year ago, local residents ousted five of the seven township officials in a recall vote over their approval of the project.

In March, Gotion sued the township in federal court after the new officials withdrew their support for the project, winning a preliminary injunction that have allowed the factory plans to proceed. The lawsuit is pending.

With 15 electoral college votes, Michigan is a key swing state crucial to both the Democratic and Republican paths to victory. Former US president Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, won the state in 2016 but lost it to President Joe Biden in 2020.

Although Michigan’s governor, state legislature and congressional delegation are Democratic, US Vice-President Kamala Harris, the party’s presidential nominee, faces dissent from within her party in the state, particularly among Arab-Americans – who make up 4 per cent of Michigan’s population – frustrated with the Biden administration’s support for Israel in the Gaza conflict.

Under these circumstances, Harris cannot afford to lose any votes if she hopes to claim the White House. Latest polls show Harris leading Trump in Michigan by two to three percentage points, within the margin of error. The Republican Party has sought to galvanise voters in the state by leveraging the Gotion controversy in the run-up to the November 5 election.

Michigan’s Democratic governor, Gretchen Whitmer, has backed Gotion’s battery plant for its potential to create over 2,000 local jobs; the state legislature has also approved subsidies of over US$170 million to support the project.

Recently, Trump, his running mate J.D. Vance and the state’s Republicans have directed their Gotion-related attacks at Harris and Elissa Slotkin, the Democratic US Senate candidate.

The Gotion dispute also fits into a larger Republican narrative about the escalating threat China poses. Party officials assert that China has been stealing American manufacturing jobs for decades and is now targeting Michigan, a critical hub of the US automotive industry.

It also aligns Trump’s opposition to the US shift toward green transportation, which the former president has labelled as the “new green scam”, advocating the revitalisation of Michigan’s gasoline-powered auto industry.

The Biden administration has finalised new emissions standards that could effectively require over 50 per cent of US vehicle sales to be electric by 2032.

“This is the home of the automobile industry of the world, and Harris and Biden and our governor, Whitmer, they’re destroying it,” the Michigan Republican Party chairman Pete Hoekstra said last month.

“They’re putting out these crazy mandates for electric vehicles, embracing Chinese companies,” he added.

He contended that US auto workers voted for Trump in 2016 and “they’re going to do it again in 2024” because they “recognise Harris is putting their jobs at risk”.

Trump himself has weighed in, announcing his disapproval of Gotion’s project in August, despite his consistent campaign pledge to compel Chinese companies to make their products on American soil.

“I am 100% OPPOSED,” Trump declared on his Truth Social account in August.

He claimed the proposed plant would be “very bad for the State and our Country” because “it would put Michiganders under the thumb of the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing”.

Chuck Thelen, head of Gotion’s American operations, has consistently dismissed allegations of the company’s ties to the CCP as “silly” and “misinformation”. He looks to begin construction on the plant by next spring.

In August, Vance held a campaign rally at a horse farm owned by a leading local opponent of the proposed Gotion facility, which is to be built a half-mile from the farm.

“Kamala Harris not only wants to allow the Chinese Communist Party to build factories on American soil; she wants to pay them to do it with our tax dollars,” he thundered.

Jundai Liu, a University of Michigan sociologist, attended the Vance rally in August. His speaking on the matter let Gotion opponents feel “seen” by Washington and that “they were connected” to national issues, she said.

The Gotion project concerned residents all around the state for various reasons – including environmental and geopolitical factors, she said, while among local residents, it did not necessarily split along party lines.

“If you look at the political identification of the board … it is not a clear-cut Democrats versus Republicans division in which Democrats are all for Gotion, whereas Republicans are all against Gotion. That’s not the story.”

Harris has yet to comment on Gotion, but the Biden administration in September banned China-made software and hardware from use in all connected vehicles made and sold in the US.

In addition to Michigan’s role in presidential politics, the state this year has an open Senate seat, since Debbie Stabenow, a Democrat, is stepping down. The seat is critical to Senate control, as Democrats hold the chamber by a 51-49 majority. Any change could significantly affect what the next US president could accomplish.

With the stakes that high, Trump visited the state four times in nine days in September, 11 times since August. Vance has appeared there at least eight times.

Addressing his supporters in Michigan earlier this month, Trump blamed Harris of “sending billions of dollars to Chinese battery factories”.

On his Michigan appearance on September 27, Trump was accompanied by Mike Rogers, the Republican Senate candidate, and US Representative John Moolenaar, the Michigan Republican who chairs the hawkish House select committee on China.

Moolenaar, who has taken the anti-Gotion cause to Washington, has criticised Harris of “failing to do enough to protect Michigan workers and the American people from CCP threats to our auto industry”.

In a statement, he said that while Biden and Harris talked tough on China, their EV rules “play into the hands of the CCP, and make our auto industry dependent on supply chains controlled by China”.

But does the issue really hold among American voters? In September, the Institute for Global Affairs, a non-profit research group, released a survey indicating that the broader narrative on EVs and China might work in battleground states like Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

“People in rust-belt states care more about the rise of China and less about climate change than Americans nationwide,” the report concluded.

Lucas Robinson, an author of the report, noted that nearly one in four people in those states identified China’s rise as their priority, adding that rust-belt residents cited the issue more frequently than Americans as a whole.

Additionally, he said, 57 per cent of rust-belt respondents “say that the United States should prepare for a new Cold War with China”.

“Why is that? Some see China as a threat to US security,” he explained as their reasoning.

He said that the Gotion battery plant might provide “a lot of opportunities”, with new local jobs.

“But I do think there’s this heightened concern about what it means to have a Chinese owned business or factory in the community,” Robinson added.

Sensing that the issue could jeopardise Democratic prospects in the state, Slotkin, endorsed by both Harris and Whitmer, has sought to distance herself from the governor’s stance on the project, calling herself “pretty hawkish” on China.

On October 8, Gotion became a prominent issue during a debate between Rogers and Slotkin.

“I was the one who wrote the legislation that said we should be able to ban the Chinese from buying our farmland, ban the Chinese from buying our manufacturing facilities,” Slotkin said, calling for a “full national security vetting”.

She also denied unsubstantiated claims Rogers repeated during the debate that Slotkin had signed a non-disclosure agreement with Gotion: “I’ve never signed an NDA with any Chinese company, any Chinese government”.

The Detroit News earlier reported that Slotkin had signed an NDA in 2022 with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, an agency that acts as the state’s marketing arm, not Gotion.

The report said that such NDAs were signed by both Republican and Democratic lawmakers in the state.

A short clip circulated online in September that showed Slotkin sharing with supporters a troubling outlook for Michigan Democrats.

“I’m not feeling great about our position with Kamala Harris in a state like Michigan,” she said, suggesting that Harris was struggling.

“We have her under water in our polling.”

China’s Great Wall Motors to open factory in Brazil in May: report

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3282512/chinas-great-wall-motors-open-factory-brazil-may-report?utm_source=rss_feed

Great Wall Motors (GWM), China’s largest manufacturer of SUVs and pickup trucks, is set to start operations at its Brazilian factory in May, with plans to produce up to 25,000 vehicles in the first year, according to a report by the Brazilian newspaper Valor Economico.

The facility will be GWM’s third manufacturing plant outside China, joining existing operations in Russia and Thailand.

The Chinese automaker entered the Brazilian market in 2021 after acquiring Mercedes-Benz’s manufacturing facilities but has primarily functioned as an importer until now.

In preparation for the launch of local operations, GWM has initiated a recruitment drive for 100 positions and plans to create an additional 700 jobs next year in collaboration with a local technical school.

The company aims to maximise local content in its Brazilian-made vehicles, capitalising on the Mover tax incentive programme. This scheme offers tax breaks based on factors such as domestic sourcing, research and development investments and pollutant emissions reduction.

Ricardo Bastos, GWM Brazil’s director of institutional affairs, told Valor that because of the incentives, the brand has revised its plans for which models to manufacture in Brazil.

The company initially said the first would be the GWM Power, a hybrid pickup truck developed to compete with Toyota’s Hilux. But the current plan is to focus on the Haval H6, a hybrid sports SUV already approved to benefit from the tax incentive programme. The model has gained popularity in Brazil, with nearly 16,000 units sold between January and September this year.

GWM’s strategy also includes using the Brazilian factory as an export hub for other South American countries. Brazilian regulations require vehicles produced domestically to achieve a 40 per cent localisation rate before export, but GWM aims to surpass this, targeting 60 per cent by 2028.

“The factory has been licensed for a total capacity of 50,000 units per year,” Bastos said, indicating potential for future expansion.

The Brazilian plant’s operations are part of an initial investment plan estimated at US$776 million by the end of next year. GWM projects this figure to rise to approximately US$2 billion by 2036.

Despite being less renowned than its competitor BYD, GWM has consistently ranked among China’s top 10 private companies since 2004 and operates in over 60 countries worldwide.

China unveils road map to become world leader in space science by 2050

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3282479/china-unveils-road-map-become-world-leader-space-science-2050?utm_source=rss_feed

China has unveiled an ambitious road map to surpass the United States and become the world leader in space science by 2050.

The national development programme for space science was released on Tuesday by the China National Space Administration, China Manned Space Agency and Chinese Academy of Sciences.

It is the first such plan unveiled in China and sets out 17 priority areas for development.

They include searching for habitable planets and extraterrestrial life, exploring the origin and evolution of the universe, uncovering the nature of gravity, and exploring quantum mechanics and general relativity.

Scientific mission plans are to be rolled out in three stages – from now until 2027, from 2028 to 2035, and from 2036 to 2050.

Five to eight future missions are to be added to the current projects in the years to 2027, in accordance with China’s long-term space science goals.

In the second stage, the aim is to develop and deploy 15 missions to build up space power, including the launch of a permanent lunar research station.

And in the third stage, China aims to launch 30 space science missions to surpass other powers to become the leading nation in space science and exploration.

“We will strive to achieve the ‘three-step’ strategic goal formulated in the plan – that is, China’s space science will enter the first echelon in 2027, be among the world’s leading countries in key directions in 2035, and become a world space science power in important fields by 2050,” Wang Chi, director of the CAS National Space Science Centre, told reporters in Beijing.

The US has long held a leading position in space, ranking top in the world in terms of missions launched. Both its federally funded space agency and private companies like SpaceX are making major strides, including testing reusable rockets.

In 2021, Nasa launched the James Webb Space Telescope – the largest and most complex telescope ever launched into space. The US has also launched multiple successful Mars rovers, and aims to send astronauts to the red planet as early as the 2030s.

Despite beginning its space programme decades after the US and other powers, China has been steadily notching up milestones, including launching its own space station and becoming the first country to return samples from the far side of the moon.

Those samples – returned during the Chang’e-6 mission in June – have been found to have distinct characteristics, and studying them further could reveal new information about the moon.

“Our country’s space technology has made major breakthroughs, and some areas are at the forefront of the world. Space applications represented by communications, navigation and remote sensing satellites are booming, playing an important role in serving the national economy and social development,” Ding Chibiao, vice-president of the CAS, said at the same press briefing.

“However, in comparison, the number of our space science satellites is still relatively small, and the major landmark achievements produced are not enough, and there is still a certain gap compared with the world’s aerospace powers,” he said.

“China’s space science research as a whole is still in its infancy, which is a shortcoming that must be addressed on the road to building a space power.”

During the briefing, Yang Xiaoyu, director of the CNSA System Engineering Department, dismissed warnings from a US official about the data security risk posed by working with China on space projects. He said China “has never and will not” share data from international cooperation projects without permission.

The plan identifies five scientific themes to guide the development of space science missions: habitable planets, biological and physical sciences in space, the sun-Earth panorama, space-time ripples, and the extreme universe.

It calls for scientists to search for habitable planets and life both within and outside the solar system, which will include characterising atmospheres, detecting exoplanets, studying impact history, and further exploring Mars and Jupiter.

To further study space and its phenomena, the plan calls for a deeper understanding of physics, including general relativity – which was Albert Einstein’s understanding of how gravity affected the space-time fabric – as well as space life science and microgravity.

It also calls for further study of the relationship between the sun and Earth, including magnetic activity, as well as the nature of gravity and space-time, including the formation of supermassive black holes.

The plan also calls for further research into the origin and evolution of the universe, including the origin of stars and the nature of dark matter.

China has a number of space missions planned, including the Chang’e-7 and 8 robotic lunar missions, the Tianwen-2 near-Earth asteroid mission, and the Tianwen-3 mission that aims to return samples from Mars before the US. China is also partnering with nations around the world to launch a permanent lunar research station.

Yang said China would continue to work with other nations as it pursues its space goals, including developing countries to allow them “fair access to and use of outer space”.

China accuses Philippine ships of violating sovereignty after Spratly Islands collision

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3282500/china-accuses-philippine-ships-violating-sovereignty-after-spratly-islands-collision?utm_source=rss_feed

China has accused two Philippine ships of violating its sovereignty last week after a collision with a Chinese vessel in disputed waters.

Earlier the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) had accused the Chinese ship, which it said was part of a “maritime militia”, of “conducting dangerous manoeuvres and trying to block the path” of one of its patrol boats near disputed Thitu island.

In response, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said two “official vessels” from the Philippines had been involved in the incident in the South China Sea and said the Chinese ship involved was a fishing boat whose crew had been put in danger.

“As far as I know, the truth is that Philippine official vessels sailed dangerously in waters under China’s jurisdiction and collided with a Chinese fishing boat conducting regular operations there,” Mao said.

“The behaviour violates China’s sovereignty and gravely threatens the safety of Chinese fishing boats and crews.

“China urges the Philippine side to earnestly respect China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea and stop taking any action that may complicate the situation.”

But the Philippine fisheries bureau said the vessel involved had been a Chinese maritime militia ship with the bow number 00108. It added: “These dangerous manoeuvres caused the sideswiping and collision with the BFAR vessel [the BRP Datu Cabaylo], which sustained minor dents in its starboard bow.”

