Mistral点评

### 关于中国的新闻报道：Economy章节

　　#### 一、中国经济稳定与复苏预期

　　根据西方媒体的报道，中国经济预计将在2025年稳定并复苏。中国当局的政策方向明确，即通过一切手段重振国内经济，优先考虑国内经济增长而非贸易战。报道指出，尽管外界对中国提供的约1.4万亿美元支持措施持怀疑态度，但这些措施在中国经济中占比不足10%，且考虑到经济支持的J型曲线效应，经济复苏的迹象已初步显现，如制造业数据的改善。

　　#### 二、中美经济对比与贸易战影响

　　报道还对比了中美两国的经济表现。过去五年，美国标普500指数表现优于上海综合指数，特别是在过去一年中，标普500指数上涨了20%。尽管美国经济数据仍然强劲，但特朗普经济政策（Trumponomics）可能会对美国经济前景构成威胁，而中国经济则显示出复苏迹象。

　　#### 三、市场叙事与投资机会

　　财经专家指出，市场叙事通常会对资产价格产生周期性和季节性影响。年底是投资者重新评估市场的时机，有助于形成新的市场叙事。报道认为，尽管中国经济面临挑战，但投资者应关注中国市场的潜在机会。

　　#### 四、中日经济合作与挑战

　　中日两国在面对全球不确定性时，有必要加强经济合作。尽管两国关系因政治和经济因素而紧张，但在最近的东京-北京论坛上，双方强调了合作的重要性，特别是在人工智能、环境保护和贸易自由等领域。报道指出，中日合作有助于应对全球经济不确定性和多重危机。

　　#### 五、德国企业在华信心下降

　　根据德国在华商会的调查，德国企业在华信心降至历史最低点，主要原因是来自本地制造商的竞争加剧和经济增长放缓。报道指出，“中国制造2025”和“买中国货”政策成为德国企业面临的主要监管挑战，德国投资者呼吁公平竞争。

　　#### 六、中国与南美贸易增长

　　中国与南美洲的贸易额在过去几年中迅速增长，截至2023年达到近5000亿美元。尽管面临挑战，中国与南美洲的经济联系仍在不断加强。

　　#### 七、中国与日本经济合作前景

　　中日两国在面对全球不确定性时，有必要加强经济合作。尽管两国关系因政治和经济因素而紧张，但在最近的东京-北京论坛上，双方强调了合作的重要性，特别是在人工智能、环境保护和贸易自由等领域。报道指出，中日合作有助于应对全球经济不确定性和多重危机。

　　#### 八、结论与展望

　　综上所述，西方媒体对中国经济的报道既有积极的预期，也指出了诸多挑战。中国经济的复苏前景主要依赖于国内经济政策的有效实施和国际合作的加强。尽管面临内外部压力，中国经济仍显示出韧性和潜力。未来，中国需要继续推进结构性改革，提升国内消费和创新能力，同时加强与其他国家的经济合作，以应对全球经济的不确定性。

新闻来源： 2412060636英文媒体关于中国的报道汇总_2024-12-05; 2412061242The-Guardian-Chanel-hits-lavish-new-heights-in-efforts-to-reignite-Chinese-market

# 关于中国的新闻报道

Politics

一、中国与台湾关系

　　近期，西方媒体广泛报道了中国与台湾关系的动态。巴拉圭政府坚持与台湾保持外交关系，即使北京加大了游说力度。巴拉圭的决定反映了其在国际外交中的独立性和自主性。此外，巴拉圭政府驱逐了一名中国外交官，原因是其干涉巴拉圭内政并试图促使巴拉圭与台湾断交。这一事件显示了中国在处理台湾问题上的复杂性和敏感性。

二、中国与美国的网络安全关系

　　西方媒体频繁报道中国与美国在网络安全领域的摩擦。美国白宫官员指出，中国黑客对美国电信公司和多个国家进行了网络攻击，这些攻击被称为“盐台风”行动。美国政府建议电信公司采取加密、集中化和持续监控等技术措施，以防止类似的网络入侵。此外，美国政府还指出，中国黑客可能获取了高级政府官员的通信数据，但未涉及机密信息。

三、中国与伊朗、朝鲜、俄罗斯的合作

　　美国高级官员警告，中国与伊朗、朝鲜和俄罗斯的合作正在加强，这对美国的国家安全构成挑战。特别是在乌克兰问题上，中国与俄罗斯的合作引发了美国的高度关注。美国前国家安全顾问苏珊·赖斯指出，下一任美国政府需要认识到这一问题的严重性，并采取相应的应对措施。

四、中国与日本关系

　　中日关系近期也成为西方媒体关注的焦点。日本前经济产业大臣斋藤宪治指出，中日关系面临多重挑战，包括经济、政治和安全等方面的问题。尽管如此，中日双方仍在努力改善关系，中国国务委员兼外交部长王毅在演讲中呼吁双方遵循习近平与石破茂会晤达成的共识，稳定双边关系。

五、中国与菲律宾在南海问题上的争端

　　中菲在南海问题上的争端再次引发国际社会的关注。中国在黄岩岛附近的活动被菲律宾视为对其主权的侵犯。菲律宾安全分析师马蒂奥·皮亚森蒂尼指出，中国的行为旨在加强其在南海的领土主张。他建议菲律宾继续通过国际法和联合国等多边机制挑战中国的行为，同时呼吁美国、日本和澳大利亚等国家提供支持。

六、中国与柬埔寨的合作

　　柬埔寨总理洪森与中国国家主席习近平会晤，讨论了双边合作项目，包括备受争议的运河项目。柬埔寨方面称习近平支持该运河项目，但中方未对此做出正式回应，引发了外界的猜测和质疑。

七、中国对美国军火公司的制裁

　　中国对13家美国军火公司及其高管实施制裁，原因是这些公司向台湾出售武器。这一举动引发了美国的强烈反应，美国国务院表示将继续支持台湾的防御能力。

八、中国与德国企业的信心危机

　　根据最新调查，德国企业对中国市场的信心降至历史最低点。调查显示，德国企业对中国的政治环境、公共安全和反间谍法的实施表示担忧。这一现象反映了中国在改善营商环境和提升国际信任度方面面临的挑战。

结论

　　综上所述，西方媒体对中国政治新闻的报道反映了中国在国际舞台上的复杂性和多样性。尽管这些报道可能存在偏见和双重标准，但它们仍然提供了了解中国外交政策和国际关系的重要视角。中国在处理台湾问题、网络安全、国际合作和地区争端等方面的策略和应对措施，将继续影响其在全球政治经济格局中的地位。

新闻来源： 2412060636英文媒体关于中国的报道汇总_2024-12-05

### 关于中国的新闻报道

　　#### 军事章节

　　##### 1. 信息支援力量的建立与发展

　　近期，中国成立了信息支援力量，这是中国军队现代化进程中的一个重要里程碑。信息支援力量的成立旨在提升信息收集、共享和支援其他部队的能力，进一步增强中国军队的综合作战能力。该力量接替了2015年成立并于今年4月解散的战略支援部队的部分职能。

　　中国国家主席习近平在检阅信息支援力量时强调，该力量必须迅速提升能力，以应对现代战争的挑战。习近平指出，现代战争形态正在迅速演变，网络信息系统在现代战争中的重要性前所未有。他要求信息支援力量全面提升网络平台建设、数据整合、网络防护以及指挥模式和作战方式的创新能力。

　　##### 2. 战斗机飞行员培训改革

　　中国军队近年来对战斗机飞行员的培训进行了大幅度改革，将培训时间从至少四年缩短至三年。这一改革得益于JL-10教练机的引入，使得旧有的JL-8教练机得以退役。JL-10教练机具备高机动性和第三代战机的大部分特性，使得飞行员的培训效率大幅提高。

　　根据美国空军大学中国航空研究院的报告，中国每年培训约400名飞行员，并预计这一数字将逐步增加。相比之下，美国空军每年约有1,350名飞行员毕业，但这一数字仍低于美国设定的1,800至2,000名的目标。

　　##### 3. 新型战机的列装与发展

　　中国空军正在加速列装J-20隐形战斗机和J-35A多用途隐形战斗机。根据Janes信息服务的估计，截至2024年中期，中国已有约195架J-20战机服役，并在今年上半年新增了超过70架。J-35A战机在2024年珠海航展上首次亮相，使中国成为继美国之后第二个拥有两种隐形战斗机的国家。