It said the incident had taken place near a cay 5.1 nautical miles (9.5km) southwest of Thitu Island, where the Datu Cabaylo and a second maritime protection ship had been patrolling.

The bureau said the same Chinese boat had later “deliberately sideswiped” the same vessel, the BRP Datu Cabaylo, on its starboard bow, but the patrol boat “maintained its position and was able to continue with its mission” in the area and both vessels were now docked in a sheltered harbour on Thitu island.

It also commended its officers and crew for upholding “Philippine jurisdiction and rights over its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone”.

Philippine-held Thitu island, called Pag-asa in the Philippines and Zhongye in China, is the second largest natural land feature in the disputed Spratly Islands and is also claimed by China and Vietnam.

About 14 nautical miles southwest from Thitu island is the Subi Reef, which is controlled by China and hosts major military facilities and a permanent garrison.

The latest incident follows a string of clashes involving Chinese and Philippine ships in the disputed waterway this year.

Meanwhile in Beijing, deputy foreign minister Chen Xiaodong met members of the Philippine Council on Foreign Relations, a Manila-based think tank to discuss maritime issues and relations between the two countries, according to the foreign ministry.

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Taiwan to have satellite internet service as protection in case of Chinese attack

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/15/taiwan-to-have-satellite-internet-service-as-protection-in-case-of-chinese-attack

Taiwan is expected to have access to low earth orbit satellite internet service by the end of the month, a step the government says is crucial in case a Chinese attack cripples the island’s communications.

The forthcoming service is via a contract between Taiwan’s main telecoms company, Chunghwa, and a UK-European company, Eutelsat OneWeb, signed last year, and marks a new milestone in Taiwan’s efforts to address technological vulnerabilities, particularly its internet access, after attempts to get access to Elon Musk’s Starlink service collapsed.

Chunghwa co-president Alex Chien said 24-hour coverage was expected by the end of the month, with commercial access as soon as sufficient bandwidth was reached.

Taiwan is under the threat of attack or invasion by China, which claims historical sovereignty over Taiwan and has vowed to annex it, by military force if necessary. In the meantime it is under a near constant barrage of cyber-attacks, and has had some of its 15 undersea cables connecting it and its outer islands to the world cut multiple times, usually by accidental anchor snags from passing ships.

In response, it has pledged to build its own satellite network, pointing to the crucial utility of reliable networks in conflicts like Ukraine, where the armed forces largely rely on Musk’s Starlink, the world’s dominant low earth orbit (LEO) satellite internet provider.

LEO satellites orbit between 200km and 2,000km above the Earth, often used for communications, sending signals to receiver terminals on the ground. More than half of the thousands of LEO satellites currently active are Starlink. OneWeb, initially a British company before it merged with Eurotel, has launched just a few hundreds, the New York Times reported in March.

Starlink is not available in Taiwan after negotiations reportedly fell apart over Taiwan’s requirement that a local entity have a majority share of any joint venture established.

There are also concerns among Taiwanese officials that Musk’s business interests in China and his past remarks on Beijing’s claim over Taiwan could affect the reliability of Starlink supply in the event of a conflict.

Musk’s largest Tesla factory is in China, and in 2023 he drew reproach from Taiwanese officials after he said Taiwan was an integral part of China, akin to Hawaii and the US. It came a few months after he suggested the conflict between China and Taiwan could be resolved if Taiwan just ceded some control to Beijing.

“If the US Department of Defense requires it, Starlink should be able to support Taiwan,” said Dr Shen Ming-Shih, the director of the national security division at Taiwan’s government-backed thinktank, the Institute for National Defense and Security Research.

“However, if Starlink is unwilling to provide it for considering the Chinese market, Taiwan must have a contingency plan.”

Shen said the provision of Eutelsat OneWeb services to Taiwan was significant, but not enough on its own.

“The low-orbit satellites assisted by the UK at least make up for Taiwan’s current needs, but they may still be interfered with or interrupted,” he said. “It is important to pursue additional systems, such as undersea cables, low-orbit satellites from other countries, etc.”

Taiwan’s last president, Tsai Ing-wen, pledged almost $10bn (£7.6bn) towards national space industry development, including a domestic satellite internet network. It plans to launch the first of two communications satellites by 2026.

The project is achievable, the chief operating officer of internet analysts ingeniSPACE, Jason Wang, told the Guardian.

“There’s no question that Taiwan can produce satellites. The question is whether they can do it at scale and send it up into space fast enough,” Wang said.

They also need to be able to replace them quickly, Wang added, in the event they are targeted during a conflict.

“That’s also a question for the commercial players, like OneWeb and others.”

Can a divided Asean benefit China in the long run?

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3282484/can-divided-asean-benefit-china-long-run?utm_source=rss_feed

When Joe Biden attended his first summit as American president with leaders of Southeast Asian nations three years ago, he appeared keen to renew Washington’s leadership in a region at the forefront of the US-China rivalry.

“You can expect to see me showing up and reaching out to you,” he told the virtual East Asia Summit, pledging that the US would always stand with them.

But last week, the outgoing US leader skipped the region’s biggest annual gathering for the second year in a row.

To be fair, Biden – lately preoccupied with the Israel-Iran confrontation and two devastating hurricanes at home – has done a fine job in repairing ties with Southeast Asia and improving America’s standing in the Indo-Pacific.

But the timing of his absence could not have been worse for Washington and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

With the US presidential elections just three weeks away, Biden’s absence inevitably raised doubts again about Washington’s sincerity on its commitment to the region, especially if Donald Trump were to return to the White House.

Amid the worst global geopolitical turbulence in decades – from Ukraine and the Middle East to the South China Sea and the Korean peninsula – the Asean bloc has become more polarised than ever, struggling to find its own voice in the face of what some call the new US-China cold war.

As in previous years, Asean’s disunity was clearly on display at the Laos summit last week when it came to Myanmar’s civil war and China’s alleged “coercive actions” in the disputed South China Sea against rival claimants the Philippines and Vietnam.

Instead of pushing back against China, an Asean statement on Friday called for an early agreement on a code of conduct for the South China Sea based on international law and confidence-building measures that could “reduce tensions and the risk of accidents, misunderstandings and miscalculation”.

Yet in private, according to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, “more than half” of Asean nations had offered some form of help to Manila during the Vientiane gathering, from joint drills to peacekeeping consultations, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported on Sunday.

However, Marcos nonetheless voiced his disappointment at the regional summit, urging all Asean nations “not to turn a blind eye to the aggressive, coercive, and illegal actions of an external power against an Asean member state”, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK.

“Silence in the face of these violations diminishes Asean,” Marcos was quoted as saying.

Marcos also reportedly criticised several countries that helped remove criticism of China’s assertive behaviour in the Asean statement, saying: “We must not ignore the actions of those which seek to divide us and use Asean for their own ends.”

With the help of Russia, China also managed to block another Asean-drafted statement for the 18-nation East Asia Summit, mainly due to the wording on the South China Sea dispute, Reuters reported on Saturday, citing an unnamed US official.

According to Tass, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the US-led West sought “to make Asean its main partner and direct this partnership against the interests of Russia and China”. It was a rare instance of Moscow voicing support for Beijing on sensitive territorial issues.

Asean is no stranger to China-related controversies. In a watershed moment in China’s diplomacy, former foreign minister Yang Jiechi reportedly lectured his Asean counterparts at the 2010 summit in Vietnam, claiming that “China is a big country and other countries are small countries”.

His successor Wang Yi staged two walkouts at a gathering of regional foreign ministers in Cambodia two years ago, to protest against criticism of China’s muscle-flexing military response to then US House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Taiwan visit.

But Beijing appears to have scored some easy points, thanks to Washington being distracted by the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and Asean’s deep divisions over the US-China rivalry and other global challenges.

While Asean nations share concerns about China’s growing dominance and assertive behaviour in the region despite their economic dependence on Beijing, they have been largely unable to substantially help the Philippines and Vietnam in their asymmetric contests with China.

But Beijing is unlikely to benefit from Asean’s disunity in the long run, as a weak and divided Asean risks losing its relevance.

It may even give way to other ideas seeking collective defence arrangements, such as new Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s concept of an “Asian Nato”, which is clearly aimed at China.

China mother sits children on 23rd-floor outdoor air con unit to annoy husband during row

https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3282333/china-mother-sits-children-23rd-floor-outdoor-air-con-unit-annoy-husband-during-row?utm_source=rss_feed

A woman in central China who made her two young children sit on an air conditioning unit outside their flat on the 23rd floor just to annoy her husband has been condemned online.

Residents of a community in Luoyang, Henan province, heard the cries of a little girl on the morning of October 10 and found her with her brother in the dangerous situation, reported the news website Sohu.

Their mother was sitting on the adjoining windowsill, arguing loudly with her husband and stopping him from approaching the children, according to a viral video shot by a neighbour.

The video shows that the two children were not wearing any protective gear, and the terrified girl was sobbing, while the little boy remained relatively calm.

It is not clear what the couple were rowing about.

A nearby resident reported the incident to the police.

“The firefighting vehicle came and the children were rescued,” an official at the local Women and Children’s Federation said, adding that they were looking into the case.

The police are also investigating the incident. It was not disclosed whether the mother would receive punishment.

The video clip, viewed 55 million times on Weibo alone, received a huge response in China.

“A mother should protect her children. But she put her children in dire danger. She is not fit to be a mother,” one online observer said.

“If an accident happened, she will regret it more than anyone else. Why adopt such an extreme measure? Calm down. If you cannot live with him any longer, just divorce him,” another person wrote.

“This woman is insane and horrible! She should receive serious judicial punishment,” said another.

A fourth netizen criticised the husband: “In this scenario, you should go soft first. You should comfort your wife and persuade her to stop her dangerous behaviour. That is the most important thing to do.”

Stories involving abusive parents frequently make headlines in China.

Earlier this month, a father in southwestern China was detained for using an electric wire to whip his two young sons after they drew on neighbours’ cars.

The boys suffered multiple bruising and soft tissue injuries from the beating, according to the doctors who examined them.

Chinese brands and Apple drive global smartphone shipment growth for fifth straight quarter

https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3282470/chinese-brands-and-apple-drive-global-smartphone-shipment-growth-5th-straight-quarter?utm_source=rss_feed

Chinese Android smartphone brands saw shipments soar in the third quarter, boosting the global handset market along with Apple, which launched the latest version of its iPhone last month, according to data from industry researchers.

Worldwide smartphone shipments climbed 4 per cent to surpass 316 million units, marking the fifth consecutive quarter of growth despite economic headwinds, according to a report by research firm IDC on Monday.

Xiaomi, which introduced new flagship devices and foldable handsets last quarter, retained the No 3 spot. Its smartphone shipments rose over 3 per cent to 42.8 million units, capturing more than 13 per cent of the global market.

Oppo, in fourth place, shipped 28.8 million smartphones, up nearly 6 per cent year on year. Vivo rounded out the top five with the fastest growth, surging almost 23 per cent to 27 million units.

Vivo’s strong performance was driven largely by aggressive product launches and a low comparison base from last year, said Will Wong, senior research manager for client devices at IDC Asia-Pacific.

“Led by strong growth from Chinese vendors like Vivo, Oppo, Xiaomi, Lenovo and Huawei [Technologies], the smartphone market shows resilience despite global economic headwinds,” Wong said, noting that growth among Chinese firms was uneven.

US giant Apple, which faces intensifying competition in China against domestic brands like Huawei, remained in second place. iPhone shipments increased 3.5 per cent to 56 million units in the September quarter, translating to a market share of just under 18 per cent, according to IDC.

Apple benefited from strong demand for its older models and the new iPhone 16 series release, said Nabila Popal, research director for worldwide client devices at IDC.

“Older iPhone models, specifically the iPhone 15, performed exceptionally well due to the heavy promotions and increased marketing activities around Apple Intelligence,” Popal wrote in the report.

While the delayed roll-out of the iPhone 16’s on-device artificial intelligence platform has dampened enthusiasm for the new series in China, some analysts expect sales to pick up later this year, as the Western holiday season kicks in.

“Apple achieved its highest third-quarter volume to date and has never been closer to leading the global smartphone market in a Q3 than now,” said Runar Bjørhovde, analyst at consultancy Canalys.

The firm put Apple’s global market share in the past quarter at 18 per cent, just slightly behind that of front runner Samsung Electronics.

“Despite a modest initial reception, the iPhone 16 is expected to help Apple maintain a strong finish to 2024 and help momentum in [the first half of] 2025, particularly as Apple Intelligence expands into new markets and supports additional languages.”

South Korean giant Samsung was the only one in the top five to see shipments drop. It shipped 57.8 million smartphones from July to September, down 2.8 per cent from a year ago, according to IDC.

Canalys, which reported a 5 per cent growth in the global smartphone market, said the rise was driven by demand in emerging economies and an early replacement cycle in North America, China and Europe.

“The gap between the top five vendors has narrowed, intensifying the competitive landscape,” Canalys analyst Le Xuan Chiew wrote in a report.

Most Philippine voters won’t support pro-China candidates in 2025 elections: survey

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3282475/most-philippine-voters-wont-support-pro-china-candidates-2025-elections-survey?utm_source=rss_feed

The vast majority of Filipinos will not support politicians with pro-China views in next year’s midterm elections, according to a new survey, highlighting the potential risks for candidates seen as sympathetic to Beijing.

About 73 per cent of 2,400 respondents in the Philippines said they would not “support a candidate in the May 2025 national elections who is pro-China at present or in the past”, findings from a survey conducted by polling company Pulse Asia showed.

Only 5 per cent of those surveyed said they would support pro-China candidates, while 23 per cent were undecided, according to the survey conducted between September 6 and 13.

Dindo Manhit, president of Stratbase ADR Institute, which commissioned the Pulse Asia survey released on Monday, said the results reflected widespread scepticism towards candidates seen as too close to Beijing, driven by concerns over disputes in the South China Sea and fears that such ties could undermine national security.

“Electing pro-China candidates poses significant risks, as it will lead to policies that compromise our territorial integrity, [and] economic interests. Such candidates will become direct conduits for Chinese influence, which can jeopardise our national security and further empower a state that has repeatedly disregarded our sovereign rights and the international rules-based order,” Manhit said, according to a report by the Philippine News Agency.

More than 66 million registered Filipinos will cast their votes for over 18,280 candidates vying for posts across the country during midterm elections next May.

Many of the candidates are allies of former president Rodrigo Duterte, who pursued closer ties with Beijing during his time in office by downplaying the South China Sea disputes and seeking Chinese investments. One such candidate is Congressman Pantaleon Alvarez, representing the First District of Davao del Norte, who has criticised President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s foreign policy.

The survey also showed that only 1 per cent of Filipinos believe Beijing was a trusted partner for Manila’s development, while 79 per cent trusted the United States, followed by Japan at 50 per cent.

When asked to rate countries as a beneficial economic partner, only 7 per cent believed China to be so, compared with 66 per cent for the United States, 43 per cent for Japan, 32 per cent for Australia, and 31 per cent for Canada.

“Filipinos are right to question China’s role as a reliable development partner. Beyond the West Philippine Sea disputes, raging issues like the corrosive impact of Pogos [Philippine offshore gaming operations] and incidents involving alleged Chinese espionage, such as the case of Alice Guo, have further fuelled distrust,” Manhit said.

“Our people need trustworthy partners who respect our laws and our sovereignty. China’s actions have repeatedly contradicted these fundamental principles, casting doubt on their sincerity in supporting our national development goals.”

Pogos are Philippines-based online gambling firms that cater mostly to customers from mainland China, where gambling is illegal.

Marcos Jnr in July declared an immediate ban on Pogos during his State of the Nation address, following numerous reports of criminal activities linked to their operations.

Edmund Tayao, president and CEO of the Political Economic Elemental Researchers and Strategists (PEERS) think tank, told This Week in Asia that pro-China politicians were likely to be forced to shift their stance, given the deep distrust of such candidates indicated in the survey. He noted many of them have already been identified for their alignment with Beijing.

“The narrative that has been unfolding for quite some time suggests that many stories we thought were unknown are now coming to light. As a result, it will be difficult, if not too late, for them to change their positions,” Tayao said.

A separate national survey released by PEERS in June produced findings consistent with those from Pulse Asia, he added.

“The issue of national security, particularly the West Philippine Sea, is one of the significant concerns of the voters. Therefore, it is consistent if the result suggests people are not inclined to support anyone who is pro-China,” he said, using Manila’s name for the South China Sea within its exclusive economic zone.

Other recent surveys have also shown deep concerns about China among Filipinos.

One poll conducted in March by private pollster Octa Research indicated 76 per cent of Filipinos consider China to be the biggest threat, while 73 per cent of the respondents favoured Manila to take military action to counter Beijing. The same poll also found that 91 per cent of Filipinos distrusted China.

While the majority of Filipinos surveyed by Pulse Asia opposed pro-China politicians, the figure varied slightly across the country. Opposition was highest in the Visayas at 85 per cent, followed by Metro Manila at 83 per cent, Mindanao at 74 per cent, and the rest of Luzon at 65 per cent.

Ramon Beleno III, head of the political science and history department at Ateneo de Davao University, told This Week in Asia that in Mindanao, a stronghold of the Duterte clan, voters were still loyal to local politicians associated with the former president, regardless of their stance on China.

In a survey conducted between August 28 and September 2 by Octa Research, the Duterte family and their allies remained influential in Mindanao, where 48 per cent of the population supported them, compared with 6 per cent in the capital and 12 per cent in the Visayas.

Duterte, his daughter and Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio, eldest son Congressman Paolo “Pulong” Duterte, and youngest son, Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, are running for positions in Mindanao in the coming elections.

The 2025 midterms are widely seen as a proxy war between the Marcos Jnr and Duterte camps. Marcos Jnr has assumed a more assertive stance against China since taking office in 2022, aligning the Philippines more closely with the US and expanding military cooperation with its allies in Asia and the West.

Duterte and his allies have been carefully framing their positions regarding China and being open to work with Beijing “so as not to worsen the situation in the West Philippine Sea”, Beleno said.

The views of voters regarding China might also evolve closer to the elections, he added.

“Maybe next year when the campaign period starts, most probably sentiments [of the candidates] will change because the people’s concerns will shift.”

Russia’s defence chief hails ‘common understanding’ with China

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3282457/russias-defence-chief-hails-common-understanding-china?utm_source=rss_feed

China and Russia have “a common understanding of what needs to be done”, Moscow’s new defence minister said during a trip to Beijing, where he met top Chinese generals.

The visit by Andrey Belousov, who was appointed to the position in May, comes as China is facing increasing pressure from the United States and its allies over the country’s close ties to Russia.

During his Tuesday meeting with Zhang Youxia, vice-chairman of China’s top command body the Central Military Commission, Belousov said: “The Defence Ministries of Russia and China are united in their assessments of global processes, and they have a common understanding of what needs to be done in the current situation”.

According to Russian news agency Tass, Zhang said: “China is ready to deepen and expand military ties with Russia and maintain close high-level exchanges between the two countries.”

This includes working together to “maintain international cooperation, regional peace and stability”, he added.

Zhang, China’s most senior military officer, also said relations between the two countries “have reached the highest level in history” and said this year’s 75th anniversary of the establishment of formal diplomatic ties was a “new starting point”.

The Soviet Union was the first country to formally recognise the People’s Republic, a day after it was founded on October 1, 1949.

On Monday, Belousov also held his first official meeting with his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun, which he described as “very meaningful talks”.

Belousov again emphasised the “common understanding” between the two sides, according to Tass, while Dong said Belousov’s appointment came at a “critical” period in history.

“And you were given the great responsibility of serving as defence minister in this period. You have very important duties. I think that this reflects President [Vladimir] Putin’s confidence in you and shows your leadership,” Dong said.

The close ties between the two countries are a major source of friction with the United States.

The US State Department announced its latest sanctions against Chinese companies involved in shipping machine tools and microelectronics “for supporting Russia’s war effort in Ukraine” in late August.

Beijing has repeatedly denied supporting the war and has imposed export controls on technology that could have a military application.

The visit comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is looking to secure maximum support from the US and Europe ahead of the US election, which polling suggests will be a tight race.

Zelensky will unveil his “victory plan” this week at a meeting of the European Council. While Zelensky has previously shared the plan with key Western leaders, its details have remained under wraps.

The Ukrainian leader has previously rejected a six-point peace plan from China and Brazil, describing it as “destructive” in a speech last month at the United Nations General Assembly.

The China-Brazil proposal was also dismissed by the US and European Union but Switzerland, which recently hosted a global peace summit organised by Ukraine, has expressed support.

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Nobel Prize-winning research pushes Chinese economists to call for institutional reforms

https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3282472/nobel-prize-winning-research-pushes-chinese-economists-call-institutional-reforms?utm_source=rss_feed

Chinese economists called for institutional reforms after three US-based scholars won the Nobel Prize in economics with their research into how institutions shape the economic success of nations.

Turkish-American Daron Acemoglu and British-Americans Simon Johnson and James Robinson were named as this year’s winners on Monday in Stockholm having published extensively on the relationships between political and economic institutions and wealth.

They argued that states with “inclusive institutions” – which uphold the rule of law and property rights – as opposed to “extractive ones,” would lead to “inclusive” economic institutions and economic success.

“I think the conclusion of their work tells us that institutions are the most critical [to a country’s economic development]. This also has big implications for China’s way forward,” said prominent Chinese economist Xiang Songzuo, who added that the scholars’ conclusions were applicable to the China model.

“Only by moving towards further marketising our economy, emphasising on the protection of intellectual property, private companies, fair market competition and upholding the spirit of entrepreneurship, can our economy attain sustainable growth, and our people can have higher incomes.”

China’s slowing economy has remained under pressure from a simmering property crisis, low consumer confidence and intensifying trade and tech competition with the United States, raising concerns with economists at home and abroad.

And while Beijing has introduced new stimulus policies in the past weeks, many are still calling for deep-rooted institutional problems to be addressed.

Nie Huihua, a professor at Renmin University in Beijing, said the research had “important insights” for China’s reforms and sustainable development.

Nie referred to Beijing’s draft of a widely watched law concerning the promotion of the private sector, which was released on Thursday.

The 77-article law would mark a “systemic approach” to address the sector’s problems and challenges, while helping create a stable, fair, transparent and predictable business environment, according to the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Justice.

“According to the research of the institutional economists, the key would be protection of private entrepreneurs’ ‘two rights’ – personal and property rights and safety. Only when these are protected that the private economy can develop in a healthy and sustainable manner,” Nie said on his official WeChat social media account on Tuesday.

Acemoglu, 57, and Johnson, 61, work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Robinson, 64, conducts his research at the University of Chicago.

In their 2012 book Why Nations Fail, Acemoglu and Robinson argued that because of the lack of “inclusive institutions”, China’s combination of economic growth and political control cannot be sustainable.

And on Monday, Acemoglu said that China has posed a “bit of a challenge” to that argument, as Beijing has been “pouring investment” into the innovative fields of artificial intelligence and electric vehicles.

“But my perspective is generally that these authoritarian regimes, for a variety of reasons, are going to have a harder time in achieving long-term, sustainable innovation outcomes,” he said.

In November, Acemoglu and Johnson also published an article titled “America’s real China problem” under Project Syndicate, saying “Chinese policies came at the expense of American workers” which helped grow China’s economy, and allowing it to “invest in an even more complex set of repressive technologies”.

The authors concluded that “China’s trajectory does not bode well for the future”, while warning the US to discourage placing critical manufacturing supply-chain links in countries like China.

They also urged the US to hasten the transition to a carbon-neutral economy and invest in pro-worker technologies.

Why the collapse of the Soviet Union haunts China’s 75th anniversary | Podcasts

https://www.economist.com/podcasts/2024/10/09/why-the-collapse-of-the-soviet-union-haunts-chinas-75th-anniversary

A handpicked article read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. On the 75th anniversary of the foundation of Communist China, memories of the collapse of the Soviet Union loom large.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

China and US start new chapter in panda diplomacy as bears head to National Zoo

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3282434/china-and-us-start-new-chapter-panda-diplomacy-bears-head-national-zoo?utm_source=rss_feed

Two new giant pandas are making the journey from China to the US, marking a new chapter in panda diplomacy and strengthening bilateral relations.

Three-year-old pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao left the China Giant Panda Research Centre in Dujiangyan in the southwest province of Sichuan on Monday and are set to arrive at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, according to the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA).

This exchange follows an international cooperation agreement signed in April for the protection of giant pandas, continuing a 20-year conservation relationship and beginning a new 10-year residency at the zoo, CWCA said in a statement on its WeChat account on Monday.

Before their departure, both pandas underwent thorough health evaluations to ensure they were fit for travel. During the flight, they were fed bamboo shoots, carrots and wowotou, a type of steamed cornbread.

“We believe that the new round of international cooperation on the conservation of giant pandas between China and the United States will … achieve more results in areas such as the prevention and control of major diseases affecting giant pandas, epidemic prevention and control, scientific and technological exchanges, as well as support for wild panda conservation and the construction of giant panda national parks,” the CWCA said.

“This will contribute to global biodiversity conservation and enhance the friendship between the peoples of the two countries.”

The arrival of Bao Li, whose name means “precious vigour”, and Qing Bao, meaning “green treasure”, signals the revival of panda exchanges at the Washington institution after the zoo sent a beloved bear trio – Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and Xiao Qi Ji – back to China last year following the expiration of an exchange agreement.

This led to concerns about fewer pandas in American zoos amid rising diplomatic tensions. However, optimism returned in November when Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed Beijing’s commitment to the exchange programmes.

Three experienced American zookeepers and veterinary experts travelled to Sichuan to help with transporting the two pandas. The National Zoo has also made necessary upgrades to its facilities to create an optimal environment for the pandas, including renovations and securing a stable source of bamboo to meet their dietary needs, the CWCA said.

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute has not yet confirmed the exact arrival date but confirmed the panda research and breeding agreement with China in a statement in May. The zoo’s official website uploaded photos of the two pandas in September.

“We’re thrilled to welcome two new bears, including a descendant of our beloved panda family, to Washington, DC,” said Brandie Smith, the zoo’s director. “This historic moment proves the impact of our collaboration with our Chinese colleagues.”

An annual 1.9 million visitors have come to the National Zoo to see the pandas since 1972.

Notably, newcomer Bao Li is a descendant of the zoo’s cherished panda family. His mother, Bao Bao, was born at the institution in 2013, and his grandparents are Tian Tian and Mei Xiang, who lived at the zoo for over 20 years.

Upon arrival, Bao Li and Qing Bao will undergo a 30-day quarantine to ensure their health and acclimatisation. Their public debut will be announced once the animal care team determines they are ready to meet visitors, and the zoo’s live-streaming video service will relaunch for virtual visitors at that time, the zoo said in the May statement.

Under the current terms, the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute will pay a US$1 million annual fee to CWCA to support conservation projects. All pandas and any offspring remain the property of China, with any cubs born at the US institution set to be transferred to China by the age of four.

In the coming months, more pandas are expected to arrive at zoos in San Francisco, Atlanta and Memphis. In June, the San Diego Zoo welcomed five-year-old Yun Chuan and the nearly four-year-old Xin Bao, marking its first new panda arrivals in over 20 years.

Since the early 1970s, China has used panda diplomacy as a means of fostering international friendships.

The first pair of pandas sent to the US were a symbol of improving Sino-American relations during US President Richard Nixon’s visit to China in 1972. Since then, the exchange programme has resulted in successful breeding, conservation partnerships and strengthened ties.

Pony.ai teams up with Alibaba’s Amap unit to expand robotaxi service in China

https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3282430/ponyai-teams-alibabas-amap-unit-expand-robotaxi-service-china?utm_source=rss_feed

Chinese autonomous driving start-up Pony.ai has teamed up with Alibaba Group Holding’s online mapping unit Amap in an accelerated push to roll out robotaxis as the driverless taxi market heats up in China.