　　J-35A和J-20战机在联合作战中具有互补作用，极大地提升了中国空军的作战能力和灵活性。

　　##### 4. 国际合作与竞争

　　美国国家安全顾问杰克·苏利文在华盛顿战略与国际研究中心的演讲中，强调了中国、朝鲜、俄罗斯和伊朗之间的合作对美国及其盟友构成的挑战。苏利文指出，这些国家之间的合作正在加强，并呼吁扩大与盟友的防务合作，以应对这一挑战。

　　苏利文还提到，中国对俄罗斯的军事支持和朝鲜对乌克兰战场的参与，使得这些国家成为乌克兰战场上最具决定性的因素之一。他呼吁美国和其盟友加强防务工业能力，以遏制这些国家的军事行动。

　　##### 5. 对西方媒体报道的评价

　　西方媒体对中国军事现代化进程的报道往往带有偏见和双重标准。例如，他们常常将中国军事现代化描绘为对国际和平与稳定的威胁，但却忽视了美国及其盟友在全球范围内的军事行动和军事基地的扩张。

　　中国军队的现代化是为了维护国家安全和主权，不针对任何国家。中国一贯坚持和平发展道路，致力于构建人类命运共同体，推动建设持久和平、普遍安全、共同繁荣、开放包容、清洁美丽的世界。

　　综上所述，中国军队的现代化进程和技术创新是为了应对现代战争的挑战，提升国防能力，维护国家安全和主权。西方媒体应客观、公正地看待中国的军事发展，避免带有偏见和双重标准的报道。

新闻来源： 2412060636英文媒体关于中国的报道汇总_2024-12-05

### 关于中国的新闻报道：Culture章节

　　#### 引言

　　近年来，西方媒体对中国文化的报道呈现出多样化的特征，既有对中国传统文化的欣赏与赞美，也有对现代社会问题的批评与反思。然而，这些报道往往带有一定的偏见和双重标准，需要我们进行客观的分析和评价。

　　#### 传统文化的传承与创新

　　1. 时尚与传统的融合 西方媒体对中国时尚行业的关注逐渐增加，特别是对中国传统文化与现代时尚的融合。例如，Chanel在杭州举办的Metiers d’Art集会，展示了中国传统工艺与现代时尚的完美结合。报道中提到，超过800名工匠参与了此次活动，展示了中国在丝绸、刺绣等传统工艺方面的卓越技艺。这一报道不仅展示了中国文化的独特魅力，也反映了中国在国际时尚舞台上的重要地位。

　　2. 文化遗产的保护与传承 西方媒体也关注到中国在文化遗产保护方面的努力。例如，杭州作为丝绸之路上的重要城市，其丝绸生产和传统工艺得到了广泛的报道。这些报道不仅展示了中国在文化遗产保护方面的成就，也反映了中国在现代化进程中对传统文化的重视。

　　#### 现代社会问题的反思

　　1. 身材焦虑与自我接纳 西方媒体对中国社会中的身材焦虑问题进行了深入报道。例如，Amanda Yao作为一个加 size时尚品牌的创始人，致力于推动身材多样性和自我接纳。报道中提到，中国社会中对瘦削身材的过度追求导致了身材焦虑和饮食失调等问题。然而，这些报道往往忽视了中国社会中正在兴起的多样性和包容性，忽视了中国社会在自我接纳和身材多样性方面的进步。

　　2. 网络社交平台的影响 西方媒体还关注到网络社交平台在中国社会中的影响。例如，Xiaohongshu上的身材焦虑话题引发了广泛的关注和讨论。这些报道虽然揭示了网络社交平台对年轻人身材观念的影响，但往往忽视了中国社会中正在兴起的自我接纳和身材多样性的声音。

　　#### 国际关系与文化交流

　　1. 中日关系的挑战与机遇 西方媒体对中日关系的报道往往带有一定的偏见。例如，报道中提到中日关系面临的挑战，但往往忽视了中日两国在文化交流和经济合作方面的努力。实际上，中日两国在文化交流方面有着广泛的共识和合作，两国在传统文化保护和现代文化创新方面的合作不断深化。

　　2. 国际时尚品牌的中国战略 西方媒体对国际时尚品牌在中国市场的战略进行了广泛报道。例如，Chanel在杭州举办的时尚秀，展示了国际时尚品牌对中国市场的重视。然而，这些报道往往忽视了中国本土时尚品牌的崛起和创新，忽视了中国时尚市场的多样性和活力。