Pony.ai said its robotaxi fleet operating in the pilot zone in the Nansha district of Guangzhou, capital of China’s southern Guangdong province where it is based, is now accessible from Amap, the Alibaba-backed online mapping service that also doubles as a ride-hailing platform, according to a post published to its official WeChat public account on Monday. Alibaba owns the Post.

Riders using Amap in Guangzhou will now have the option to select autonomous rides from Pony.ai’s fleet within designated areas and service hours, it said in the post, adding that the tie-up is expected to expand into more cities, without giving a specific timetable.

The company has operated a robotaxi service in the city since April 2023, after receiving permission from local authorities. Outside Guangzhou, it offers the service in designated areas in cities including Beijing, Shanghai and the southern tech hub of Shenzhen.

Pony.ai has been striking similar tie-ups with partners to put its fleet on more apps and services, including social media giant Tencent Holding’s super app WeChat, Alibaba’s payment app Alipay, as well as Ruqi Mobility and Jinjiang Transport, Guangzhou and Shanghai-based ride-hailing platforms, respectively.

Pony.ai’s efforts come as the driverless taxi industry is gaining momentum, driven by advancements made by key players and growing interest from early adopters.

Earlier this year, robotaxis operated by Baidu’s self-driving unit Apollo Go generated headlines in Wuhan, capital of central Hubei province, when super cheap fares gained popularity among passengers but angered the city’s traditional taxi drivers, who feared that their livelihoods might be threatened by the new technology.

Apollo Go, after a long streak of losing money, is finally on track to turn a profit, Wang Yunpeng, head of Baidu’s Intelligent Driving Group, told staff in an internal letter in April.

Tesla debuted its long-awaited robotaxi at a recent event in California, drawing mixed reactions from Chinese consumers, who thought the US electric vehicle giant was behind its Chinese peers. Tesla is still waiting for the regulatory greenlight for its full self-driving vehicles to be used on Chinese roads.

Founded in 2016 by employees from Baidu’s self-driving unit, Pony.ai has received backing from marqueesnames including HongShan, formerly Sequoia China, IDG Capital and China Merchants Capital, among others. Last year, it received US$100 million in investment from Saudi Arabian smart city developer Neom.

China’s Li Qiang vows ‘upgraded’ Pakistan economic corridor on first visit to Islamabad

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3282458/chinas-li-qiang-vows-upgraded-pakistan-economic-corridor-first-visit-islamabad?utm_source=rss_feed

Premier Li Qiang reiterated China’s pledge to upgrade a multibillion-dollar economic corridor with Pakistan and deepen joint counterterrorism efforts with its military as he arrived in Islamabad on Monday.

Li, who is on his first visit to the South Asian country, will be attending a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation heads of government meeting in the Pakistani capital during his four-day trip.

“China is willing to work with Pakistan, focusing on establishing an upgraded version of the CPEC,” the Chinese foreign ministry quoted Li as telling Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a meeting on Monday.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, or CPEC, is a flagship project under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative, with more than US$65 billion pledged for projects in Pakistan as of 2022.

Formally announced in 2013, the 3,000km (1,864-mile) route of infrastructure projects aims to connect landlocked western China to the Arabian Sea via Pakistan’s deep sea Gwadar Port.

Earlier, Li and Sharif virtually inaugurated the Beijing-funded New Gwadar International Airport in a televised ceremony.

The Chinese premier described the airport as a key facility for the Gwadar Port to become a regional connectivity hub and an important symbol of the further deepening of the construction of the CPEC.

Gwadar, the centrepiece of the CPEC, lies on the southwestern coast of the Pakistani province of Balochistan, near the Iranian border.

“We aim to accelerate the construction of major projects in areas such as railways, roads and ports, and strengthen industrial integration,” the foreign ministry statement quoted Li as saying.

He also pledged to “deepen practical cooperation in agriculture, mining, information technology, and energy, ensuring that the results of China-Pakistan cooperation benefit the people more broadly”.

Sharif said that the Gwadar International Airport marked “another symbolic representation” of the friendship between Pakistan and China, and the new facility would “fully unleash the hub functions” of Gwadar Port, bringing “unprecedented” development opportunities to Pakistan.

Later in the day, Li met Pakistani military leaders, telling them that China hoped to deepen counterterrorism cooperation towards jointly safeguarding peace and stability.

Military leaders present at the meeting were Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee of the Pakistan Army Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, Chief of Naval Staff Naveed Ashraf and Chief of Air Staff Zaheer Ahmad Babar.

Pakistan has sought to bolster security for thousands of Chinese workers in Pakistan since earlier this year, following a surge in militant violence targeting Chinese nationals and Chinese-funded belt and road megaprojects.

Security fears spiked about a week ahead of Li’s visit, after a deadly attack on Chinese nationals near Jinnah International Airport in the southern city of Karachi.

Two Chinese workers were killed and several others were injured in the “suicide attack” claimed by the separatist militant group Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). The group based in Balochistan has targeted Chinese interests in Pakistan before.

Li told Sharif of Beijing’s hopes for the safety of Chinese workers. “We hope that Pakistan will continue to provide a favourable business environment for Chinese enterprises and fully ensure the safety of Chinese personnel, institutions, and projects in Pakistan,” Li said.

“China firmly supports Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts and is willing to actively promote counterterrorism cooperation, helping Pakistan to strengthen its counterterrorism capacity building.”

Sharif once again expressed “deep condolences” for the Chinese victims in the latest attack and pledged to “make every effort to apprehend the perpetrators” and enhance counterterrorism measures.

Li’s visit is the latest high-level exchange this year as China and Pakistan mark the 73rd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

Sharif visited China in June for a five-day trip that included a meeting with President Xi Jinping. A joint statement following the meeting also pledged to build “an upgraded version” of the CPEC, with the new phase featuring the key themes of “growth, livelihood, innovation, green, and openness”.

Islamabad has implemented strict security measures for the 23rd Meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government starting on Tuesday.

SCO is a regional economic and security bloc largely driven by China and Russia that has seen its remit grow in the two decades or so since its formation.

All 10 SCO members, including China, Russia, India and Iran will be attending the two-day meeting under the chairmanship of Pakistan. The annual meeting focuses on the trade and economic agenda of the organisation.

Most Singaporeans rate China’s clout above US, prefer it as strategic partner: survey

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3282416/most-singaporeans-rate-chinas-clout-above-us-prefer-it-strategic-partner-survey?utm_source=rss_feed

More Singaporeans based in the city state and abroad believe China’s influence in Southeast Asia has grown in recent years compared with the US, according to findings of a new survey.

Most of those surveyed on their geopolitical attitudes by research company Verian also picked China as a strategic partner for security and survival over neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia, the US, Australia, Japan and Britain.

About 51 per cent of Singaporean respondents based locally and 47 per cent of those overseas felt the international community would come to Singapore’s aid if it was attacked.

Leong Chan-Hoong, one of the researchers behind the poll published last Friday, told This Week in Asia the numbers showed naivety among some Singaporeans on certain geopolitical issues. “Many countries today, including the superpowers, are sensitive to supporting other nation states in need of help apart from providing financial help, military assets, and other relief supplies. This reflects the calculation of their domestic political cost.”

The study surveyed 1,539 Singaporeans based in the city state and 819 Singaporeans based abroad over the second half of last year. About 35 per cent of the overseas Singaporeans surveyed live in Australia and New Zealand, 22 per cent live in the US, 17 per cent are based in Britain while those living in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan made up 7 per cent.

Leong called the survey the first systematic investigation that distilled how Singaporeans viewed their country as a global city state, and their confidence in tackling emerging problems and identifying areas where Singapore might be complacent.

“This survey aims to encourage Singaporeans to think harder on macroeconomic and geopolitical issues, and how Singaporeans may rally together to address them,” he said.

Robert McPhedran, managing director of Verian Singapore, said the study highlighted that Singaporeans were ready to engage in foreign policy discussions. “They are certainly mindful of what is at stake.”

In August, 100 days after taking office, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said that he wanted to discuss with citizens about such topics.

Researchers found that overseas Singaporeans were more supportive of Singapore’s strengths than those based in the country. These strengths include having a common identity, diversity, adaptability to crises, and sovereignty recognised by other countries.

However, overseas Singaporeans were more sceptical about the city state being able to make policy decisions independently without being influenced by other nations; 56 per cent of locally based Singaporeans believed this was true while 45 per cent of overseas Singaporeans said this was the case.

Experts who spoke to This Week in Asia said the survey findings on Singaporeans’ attitudes towards China were unsurprising.

Of the respondents living in Singapore, 53 per cent said China’s influence was growing in the region, while among the overseas Singaporeans, 78 per cent selected this option. This was higher than the 32 per cent and 25 per cent based in Singapore and abroad, respectively, who chose the US.

On selecting a strategic partner for security and survival, half of the Singapore-based respondents chose China, followed by 15 per cent for Malaysia and the US.

However, of the overseas Singaporeans, 37 per cent chose the US, followed by 19 per cent for China and 16 per cent for Australia.

Sociologist Tan Ern Ser from the National University of Singapore (NUS) noted China was the second-largest economy in the world and Singapore has had close economic, cultural, and diplomatic ties with Beijing over the past few decades since the dawn of China’s economic reforms and engagement with the world. “Singapore and Singaporeans have benefited significantly from these multifaceted relations,” he said.

However, Ja Ian Chong, an international relations specialist from NUS, pointed out the survey did not indicate if respondents thought China’s influence was positive or negative or why respondents believed China’s influence to be rising.

“Even though slightly more than half of respondents think that the PRC should be a strategic partner, the survey does not say whether they feel forced into this situation or if it is because they genuinely like the PRC more,” said Chong.

He noted that the favourable response for China was just under half and said the positive portrayal of China in local Singapore media as well as the availability of pro-Beijing media have helped boost China’s image among Singaporeans.

On Singaporeans’ belief that the international community would come to its aid, Chong argued this could be down to the long-term image in local media that Singapore was popular on the world stage.

“This reflects Singaporeans as being relatively uninformed about international politics,” he noted, adding “there is a lack of clarity among the public over Singapore’s interests and where the country stands”.

Bilveer Singh, a political science professor from NUS, said the findings showed a “naivety that others would help” as well as a lack of understanding and appreciation of geopolitics.

Tan pointed out that the survey showed Singaporeans needed to gain greater literacy in world politics and international relations.

“Singapore’s survival and prosperity depend very much on our understanding of the external environment and on how we engage the rest of the world,” he said.

China calls on Israel and Iran to avoid ‘falling into vicious circle’

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3282414/china-calls-israel-and-iran-avoid-falling-vicious-circle?utm_source=rss_feed

China urged Israel and Iran to de-escalate tensions and avoid a “vicious circle” in separate phone calls between top diplomat Wang Yi and his counterparts from the rival nations on Monday.

As Beijing ramps up its mediation efforts in the Middle East, foreign vice-minister Deng Li also spoke with his Saudi Arabian counterpart Waleed bin Abdulkarim El-Khereiji by phone on Monday, when the pair exchanged views on the situation in the region.

During the call with Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, Wang said China was highly concerned about the tensions with Iran and that renewed conflict and turmoil in the region was not in any country’s interests.

“It is hoped that all parties will proceed with caution to prevent the situation from falling into a vicious circle,” Wang told Katz, according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement.

Wang also called for an “immediate, complete and permanent” ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages, saying that was the “top priority” in response to the prolonged conflict in the region.

He said the voices of the international community were clear, calling for all parties to return to the “two-state solution” political path as soon as possible and to reach a “harmonious coexistence” of the Jewish and Arab peoples.

“This is the right way to achieve stability and lasting security for all parties, including Israel,” he added.

Katz later posted on X that during the call he had “clarified that Iran is the primary source for undermining stability in the Middle East”, adding that Tehran “constitutes a threat” both directly and through its proxies such as Hamas and Hezbollah.

“We expect that China will express a balanced and fair position in relation to the war,” he said, emphasising that Israel would respond to the Iranian attack on the country earlier this month.

The phone call came days after the first anniversary of the raid by Hamas militants on southern Israel, and amid growing concerns about a wider war in the Middle East due to the recent escalation of tensions between Israel and Iran.

Israel is weighing its retaliatory options after Iran fired more than 180 ballistic missiles at it on October 1.

In a separate call on Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi told Wang that Tehran was deeply concerned about the risk of an overall escalation of the current regional situation and did not want to see a further expansion of conflict, according to the Chinese readout.

Araghchi added that “Israel should avoid taking risks and proceed cautiously”, the statement said.

“China has always advocated for resolving hotspot issues through dialogue and consultation and opposes exacerbating tensions, expanding conflicts and military adventurism,” Wang told Araghchi.

Wang said Beijing was pleased to see the Iranian government carrying out mediation efforts and improving its understanding with relevant parties and its relations with regional countries.

Araghchi welcomed efforts by the Chinese government to help stop Israeli aggression on Gaza and Lebanon, and to restore peace and security in the region, according to Iran’s official Islamic Republic News Agency.

It said the two ministers also discussed the coming meeting between Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Brics summit in Kazan, Russia next week.

During the phone call with Katz, Wang also called on Israel to take concrete measures to ensure the safety of United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon as well as Chinese institutions and nationals in Israel.

Over the past week, the UN has said that the Israeli military fired on its peacekeepers, broke through its base and injured more than a dozen of its troops in southern Lebanon. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hezbollah of using the international force as “human shields”.

Katz noted the economic cooperation between Israel and China, and that some 20,000 workers from China were continuing to work in Israel during the war.

China’s solar firms eye ‘self-salvation’ amid burning rivalry, growing threats

https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3282386/chinas-solar-firms-eye-self-salvation-amid-burning-rivalry-growing-threats?utm_source=rss_feed

Executives from China’s solar cell industry met on Monday to shine a light on increasingly “vicious” competition at home that is hurting growth in the multibillion-dollar sector at a time of mounting threats from Western countries, a trade group and domestic media outlets said.

The 780-member China Photovoltaic Industry Association trade group called a day-long forum in Shanghai to find measures that “resolve supply and demand imbalances in an orderly manner and clear excess production capacity”, according to a notice posted on Chinese news aggregator Sina.

Participants at the forum included LONGi Green Energy, Tongwei and JinkoSolar, the 21st Century Business Herald reported.

Following the meeting, LONGi said it had no plans to cut production and instead expected a “gradual recovery in the future through market mechanisms”, according to a research note from Daiwa Capital Markets.

Last month, the United States raised tariffs from 25 to 50 per cent on imports of Chinese solar cells, extending a trade war with China that began under former president Donald Trump six years ago.

Two Chinese companies also pulled out of solar projects in Europe this year after the European Union investigated their alleged receipt of foreign subsidies.

In China’s all important electric vehicle space, punitive import tariffs of up to 35.3 per cent imposed by the EU are set to take effect by the end of the month after a year-long investigation, with the European bloc bracing for further retaliatory action.

The dimming picture in Western markets may accelerate elimination of excess capacity at home and add to the overseas positions of Chinese solar companies, said Darius Tang, associate director of corporates with the Fitch Bohua ratings agency.

“We believe that the trade restrictions and barriers would encourage Chinese manufacturers to make direct investments and set up production sites or power farms in the host country to bypass trade barriers imposed by US and EU nations,” Tang said.

The semi-official Chinese trade association’s notice said the prices of solar, or photovoltaic (PV), products have dropped to where mainstream goods sell for “significantly lower” than production costs as the industry is faced with a “vicious situation of below-cost price competition”.

It called for the prevention of “involution”, a term that means a halt to the development of an industry despite vigorous competition.

Solar battery cells, wafers, components and modules made by Chinese companies account for between 75 to 95 per cent of total global production, according to Fitch Bohua.

The International Energy Agency said China had doubled its global PV capacity last year and this year.

China added nearly 217 gigawatts of PV capacity in 2023, almost two-and-a-half times the level of 2022 and more than half of the world’s new PV capacity.

As a sign of shifting their investments outside China and away from the West, Chinese entrepreneurs have finished a 2 gigawatt PV project covering 20 sq km (7.7 square miles) in the United Arab Emirates and have pledged to develop 30 clean-energy projects in Africa.

“Under the guidance of [the association], we expect more cooperation between China’s PV manufacturers to seek the sector’s self-salvation,” Tang added.

And Chinese solar firms should focus on mergers and acquisitions to stay competitive at home and abroad, said Alberto Vettoretti, managing partner at consulting firm Dezan Shira & Associates.

PV companies could “create a differentiated competitive advantage” by acquiring companies with the right brands, patents and advanced technologies, he added.

“By acquiring overseas companies or establishing joint ventures, Chinese PV firms can leverage the sales channels and brand resources of the acquired entities to quickly enter international markets and increase product demand as local players,” Vettoretti said.

Asia’s youngest nation defends its China ties: ‘it’s the Chinese helping us’

https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3282409/asias-youngest-nation-defends-its-china-ties-its-chinese-helping-us?utm_source=rss_feed

Along the waterfront of East Timor’s capital, buzzing restaurants sell local dishes and Portuguese colonial fare facing turquoise waters where the Indonesian military launched an invasion nearly half a century before.

Since emerging from decades of brutal occupation in 2002 on the back of an independence vote 25 years ago, Asia’s youngest nation has made remarkable political strides in its short history.

“The most successful? National healing, reconciliation, peace and stability,” President Jose Ramos-Horta said in a recent interview at his home in Dili. “There has been tremendous progress.”

Independent observers also say the microstate of 1.3 million stands out as a regional beacon of democracy and press freedom.

“It’s probably the most resilient and strongest democracy in Southeast Asia,” said Joshua Kurlantzick, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

But the country is fighting new battles on various fronts – a poverty rate above 40 per cent, crucial energy reserves that experts say will deplete within years, and a balancing act between Western allies and China.

In 1975 Indonesian forces stormed the capital of the former Portuguese colony, capturing it in hours.

Indonesian occupation followed, along with human rights abuses and the killing of an estimated quarter of the population, before a contentious 1999 referendum helped East Timor achieve independence.

It has since witnessed economic growth thanks to oil and gas profits.

“We are very happy. The progress has been extraordinary,” said teacher Silverio Tilman, 58.

But not everyone has benefited.

“If you go outside of Dili, you’ll see things have not changed economically much in the last 25 years,” said Charles Scheiner, researcher at Dili-based NGO La’o Hamutuk.

“There’s still very high levels of poverty. Child malnutrition is probably one of the worst in the world.”

Ramos-Horta said a deal with Australia on a vast fossil fuel project, crucial to the tiny nation’s economic future, will be struck by November.

“The country’s economic trajectory largely hinges on the successful development of the Greater Sunrise gas field,” said Parker Novak, non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council.

Others warn the project’s development would only delay looming economic problems.

East Timor is still a net food importer and has inadequate tourism infrastructure, making it hard to diversify.

Yet its president was more optimistic.

“Timor-Leste in 2002 had less than 60 years life expectancy. Today, almost 70,” Ramos-Horta said. “We are doing reasonably well.”

On his living room table were foreign affairs magazines with China’s Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin leading the front pages.

Adorning his walls were pictures of American icons like Marilyn Monroe, John F. Kennedy and Elvis Presley, next to a large image of Cuban revolution hero Che Guevara.

The juxtaposition is emblematic of East Timor’s position as a small piece in the superpower competition between Washington and Beijing.

Ramos-Horta has pledged to be friends with all despite fears Dili could turn away from traditional Western allies as it seeks more investment.

“It’s the Chinese helping us. We are not helping them,” he said.

But Western partners are watching closely for fear of East Timor falling into a debt trap and becoming in thrall to Beijing.

Asked how he squared his own democracy fight with closer relations with Beijing – accused of indirectly supporting Russia’s Ukraine invasion and conducting aggressive moves around self-ruled Taiwan – Ramos-Horta says Western criticism was steeped in hypocrisy.

“Long before we were born as an independent state, the whole international community recognised Beijing … as the sole China,” he said.

“Why does the West want little Timor-Leste to do the opposite?”

Ramos-Horta, 74, is feted at home and says he occasionally drives around safely in his American jeep to holiday in the mountains.

His tireless diplomacy in exile earned him a 1996 Nobel Peace Prize and the popularity to secure his first presidential term between 2007 and 2012, during which he survived an assassination attempt.

Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, 78, is also revered as a liberation hero.

They come from an ageing class known as the “Generation of ‘75” who aided the independence battle and have rotated in positions of power.

Ramos-Horta came out of retirement in 2022 to win a second presidential term against former guerilla fighter Francisco “Lu-Olo” Guterres.

But observers say it’s time for a new class of leaders.

“The country has needed new leadership for the past 15 years,” said Damien Kingsbury, a Deakin University politics professor. “I expect that will only occur when the Generation of ‘75 die or are too sick to continue.”

Ramos-Horta says he won’t run again in 2027, and is scouting for new leaders.

And some young Timorese are ready for that change.

“This country needs a new generation,” said Adao Guterres, a 25-year-old university student. “A new generation ready to compete and improve this country.”

Xpeng’s AI-powered P7+ to challenge Tesla, eyes China’s autonomous driving market

https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3282387/xpengs-ai-powered-p7-challenge-tesla-eyes-chinas-autonomous-driving-market?utm_source=rss_feed

Chinese premium electric vehicle (EV) maker Xpeng has priced its latest model competitively, pinning hopes on its new autonomous driving system to lure customers away from Tesla’s technology on the mainland.

The Guangzhou-based EV maker set the presale price on the P7+ sedan at 209,800 yuan (US$29,500) as the Paris Motor Show got under way on Monday. Customers can receive a further 3,000 yuan discount if they agree to pay 99 yuan to reserve the car, according to Xpeng.

That makes the P7+ 10.8 per cent cheaper than Tesla’s Model 3, which starts at 231,900 yuan.

Orders for the Xpeng P7+ crossed 30,000 units within two hours of the presale announcement, Xpeng said in a post on Chinese microblogging platform Weibo on Monday.

The P7+ is the world’s first artificial intelligence (AI) car, Xpeng said at its unveiling on October 10. The car is equipped with the company’s proprietary Eagle Eye technology powered by Nvidia Orin X chips, which gives it greater accuracy in information collection. The company has made comprehensive use of AI to make the P7+ smarter in terms of autonomous driving, energy control and thermal management, according to He Xiaopeng, its founder and CEO.

“AI will be the foundation for developing EVs in the future,” said He. “AI will be widely used in intelligent cars and we aim to create a benchmark AI-powered vehicle for the industry.”

The P7+ presale gives Xpeng a foothold in China’s autonomous driving market, as Tesla has been doubling down on efforts to promote its system globally. The US carmaker is expected to roll out the Full Self-Driving (FSD) system on the mainland in the first quarter of 2025.

“The later Tesla launches its FSD [in China], the bigger the benefits its Chinese rivals can reap,” said Chen Jinzhu, CEO of consultancy Shanghai Mingliang Auto Service.

China, the world’s largest car market, is home to dozens of smart car makers, whose products are equipped with autonomous driving technology, voice-activated control systems and facial recognition software. The advances have been fuelled by consumers’ strong desire for digital connectivity.

Autonomous driving will be a key growth driver for China’s EV sector, which is in the midst of a fierce price war, as carmakers compete for bigger market share, according to Grace Tao, Tesla’s vice-president of external relations in China.

Separately, BYD, the world’s largest manufacturer of plug-in hybrids and pure EVs, warned at the Paris Motor Show that the tariffs the European Commission plans to impose on Chinese EVs will lead to higher prices, potentially discouraging buyers from switching to cleaner cars.

“The European electric vehicle market needs more positive education [as] the level of trust is very low,” said Stella Li, BYD’s executive vice-president.

China child kidnap victim says mother’s voice in dreams helped her remember who she was

https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3282291/china-child-kidnap-victim-says-mothers-voice-dreams-helped-her-remember-who-she-was?utm_source=rss_feed

A woman victim at the centre of one of China’s most serious serial kidnap cases in recent years has finally had her day in court at proceedings which heard that her biological parents had died young because of their ordeal.

Yang Niuhua was born in 1990 in a village in Zhijin county of Guizhou province in southwestern China.

She was kidnapped by Yu Huaying, now 61, who lived next door to her in November 1995, the China National Radio reported.

She was sold to a family in rural Handan in the northern province of Hebei about 2,000 km away from Guizhou.

Besides Yang, Yu abducted a total of 17 children from 12 families across China in the 1990s, according to the Guiyang Intermediate People’s Court in Guizhou.

The court held the first hearing of the case in September last year at which Yu was sentenced to death. It was the most serious serial child abduction case in the past 10 years.

Earlier this month, the court reheard the case after evidence emerged of more victims after Yang collected more evidence of Yu’s crimes.

After luring little Yang to go with her to buy knitting needles, Yu took her to the Hebei village where Yang was sold for 3,500 yuan (US$500) to a deaf-and-mute man, surnamed Li.

Yang was given the new name of Li Suyan and raised by Li and his mother, surnamed Wang.

Yang recalled she was frequently beaten by Li and Wang.

“Every time they hit me, I was asking myself why my parents didn’t come to pick me up,” she was quoted as saying.

“I didn’t believe my father would abandon me because I remembered he once fed me chicken and he did that so gently. His eyes were full of love,” she added.

Her new father, Li, let her drop out of school at the age of 13 and she began to work in factories as an under-aged migrant worker. Yang married in 2009 and has three children with her husband.

She said she remembered her original given name was Niuhua because once in her dream, she heard her mother repeatedly call her “Niuhua, Niuhua”.

She also remembered some geographic details about her hometown in Guizhou.

In April 2021, Yang got in touch with her biological elder sister through the social media platform Douyin.

While reuniting with her sister in their home village, Yang was heartbroken to learn that her parents both passed away in their 30s, several years after she was kidnapped.

Her parents spent a fruitless year searching for her and the stress of the situation led her father to turn to alcohol and her mother to develop mental problems. Both her parents died young as a result.

“I had imagined some scenarios for why my parents did not find me. For example, I guessed they were divorced, or they had got a son later. However, I didn’t expect that they would die because of the deep depression from losing me,” said Yang.

“Many people asked me why only me had tried so hard to find justice. My answer is that my parents died due to her crime.”

Yang managed to find a man who served as a middleman to introduce Yu to the buyer families in Hebei. She spent months persuading him to testify against Yu.

“I told him that he was already over 90 years old and it was highly possible that he would not receive any jail punishment. I asked him why would he want to hold on to this secret until he died?” said Yang.

When the verdict of the first hearing was made last year, Yang said she felt relieved because “everybody knew Yu is a bad person”.

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‘Extreme situations’: China’s space superpower goals are being shaped by security concerns

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3282391/extreme-situations-chinas-space-superpower-goals-are-being-shaped-security-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed

China is considering another inland site as it makes plans for a massive commercial spaceport – despite the advantages of its coastal facility in the southern island province of Hainan.

According to the official Sichuan Daily newspaper, the new spaceport could be built in Mianning county in the southwestern province’s Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture, in line with China’s strategy of strengthening its “strategic hinterland”.

The strategy was adopted by the third plenum – the party’s key policy meeting in July – as a backup for aerospace and other strategic industries, as well as building up food and other reserves “to meet national strategic needs in extreme situations”.

The proposed site is less than 100km (62 miles) from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre, which has been operating since 1984, sending more than 200 broadcast, communications and meteorological satellites into orbit.

Dong Weimin, a member of the Sichuan party Standing Committee, visited the selected location for the new spaceport, as well as the nearby site for a proposed aerospace hi-tech manufacturing industrial park in the city of Xichang, the Friday report said.

“[We will] push for the launch site park project to be approved … and lay out clearer plans for the construction areas including the launch site and regions for services, and cultural and tourism purposes.”

According to Dong, the intention is to “drive the growth of the commercial space industry with the... launch site … and attract companies like rocket and satellite manufacturers to move into the park to create a local cluster of manufacturers”.

A report in the Liangshan Daily on Thursday said the Sichuan Development International Commercial Spaceport Company was established last month to steer construction of the space launch platform.

Dong told the Sichuan Daily that developing commercial space capacity would be key for China’s ambitions to become a space superpower.

“Commercial space flight is a new mode of aerospace business with fast technological iteration, high economic benefits and strong industrial synergy. It is becoming a new growth stream for economic development and an important engine for cultivating new productive forces.”

The decision to proceed with another inland launch centre is despite the downsides experienced with the existing Xichang site – such as the densely populated provinces which its rockets fly over.

There have been reports of rocket debris hitting village houses more than 1,000km (620 miles) away from the launch centre.

In 2016, the Wenchang Space Launch Site was put into service on the southern island province of Hainan. The facility, which is managed by the Xichang centre, has the advantage of proximity to the coast and the equator.

Rockets launched from Wenchang follow flight paths that are mostly over the ocean, while launches closer to the equator enjoy a stronger boost, since the Earth’s surface at the equator spins faster.

However, coastal locations are also more exposed, making them more vulnerable to potential attacks. In contrast, the Xichang site in the Sichuan Basin, with its surrounding mountains, offers less exposure.

China’s commercial space market has grown rapidly since 2015, with an estimated annual growth rate of more than 20 per cent from 2017 to 2024. It is expected to reach 2.34 trillion yuan (US$326 billion) this year, according to iiMedia Research.

An analysis by researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences of China’s commercial space industry policy found that “government and the industry are inextricably linked, resulting in the government’s ability to macro-regulate the development of the commercial space [industry] through the invisible hand”.

“Though a number of targeted policies have been issued, the results show that there is still a lack of operational and highly effective policies, especially in areas such as band permits, launch authorisations, and operation licences for commercial space products and services,” they wrote in an article published last year in the peer-reviewed journal Humanities and Social Sciences Communications.

In late June, China said its first commercial spacecraft launch site, off the coast of Wenchang city, was ready for operation.

Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Co Ltd said at the time it planned to expand the launch site with extra launch pads to provide domestic and international rocket and satellite launch services.

Chinese film star Fan Bingbing to make comeback after five-year purgatory

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/15/fan-bingbing-chinese-film-star-comeback-five-year-purgatory

Fan Bingbing, once one of China’s most famous film stars, is returning to the screen after a more than five-year hiatus following her alleged involvement in a massive tax evasion scandal.

Fan stars in Green Night, a Hong Kong-produced neo-noir thriller set in South Korea, which is released on US streaming services on 18 October. The film has been billed as Fan’s comeback from professional purgatory since she disappeared from public view for nearly a year in 2018. During her year of silence, she was hit with a bill of more than 880m yuan (£99m) by the Chinese tax authorities.

The fact that Fan, who once starred in blockbusters such as the X-Men and Iron Man franchises, is returning to cinema in an edgy, international production, which has received scant discussion in China, reflects the likelihood that her fame will never recover to its former heights, say experts.

“I don’t believe she can come back,” said Sabrina Qiong Yu, a professor of film and Chinese studies at Newcastle University. “Chinese film stars are very vulnerable … the fame they have, it’s something that the state never likes.”

Fan’s fall from grace sent shockwaves through China’s film industry. Her undoing started in May 2018, when a famous TV presenter posted pictures of two contracts online, which appeared to suggest that Fan had used a false contract to underreport her income to the Chinese tax authorities to the tune of several million dollars. Such a practice, known as “yin-yang” contracts, was allegedly widespread in the film industry.

Fan denied wrongdoing and the presenter retracted his claims. But the tax authorities launched an investigation and in October of that year she was ordered to pay 883m yuan in unpaid taxes and related fines. She apologised on social media and said: “Without the good policies of the party and the state, without the love and protection of the people, there would be no Fan Bingbing.”

Since then, Fan’s career has been muted, although she has maintained a presence on social media and developed her e-commerce beauty brand, Fan Beauty.

In recent months, Fan’s posts on Chinese social media feeds have been full of posts about her fashion endeavours and nationalist comments. There is no mention of Green Night in recent posts. On 2 September, the day before the anniversary of Japan’s surrender in the second world war, Fan wrote on Weibo: “Remember history, love China, cherish peace, and forge ahead bravely!”

Celebrities in China have long been held to high moral standards and expected to be squeaky clean in their personal lives. But in recent years, as the Chinese Communist party (CCP) has deepened and strengthened its control over all parts of society, stars have been expected to be overtly loyal to the CCP as well.

Xi Jinping, China’s leader, has also tightened the party’s control over the mega-rich. After more than a decade of rapid growth and massive wealth accumulation, political leaders have become concerned about elites amassing influence outside the CCP’s control.

The sudden crackdown on a darling of China’s booming film industry shocked observers. But since then, several high-profile wealthy people have received similar treatment. In November 2020, Jack Ma, one of China’s most successful and well-known billionaires, disappeared for three months, after criticising China’s financial regulators. Last year, a billionaire Chinese dealmaker named Bao Fan disappeared.

For celebrities to thrive in China in today’s political environment, they have to be seen to “love the country, love the party”, Yu said. She added that in some instances fans themselves had taken to policing the nationalist credos of high profile figures, without the authorities needing to get involved. In March, the Nobel prize-winning author Mo Yan was attacked by internet users who declared him insufficiently patriotic.

In Green Night, Fan stars as a Chinese immigrant, Jin Xia, who works at South Korea’s Incheon airport. While on duty she encounters a mysterious green-haired girl, who pulls Xia into a world of drug trafficking and lesbian romance, and an escape from Xia’s abusive husband. Such racy themes would be highly unlikely to pass the censorship regime required for films to be released in China.

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What is the DF-41 and how does it fit into China’s ICBM programme?

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3282335/what-df-41-and-how-does-it-fit-chinas-icbm-programme?utm_source=rss_feed

Almost a decade has passed since the People’s Liberation Army pulled the trigger on President Xi Jinping’s plans for a massive overhaul of the world’s biggest military. In the first of a series on Chinese weapon systems, Seong Hyeon Choi looks at the sharp end of the country’s missile programme.

When China conducted an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test outside its airspace for the first time in 44 years last month, international attention zeroed in on advances in the country’s rocketry programme.

The missile used in the test is thought to have been a , a variant of a third-generation weapon that went into service about two decades ago.

But the People’s Liberation Army has developed an even more advanced kind of ICBM, the fourth-generation DF-41, which can go further and carry more warheads.

The DF-41 was launched in 2017 as part of the Dongfeng missile series – a family of surface-to-surface ballistic missiles.

The name Dongfeng, meaning “east wind”, comes from Mao Zedong’s speech in 1957 after the Soviet Union transferred its R-2 ballistic missile to help China develop its programme. “There are now two winds in the world: the east wind and the west wind,” Mao said.

First developed in July 1986, the prototype of the DF-41 was reportedly tested in 1994 and transferred in 2010 to the PLA’s Second Artillery Corps, the branch that oversaw conventional and nuclear missiles, until its transformation into the Rocket Force in 2016.

The DF-41 is estimated to have undergone around six to eight tests between 2012 and 2016. Its first flight test took place in 2012, but no details were disclosed.

Its second missile test in 2013 flew from the Wuzhai missile launch centre in Shaanxi province to a test target in western China. Tests since then have focused on specific technologies for the missile, such as the multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle (MIRV).

After decades of developments and tests, the DF-41 was first publicly unveiled during a military parade on October 1, 2019, which marked the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

Limited production likely began in the same year, with satellite imagery taken by the Federation of American Scientists in April and May 2019 showing 18 road-mobile launchers for the DF-41 at the missile training site near Jilantai in Inner Mongolia.

Following the DF-31, the DF-41 was China’s second ICBM to use solid-fuel propellant. Such weapons do not need to be fuelled immediately ahead of launch and require less logistical support, making them harder to detect and more likely to survive pre-emptive strikes than liquid-fuel weapons, which require longer preparation times.

The DF-41’s solid propellant uses a three-stage engine to reach ranges between 12,000-15,000km (7,456-9,320 miles) – capable of covering all of the US mainland – with speeds of up to Mach 25.

The MIRV technology employed by the DF-41 allows the ICBMs to carry a payload containing several warheads, each capable of hitting different targets.

While Chinese state media has claimed that the DF-41 can carry up to 10 MIRV warheads with a total weight of 2,500kg (5,512lbs), experts have estimated that the missiles could carry around three, and with additional payloads likely used for decoys and penetration aids to overcome the US ballistic missile defence system.

Three versions of the DF-41 are known to be in operation or under development: road-mobile, rail-mobile and silo-based. The road-mobile version is launched from an eight-axle transporter erector launcher, which allows the missile to cover various terrains and launch from remote areas. This enables the system to be deployed to a wider variety of concealed positions, thereby reducing its vulnerability.

China is reportedly testing the rail-mobile DF-41, which also sports location flexibility; rolling stock could be disguised as passenger trains travelling at high speeds, while using tunnels for protection from satellite detection.

Beijing is also reportedly developing a silo-based version of the DF-41. Satellite images from the federation suggested that China had begun construction of several DF-41-sized silos as early as 2018 with at least 16 under construction at its Jilantai training site as of 2021.

Satellite images from 2021 showed silo complexes similar to the Jilantai site also apparently under construction in Yumen in the northwestern Chinese province of Gansu, Hami in Xinjiang and Ordos in Inner Mongolia. Each site had more than 100 silos.

Compared to its three predecessor ICBMs – the DF-4, DF-5 and DF-31 – the DF-41 is the most advanced. While the DF-5 can also cover all of the US mainland with an operational range of between 13,000-16,000km, it uses liquid-fuel engines instead of solid-fuel ones.

While the DF-31 does use solid-fuel engines, its operational range is relatively shorter – 7,200-8,000km – and it can only carry a single warhead. However, its variants, the DF-31A and DF-31AG, are known to reach ranges of up to 13,200km and are equipped with MIRV, with around three to five warheads.

As of this year, Washington’s only land-based ICBM in service is the LGM-30G Minuteman III, with about 400 of the projectiles deployed in the US.

The Minuteman III was introduced in 1970 and has similar features as the DF-41, including a three-stage solid-fuel engine and an operational range of around 13,000km.

It was also the first US ICBM to be equipped with MIRVs to carry up to three warheads, although the missiles currently in operation had their MIRV fittings removed following a treaty with Russia in 1993 that banned their use on ICBMs.

Russia is reportedly developing a new RS-28 Sarmat to replace the Soviet R-36M ICBM, as one of six new strategic weapons unveiled by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2018. It is believed to have the longest operational range in the world at 18,000km.

In April 2022, Moscow conducted the first launch of the Sarmat, two months after it invaded Ukraine. However, a recent test in September failed, with satellite imagery of the launch silo at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia revealing a crater about 60 metres (197 feet) across, suggesting extensive damage.

China has held that it “strictly follows a nuclear policy of no first use of nuclear weapons” and that its nuclear forces are designed for a counterstrike against a nuclear attack.

The phrase “strategic deterrence” was mentioned in Chinese President Xi Jinping’s work report at the 20th Communist Party congress in 2022, and again during the third plenum earlier this year.

But China is also considered to have one of the fastest growing nuclear arsenals in the world. According to a Pentagon report on China’s military and security development published in October last year, the PLA Rocket Force is “advancing its long-term modernisation plans to enhance its ‘strategic deterrence’ capabilities”, including the development of new ICBMs.

The report said China had “doubled and continues to grow the number of launchers at most ICBM units”, and estimated there were around 350 Chinese ICBMs, including the DF-31 and DF-41, in 2022.

A report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute in July estimated that China added 90 warheads to its stockpile last year and now has around 500 in total. It also estimated that within 10 years its number of ICBMs could surpass those of Russia and the US.

The ICBM is likely to continue playing a significant role in nuclear deterrence in the Asia-Pacific region as both China and the US seek to advance their nuclear powers.

Washington has pledged to begin replacing all of its Minuteman III missiles starting in 2029 with a new ICBM called the LGM-35 Sentinel.

China’s top private firms cut jobs, await greater support to allay anxieties

https://www.scmp.com/economy/policy/article/3282321/chinas-top-private-firms-cut-jobs-await-greater-support-allay-anxieties?utm_source=rss_feed

China’s leading private firms slashed their workforce last year despite a slight growth in financial performance, according to a report published by the country’s largest business association for the key group.

The 500 private enterprises, which often have stronger risk-resistance capabilities, employed 10.66 million people in 2023, the semi-official All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce said on Saturday, a reduction of 314,600 jobs compared to a year earlier.

The cuts have raised concerns over how private businesses are affected by the ongoing domestic economic slowdown, and have indicated the necessity for further government support, especially after Beijing rolled out a new draft law to help revive the private economy on Thursday, analysts said.

“The fact employment fell despite revenues rising highlights the uncertainty facing firms,” said Harry Murphy Cruise, an economist at Moody’s Analytics.

“Increased automation and a push to lift efficiency in highly competitive markets could also be a factor,” he added, noting that most of the firms surveyed are in manufacturing.

The number of manufacturing firms, a traditionally labour-intensive industry, accounted for 66.4 per cent, or 332 of the total, up from 322 last year.

The world’s second-largest economy has been trying to shift from traditional manufacturing to intelligent production amid intensifying competition and labour shortfalls.

More than 60 per cent of the top 500 private firms are digitalising their workflows and services, the federation reported.

The net profits after taxes of the top 500 companies, which are identified based on their operating revenues, increased by nearly 3 per cent to 1.69 trillion yuan (US$239 billion) combined last year, while over half posted a growth in net profits.

The figures marked the largest decline since employment in China’s largest private firms started growing in 2011, reflecting the toll that the ongoing economic slowdown is taking on the workforce.

Major Chinese sectors, from real estate and internet services to automotive and finance, saw broad lay-offs last year.

“Investment in sectors outside of manufacturing is crawling and firms are scaling back hiring. That is unlikely to change soon,” Cruise added, citing September’s official purchasing managers’ index data that showed non-manufacturing hiring intentions were at their lowest since December 2022.

Restrictive regulations and policy uncertainty was another obstacle holding back private enterprises, he added.

Luo Wen, head of the State Administration for Market Regulation, on Monday vowed to lower corporate burdens by slashing institutional costs for enterprises.

And while pledging to provide equal treatment for private firms, Luo said the regulator would take comprehensive actions to eliminate any policies of ownership discrimination.

The private economy contributes more than half of China’s tax revenues, over 60 per cent of the national gross domestic product and also employs more than 80 per cent of urban workers.

A vast majority are small and medium-sized enterprises prone to domestic and external challenges.

And while Beijing has opened the door to welcome opinions on legislation to promote the private economy, analysts believe it is too early to tell if it would produce any significant results.

The proposed legislation seemed to focus on private technology firms, leaving services and other sectors not as well supported, said Alicia Garcia-Herrero, an economist at French investment bank Natixis.

As of Monday, China’s Ministry of Justice had received over a thousand suggestions to the draft law, which is open for public comments until November 8.

“Firms have been burnt before by promises that fail to materialise,” Cruise said.

“This latest legislation looks closer to becoming a reality than many previous attempts.

“And in the face of rising tariffs and trade barriers, the impetus to promote private sector activity at home is higher than it has been for some time.”

Are you a digital nomad? New lexicon reflects rapid China growth, changing social realities

https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3282001/are-you-digital-nomad-new-lexicon-reflects-rapid-china-growth-changing-social-realities?utm_source=rss_feed

The Post continues its scrutiny of words and phrases that have entered the Chinese lexicon which reflect the societal changes and challenges that have taken place in the country in recent times.

In the second of our two-part linguistic exploration, we delve into sayings that reflect the efforts individuals make to adapt and survive in a country which has undergone an unprecedented period of rapid socio-economic development.

After the Covid-19 pandemic, remote working surged, leading many young Chinese to embrace a so-called digital nomad lifestyle.

The term, shu zi you min, in Mandarin, denotes working online while travelling.

A study by Instant Offices, which provides data, research and insights into office and business-related trends, revealed that there are more than 35 million digital nomads worldwide.

This number is expected to exceed one billion by 2035.

In China, the most common professions for digital nomads are freelancers, social media influencers and designers.

Their favourite destination is Dali, in the southwestern province of Yunnan.

Dali has been dubbed “China’s California” due to its mild climate, beautiful scenery and thriving tech community.

Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries are also top choices.

Xiao, a freelance photographer who lived in Yunnan for three months, told the Post that he could get a full meal for just a few dozen yuan.

“We do feel insecure sometimes, not knowing how much we will earn next month. Freedom isn’t free,” Xiao said.

Also known as nei juan, this describes people who compete by working harder for limited rewards.

A striking example is an employee who works overtime and exceeds expectations to earn a promotion, only to see their quality of life suffer without receiving the anticipated rewards.

As a result, their colleagues feel pressured to work even harder to keep up.

In September 2020, a photo of a student from China’s prestigious Tsinghua University went viral on mainland social media, attracting more than one billion views.

The photo showed a young man working on his laptop while riding a bicycle, earning him the nickname “the King of Involution”.

Experts have warned that such a lifestyle can lead to overwork, stress, anxiety and potential mental health issues.

Zha jing ji in Chinese describes consumers who conduct a host of daily activities online.

This can include everything from shopping to food delivery and education.

The term zhai, which is derived from the Japanese otaku, originally described individuals obsessed with anime and video games who preferred staying home and avoiding social interaction.

The zhai culture spread to China in the late 1980s.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the rise in online shopping and the booming home economy turned the home into a multifunctional space, serving as an office, gym and shopping centre.

In 2023, total online retail sales in China reached 15.4 trillion yuan (US$2 trillion), according to China’s New E-commerce Development Report.

The development of live streaming has seen many people stay at home to find emotional companionship.

A Weibo user said that chatting with a singing live-streamer at night is their daily social activity: “I enjoy doing everything at home and it makes me feel safe.”

China’s National College Entrance Examination, also known as gaokao, is widely regarded as the most important exam in the life of students in China.

Performance in this vital test goes a long way to determine university admission.

The exam is held in June each year, with no age restrictions and this year, the number of gaokao applicants reached 13.42 million.

Mainland netizens have long held mixed views about the test.

One online observer wrote on Weibo: “Gaokao is the fairest competition in China. It only considers how hard you work, ignoring family background, wealth or age.”

Another person took a different view: “The exam creates immense psychological pressure for many students. I will never forget those sleepless nights and anxiety about my scores.”

Why China is North Korea’s ‘closest comrade’, not Russia

https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3281731/why-china-north-koreas-closest-comrade-not-russia?utm_source=rss_feed

Kim Jong-un, North Korea’s supreme leader, recently sent greetings to his counterparts in China and Russia, both Pyongyang’s big-brother states. Comparing the two is instructive.

On October 6, Kim sent “warm greetings” to Chinese President Xi Jinping on the 75th anniversary of bilateral ties and the founding of the People’s Republic of China. His language was formal: vigorous advances “along the road of socialism”; hoping “the Chinese people will achieve steady and fresh successes” under Communist Party leadership.

Two days later, Kim wrote to “my closest Comrade Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin”. The tone could hardly be more different. Offering “sincere and warm congratulations” on Putin’s birthday, an effusive Kim wrote: “You have made remarkable successes” – not merely “steady”. Recalling their meetings “with deep emotion”, Kim averred: “I believe you will as ever lead great Russia only to the road of victory and honour full of vigour”. “Pyongyang,” he added, “will always stand by Moscow.” He signed off: “To my closest comrade.”

Closest? That twice-repeated superlative must raise eyebrows in Beijing – and ruffle feathers. It’s also hard to square with key facts. The Kim-Putin love fest is recent, one-sided, narrow and shallow. It is a rare upwards twist in the roller coaster of Moscow-Pyongyang relations.

North Korea was a Soviet creation. Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-un’s grandfather, was Stalin’s man. A minor guerilla under Chinese command, who retreated from Japanese forces into Siberia, he came home in a Red Army uniform. Soon he would claim to have liberated Korea on his own.

No puppet, he swiftly embroiled the Soviet Union and China in his reckless bid to reunify Korea by force. After that failed, he played off Moscow against Beijing for 40 years: taking money from both and advice from neither. North Korea was the comrade from hell: unreliable and ungrateful.

Tiring of this, post-Soviet Russia abruptly cut off all aid. In the 1990s, North Korean gross domestic product halved, and famine killed a million or more. Not until 2012 did Moscow grit its teeth and decide to write off decades of debt, totalling nearly US$11 billion. Yet trade remained minimal. Pyongyang had nothing Moscow wanted.

A leaked 2016 planning document suggested Pyongyang hoped to ease dependence on China by boosting trade with Russia tenfold to US$1 billion by 2020. But this was fantasy. In reality, it halved.

Until now. For the past year, North Korean shells and missiles have been killing Ukrainians. In return Kim Jong-un gets help to launch spy satellites, and some much-needed sanctions-busting oil.

But that’s all. Contrary to Western paranoia, Putin would be crazy to aid North Korea’s nuclear or intercontinental ballistic missile programmes. As a Soviet-era KGB officer, he knows better than to trust Pyongyang. Despite big talk of wider trade and investment links, a year after Kim’s Siberian jaunt, there is little sign of this.

So who does Pyongyang trade with? Who stepped up when Moscow walked away, quietly sustaining this noisy, fierce, impoverished and obstinately unreformed regime? Beijing.

China is in it for the long haul. Not that Beijing brags about it. Overt reminders that the Kims have de facto revived Korea’s vassalage to the Middle Kingdom would hardly be tactful. But the facts and figures speak for themselves. The Kims are unbiddable, yet expect others to pick up the tab. Pyongyang has issued no serious statistics for 60 years and Chinese customs data has gaps, but the big picture is crystal clear.

First, after 20 years as North Korea’s top trading partner, China has a near monopoly. In 2022, Beijing accounted for an estimated 96.7 per cent of Pyongyang’s known commerce. Last year, that rose to 98.3 per cent.

Second, trade is wildly unbalanced. Each year, Pyongyang imports more than it exports, often much more. The trade deficit since 1990 is an estimated US$34 billion. Beijing is footing that bill.

Third, China tried hard to change this. Thanks to Chinese investment, North Korea’s exports leapt sixfold from 2006 to 2013. But the double whammy of UN sanctions and Covid-19 destroyed this progress. Exports are now lower than in the 1970s.

For 40 years, since Deng Xiaoping showed Kim Jong-il Shenzhen and Shanghai, Beijing has tried and failed to make the Kims see economic sense. Once richer than China, North Korea is now much poorer. It may have nukes, but this is a great leap backwards.

A gaunt symbol of Beijing’s effort is the US$350 million New Yalu River Bridge. It links China’s ultra-modern road network to North Korea’s medieval one. Or would, if any vehicles ever crossed. Rumours of it finally opening for the 75th anniversary sent South Korean reporters scurrying to Dandong, in China’s Liaoning province – where they found nothing doing, as usual.

Is Kim Jong-un afraid of trade? Or of China? The website NK News has charted in detail the recent atrophy of bilateral contact at all levels. The two states used to boast they were as close as lips and teeth. But Kim’s lips kiss elsewhere now.

Yet the bottom line is that Xi holds the purse strings and all the cards. Kim had better not forget that. When the Ukraine war ends, Xi will still be there. He will keep bailing Kim out, in China’s interests.

A vital oil pipeline runs from China to North Korea. Beijing has turned off the tap at least once before. Prudence suggests Kim should think harder who is really his proven “closest comrade”.

China shows determination to shore up business confidence in unusual private economy law

https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3282248/china-shows-determination-shore-business-confidence-unusual-private-economy-law?utm_source=rss_feed

China’s newly published draft private-economy promotion law should be welcomed by investors, as it shows that Beijing is genuinely concerned about its private sector and is determined to stop local authorities from their dirty tricks against private businesses.

Some people may argue that in a mature market economy where property rights are enshrined in the law, an additional law designed to protect the private economy would be redundant. But in China’s environment, it has become not only necessary, but also urgent, to have a national law to discipline local governments when their actions hurt the private economy.

It is a known fact that the Chinese government has a complicated relationship with the private sector.

On the one hand, Beijing has recognised the private sector as a key part of the national economy, contributing the bulk of the country’s economic output, tax income and jobs. The government has repeatedly promised fair treatment for private businesses.

On the other hand, under orthodox Marxism, the private sector continues to be regarded as ideologically inferior to public ownership, a view that has restricted private businesses’ access to policy support, bank credit, land and other resources.

Amid China’s economic downturn, many local governments are struggling financially as land sales revenues dried up. That has led to worrying reports of cash-strapped governments going above and beyond to extract money from private businesses.

There have been cases where police from poor cities travelled thousands of miles to arrest rich private business owners in wealthy coastal China for petty crimes or questionable allegations. Such practices have become so rampant that they have gained the nickname “long-range fishing”.

The draft private-economy promotion law, which is soliciting public feedback, appears to be a response to bitter complaints from China’s frightened capitalists, with the intent of addressing their most pressing concerns.

For example, Article 24 of the law stipulates that banks must treat private businesses and state-owned clients equally. If a bank “unilaterally suspends the issuance of a loan to or withdraws a loan in advance” from a private business borrower, the bank must be held liable for breach of contract. That is a clear reference to the issue of abrupt credit withdrawals that has led to the collapse of many private businesses.

The “interest and rights protection” chapter, consisting of 13 articles, is particularly worth reading for its vivid allusion to how private businesses in China have been mistreated.

Article 60 stipulates that any seizure or freezing of private business assets by state organs should be conducted “in compliance with laws and procedures” and be proportionate to the alleged offence. It also states that there should be a clear distinction between corporate assets and the personal wealth of private business owners. In other words, local authorities cannot take over a private business based simply on an excuse and a document.

Article 62 requires local authorities to follow protocols when they go after non-local private businesses, an apparent effort to reduce “long-range fishing”.

Article 65 stipulates that government agencies and state-owned enterprises must honour their debts or contractual obligations to private businesses, and not delay or evade those responsibilities under the excuse of personnel changes, internal payment processes or auditing requirements.

Chinese state-funded projects often refuse to fulfil contract payments until the tedious auditing process is completed, and the draft law specifically contains a clause stating that “audit results shall not be mandatory as the basis for settlement of accounts”.

But while the draft law is detailed and oriented towards promoting the healthy development of the private sector, it leaves unanswered the big question of how to draw a line between the state and the market.

For instance, the law states that private capital should serve China’s economic and social development and the state will set rules of behaviour for private capital to protect the socialist market economy order and public interest. It remains to be seen how these promises will be honoured.

Plan for HK$336 million Chinese culture centre in Hong Kong gets initial go-ahead

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3282355/plan-hk336-million-chinese-culture-centre-hong-kong-gets-initial-go-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed

Hong Kong lawmakers have given the initial go-ahead on a HK$336 million (US$43 million) project to convert part of former British army barracks in Tsim Sha Tsui into an activity centre to promote Chinese culture, history and achievements.

Two legislators raised concerns about the price tag although all of those who spoke at a panel meeting on Monday supported the need for a centre designated for enhancing the public’s knowledge of Chinese culture and promoting patriotic education.

The Chinese Culture Experience Centre is expected to receive about 80,000 to 90,000 visitors a year on its completion in 2028.

At the meeting of the Legislative Council’s home affairs, culture and sports panel, lawmakers Kenneth Lau Ip-keung and Maggie Chan Man-ki questioned whether the price tag was too high.

Raistlin Lau Chun, undersecretary for culture, sports and tourism, said the site was a historic building and work had to be carefully carried out for preservation needs.

“There are also many trees nearby and some of them are registered as old and valuable trees. Extra measures will be taken to protect them. There are many limitations,” he added.

The government’s plan is to reuse Block 58 of the former Whitfield Barracks in Kowloon Park and build a new annexe to set up the centre. The barracks once occupied the whole area of what is now Kowloon Park.

The barracks were handed over to the government in 1967 and redeveloped into the park. Most of the buildings, except four blocks, were demolished.

Two blocks were ­converted into the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre in 2005. Another now houses the Health Education Exhibition and Resources Centre.

Chan said she hoped authorities would coordinate with mainland China to put on joint events or joint exhibitions at the new centre to attract visitors.

In presenting the proposal to lawmakers, officials also cited President Xi Jinping’s report to the 20th national congress that it was necessary to “ensure the fine traditional Chinese culture would undergo creative transformation and innovative development”.

Ng Chi-wo, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department’s head of Chinese culture, told legislators that new interactive technology would be used.

“We hope to let visitors experience Chinese culture with the latest technology to show that Chinese culture is not an ancient or outdated thing,” Ng said.

The project will next be tabled to the Finance Committee’s public works subcommittee for discussion. The government hopes to secure the HK$335.8 million funding from the Finance Committee as soon as the end of the year.

Meanwhile, legislators were also briefed at the meeting on the progress of government work on promoting positive thinking among young people.

Undersecretary for Home and Youth Affairs Clarence Leung Wang-ching said two two-year funding schemes for youth activities and training had been operating smoothly and were well received.

A total of HK$27 million funding had been approved for the first year of the Youth Positive Thinking Activities funding scheme, which had benefited 6,000 attendees.

The other funding scheme for Youth Adventure Training Activities, costing HK$24 million, also benefited more than 5,000 participants.

Will China take a more hands-on approach to violence in Pakistan?

https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3282168/will-china-take-more-hands-approach-violence-pakistan?utm_source=rss_feed

On October 6, a massive blast outside Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, Pakistan, claimed the lives of two Chinese nationals working for Port Qasim Electric Power Company (Private) Limited and left at least eight others injured. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist militant group, claimed responsibility for the attack which it described as a “fidayeen” (self-sacrificial) operation targeting a “high-level convoy of Chinese engineers and investors”.

The attack follows a suicide bombing earlier this year that killed five Chinese workers, which no group has claimed responsibility for. In the past, the BLA has carried out several attacks across Pakistan, including on the Gwadar Port, which resulted in high casualties.

Chinese expatriates have unfortunately been the target of such attacks for a long time now. Even before Chinese Belt and Road Initiative investments, between 2004 and 2010, Chinese expatriates suffered more terrorist attacks in Pakistan than in any other country.

For its part, Islamabad has undertaken several initiatives to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens, including the creation of a 10,000-strong special security division for the protection of Chinese nationals and assets in Pakistan. However, the intensity of attacks has only increased. Evidently, Islamabad’s measures have yielded limited results.

Persistent attacks against Chinese targets in Pakistan have compelled Beijing to rethink future aid and investment in the country. Chinese public opinion and the threat of spillover of violent extremism have forced Beijing to think more seriously about the security of its personnel and investments.

Owing to its long-standing principle of non-interference, Beijing has mostly relied on and pressured Islamabad’s military and civilian authorities to protect Chinese interests. In trying to keep out of direct involvement, but also ensure that its interests are protected, Beijing has primarily supported Pakistan in countering terrorism, rather than getting directly involved.

Beijing has expanded bilateral counterterrorism cooperation with Islamabad. Robust mechanisms are already in place for mutual consultation at the level of interior ministers and both sides have engaged in joint anti-terror military exercises.

At the regional level, China also works with Pakistan through multilateral forums, notably the Quadrilateral Cooperation and Coordination Mechanism which includes Afghanistan and Tajikistan and looks at strengthening counterterrorism cooperation among the four countries.

However, there are signs which indicate that Beijing may be looking to be more directly involved in protecting its citizens overseas. In a rare move, China’s top anti-espionage agency, the Ministry of State Security, in the aftermath of the October 6 attack, has publicly pledged to step up “early warning systems for terrorist attack risks” and anti-terrorism intelligence cooperation.

A statement from the ministry said China would adopt a “multifaceted” approach to international cooperation against terrorism, which includes law enforcement cooperation, “in regions concentrated with overseas interests”. Coming from an essentially secretive organisation, this public announcement is only the latest indication that Beijing is adopting a more radical approach to ensure the protection of its assets abroad.

There have been growing calls for the internationalisation of private security companies, which are known to provide services on Pakistani soil, such as logistics and other support functions.

Since Pakistani law does not allow foreign security providers to operate within the country, these companies operate primarily in the domain of risk assessment and consulting and don’t have any form of permanent military presence in the country. However, given Pakistan’s diminishing regional influence and limited capability to protect growing Chinese interests, some form of permanent military presence is not entirely untenable.

Beijing seems to be taking a more expeditionary approach towards counterterrorism, which fits with the international focus of the People’s Liberation Army’s mission. A white paper released by the State Council Information Office in 2019 clearly equates protecting overseas interests with China’s national interests, showing the significance of counterterrorism for China.

China’s counterterrorism law, which was amended in 2018, paves the way for Chinese public security and state security forces to engage in counterterrorism operations overseas, with the permission of the host governments and after reporting to the State Council. While it is too soon to tell whether there will be a dramatic overhaul of Beijing’s counterterrorism approach, it cannot be entirely ruled out.

Since Pakistan is indeed an “all-weather partner” for China, militant attacks may threaten bilateral ties but they are unlikely to derail them. More direct involvement from Beijing in countering terror in Pakistan is becoming a greater possibility and could even take the shape of Beijing directly engaging in negotiations with Pakistani tribal separatists in Balochistan, as it has in the past.

It is clear that increasing militancy is implicitly constraining the degree of licence that Islamabad has enjoyed so far and remains a stark reminder that Beijing’s involvement in the economic sphere not only comes with substantial opportunities but also brings a new set of pressures.

Through its recent attacks, the BLA has sent a clear message that it is becoming a potent fighting force. The BLA’s growing membership is a worrying trend that highlights how the group has successfully exploited local grievances to multiply its strength and launch more deadly attacks. The group has openly declared that it will launch a broader campaign to reclaim control over Balochistan.

It is likely that Beijing will no longer rely solely on Islamabad to safeguard its interests when it comes to regional terrorism and that it will take matters into its own hands. Whether this will impact China-Pakistan ties remains to be seen.

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Can China find a way around US restrictions on hi-tech computer chips?

https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3282223/can-china-find-way-around-us-restrictions-hi-tech-computer-chips?utm_source=rss_feed

This is the third in a three-part series delving into the unprecedented challenges China is facing on its road to economic recovery, from inexperience in dealing with such crises to the compounding implications of internal demographic shifts and external trade hurdles. You can read the second part

The story of how Chinese scientists overcame technological containment efforts by the Soviet Union and the United States to develop nuclear weapons in the 1960s has long been a textbook staple in China, but analysts caution that today’s hi-tech hurdles could be harder to surmount.

Until recently, a return to such technological isolation seemed inconceivable to younger Chinese brought up during an era of globalisation.

But while China is now the world’s second-largest economy, and its students have won global acclaim for their prowess in science, technology, engineering and mathematics – subjects collectively known as STEM – it is now facing new technology restrictions sparked by US concerns about its rapid rise.

Those restrictions are centred on the high-end semiconductors that form the heart of modern technology, and because it is an area in which China is highly dependent on the US, the challenges are unprecedented. They also extend beyond the hardware itself, because such chips are the engines that will power key sectors of the future – from artificial intelligence to quantum computing.

This time, China might never fully break through the “high fence” erected by the US and its allies, analysts said.

“It takes time. For those very high-end [semiconductors], it is possible that we may never break through – this is the real world,” said Chen Fengying, a researcher with the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR), a Beijing-based governmental think tank.

The current round of restrictions started in 2019, when sanctions imposed on Shenzhen-based telecommunications equipment giant Huawei Technologies cut off its access to advanced US technologies. Three years later, the US ban on exports of advanced semiconductors and chip-making software was expanded to all Chinese companies, and Washington is now joining hands with other key players in the global semiconductor supply chain to reinforce the fence surrounding China.

That plurilateral approach promises to create a more coordinated international framework when it comes to closing loopholes that China could exploit, said Dominic Chiu, a senior analyst with Eurasia Group, a New York-based consultancy.

“The success of the export controls will largely now depend on the cooperation of allies like the Netherlands and Japan, and whether it is politically possible for them to impose parallel restrictions,” he said.

In semiconductor research and development, one key advantage held by the West is barrier-free communication and cooperation between states, companies and academic institutions, said Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations at China’s Renmin University.

“This is something that China cannot obtain now, or in the foreseeable future, so it is completely impossible to have an advantageous status,” he said.

While all countries have financial difficulties, Shi said that when the developed world puts its financial resources together they far exceed those of China, which are already shrinking.

“China is also working very hard, despite various difficulties,” he said. “But it may only be able to achieve breakthroughs in certain individual items, rather than a wide range of breakthroughs.”

Chan Kung, the founder of Anbound, an independent think tank headquartered in Beijing, said China’s technological upgrading has mainly relied on talent trained in the West. And that was something that dated back to the development of the atomic bomb in the early days of the People’s Republic, which relied heavily on US-trained Chinese scientists.

“This has been the case in the past and will remain the case in the future,” Chan said. “Only by maintaining normal exchanges with the West can China make technological progress … everything else is unrealistic.”

Lu Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the current political rhetoric in the US has created an atmosphere hindering science-related exchanges with China – including investigations by US agencies targeting scientists with Chinese ties.

In June, US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said that Chinese students should study the humanities and social sciences in the US, rather than STEM subjects such as particle physics.

Lu said Campbell was seeking to undermine the legacy of model projects for US-China scientific research cooperation, such as the China-US Physics Examination and Application, an examination and admission system used by the physics departments of some American and Canadian universities for graduate school admission of students from China between 1979 and 1989 that was launched by renowned Chinese-American particle physicist Lee Tsung-Dao.

“Campbell’s remarks suggest that the current US administration is trying to cause a systemic bifurcation,” Lu said.

In the US, however, there is an ongoing debate on the efficacy of strict export controls. While policymakers are concerned that insufficient measures could jeopardise US national security, some business executives have said that overly stringent measures could help speed up breakthroughs in China.

A report issued this month by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, a US think tank, argued that export controls have accelerated and scaled up Chinese efforts to find alternative sources of US technologies and to develop new technologies that bypass US ones altogether, ultimately facilitating a shift of global semiconductor supply chains away from the US.

“Together, these [Chinese] strategies threaten to render US export control policies – even when comprehensively enforced – less effective as a longer-term barrier to Chinese technological progression in advanced semiconductors,” the report said.

“More importantly, they also threaten to weaken US semiconductor industry leadership overall by hindering US companies’ market access and revenue, and consequently their long-term leadership in research and development.”

Lu said Chinese companies such as Huawei were once firm believers in comparative advantage and the international division of labour, meaning they saw no urgent need to establish manufacturing capabilities across the whole supply chain.

“But if you artificially impose restrictions, it will force China to develop its own industrial chain, and the road will surely be bumpy,” he said.

It would take decades for China to master cutting-edge chip fabrication technology such as extreme ultraviolet lithography – a field dominated by Dutch company ASML – Lu said.

“China’s current investment in the development of semiconductor-related advanced technologies is also unprecedented … of course we hope that we will eventually have the capability, but the reality is that it will be very difficult,” he added.

One point of consensus among Chinese and American analysts is that US restrictions will be tightened, regardless of who moves into the White House next year.

But a second Trump administration might intensify restrictions even further as it is not necessarily going to be bound by the Biden administration’s “small yard, high fence” strategic framework, said Chiu from Eurasia Group.

Apart from export controls, he added, the next big step will be outbound investment restrictions, either in the form of a draft rule from the US Treasury Department or legislation.

“Unlike the US-Soviet space race during the Cold War, there is no clear finishing line with the [US-China] technology competition, where one side can definitively declare victory and end the policies that keep the competition from continuing,” Chiu said.

Yun Sun, director of the China Programme at the Stimson Centre in Washington, said that when it came to US restrictions, it was “not a matter of intensification, but a matter of evolution and expansion”.

“The US perception is that even if China can play catch up, it will not be quick or easy, and the US will use this time gap to develop further technological advantages over China in this and other domains,” she said.

“Whether China has a chance depends on how soon China can pull its act together and make up for what it cannot get from the US any more.”

To do that, Beijing hopes to fully leverage the advantages of its centralised system in the nationwide mobilisation of the resources needed to achieve breakthroughs.

Due to US containment, Chinese companies such as Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp and Yangtze Memory Technologies Corp have been strengthening their partnerships with domestic toolmakers, and the country is also ramping up production of “legacy chips” – less advanced semiconductors built on nodes of 28 nanometres or larger that are widely used in everyday electrical devices.

However, Shi from Renmin University said that while state directives could make certain advancement achievable, there was “no precedent” for using them to achieve comprehensive technological advantages.

Chen from CICIR said state support was needed, but cautioned that the blind use of state power in advancing the semiconductor industry could result in massive waste.

A thorn in the side of the US, Huawei is ramping up efforts to make its own high-end semiconductors and shaping up as a promising Chinese champion in the tech race between the world’s two largest economies. Last year, it released the Huawei Mate 60 Pro, a phone powered by a sophisticated chip developed in China.

“The key is to have more companies like Huawei,” Chen said, adding that it was a good example for Chinese companies in terms of its dedication to basic research and development, whereas many others tended to focus on making a quick buck.

Analysts said that how successful China can be in overcoming American barriers remains an open question, but the world’s semiconductor supply chain is certainly heading towards fragmentation.

“Even if China successfully develops [advanced semiconductor technology], I don’t think parallel ecosystems are good for the world,” Lu from CASS said.

“If the systems in different countries are incompatible, the security threat will be much greater.”