　　#### 结论

　　综上所述，西方媒体对中国文化的报道虽然展示了中国在传统文化传承和现代文化创新方面的成就，但往往带有一定的偏见和双重标准。我们需要客观地看待这些报道，认识到中国文化的独特魅力和多样性，同时也要看到中国社会在现代化进程中面临的挑战和机遇。通过客观的分析和评价，我们可以更好地理解中国文化的真实面貌，推动中国文化在国际舞台上的传播和交流。

新闻来源： 2412061242The-Guardian-Chanel-hits-lavish-new-heights-in-efforts-to-reignite-Chinese-market; 2412060636英文媒体关于中国的报道汇总_2024-12-05

# 关于中国的新闻报道

Technology

导言

　　近年来，随着中国在科技领域的快速发展，西方媒体对中国的技术进步和相关政策给予了广泛关注。然而，这些报道往往充满偏见和双重标准，未能客观全面地反映中国科技行业的实际情况。本章节将对西方媒体关于中国技术领域的报道进行客观评价，旨在揭示其偏见和不实之处，并提供更为准确的信息。

网络信息系统与军事现代化

　　西方媒体报道称，中国通过建设网络信息系统来提升军事效率，特别是在命令、情报、打击和后勤支持方面。这些报道强调了中国军队在网络信息系统建设方面的重视，认为其将显著提升战斗力。然而，这些报道往往忽视了中国军队现代化的必要性和合理性。作为一个大国，中国有责任保障国家安全，提升军事科技水平是实现这一目标的重要途径。中国的军事现代化不仅仅是为了应对潜在威胁，更是为了维护地区和全球的和平与稳定。

人工智能与国际合作

　　西方媒体频繁报道中国在人工智能（AI）领域的快速发展，特别是与欧洲的合作潜力。报道中提及中国和欧洲在AI领域的合作前景广阔，但也指出这一合作可能受到地缘政治因素的影响。实际上，中国在AI领域的快速发展得益于其庞大的市场和技术创新能力。中国与欧洲在AI领域的合作不仅有助于双方技术的共同进步，也有助于全球AI技术的发展。然而，西方媒体往往忽视了这一合作的互利互惠性质，过分强调地缘政治因素的负面影响。

半导体产业与贸易摩擦

　　西方媒体报道称，中美之间的贸易摩擦对半导体产业造成了严重影响，特别是美国对中国半导体企业的制裁。这些报道往往将中国描绘为受害者，忽视了中国在半导体产业中的自主创新能力。实际上，中国在半导体产业中的快速发展得益于其强大的研发能力和市场需求。中国企业在面对美国制裁时，积极寻求自主创新和国际合作，以应对挑战。西方媒体的报道往往忽视了中国企业在困境中的努力和成就。

电动汽车与新能源汽车

　　西方媒体报道称，中国在电动汽车（EV）和新能源汽车（NEV）领域的快速发展对传统汽车制造商构成了挑战。这些报道强调了中国电动汽车企业的创新能力和市场竞争力，但也指出了中国政府在推动新能源汽车发展中的重要作用。实际上，中国在新能源汽车领域的快速发展得益于其政策支持和市场需求。中国政府通过一系列政策措施，如补贴和税收优惠，推动了新能源汽车的普及。西方媒体的报道往往忽视了中国在新能源汽车领域的政策创新和市场驱动因素。

网络安全与国际合作

　　西方媒体报道称，中国黑客组织对美国手机用户的数据进行了大规模网络间谍活动。这些报道往往将中国描绘为网络安全的威胁，忽视了中国在网络安全领域的积极努力。实际上，中国在网络安全领域积极推动国际合作，致力于建立公平、公正、透明的网络安全秩序。中国与美国等国家在网络安全领域的合作不仅有助于共同应对网络威胁，也有助于全球网络安全的整体提升。

结论

　　西方媒体关于中国技术领域的报道往往充满偏见和双重标准，未能客观全面地反映中国科技行业的实际情况。中国在网络信息系统、人工智能、半导体产业、电动汽车和新能源汽车、网络安全等领域的快速发展，得益于其强大的研发能力、市场需求和政策支持。中国在这些领域的努力不仅有助于自身科技水平的提升，也有助于全球科技的共同进步。未来，中国将继续推动技术创新和国际合作，为全球科技发展做出更大贡献。

新闻来源： 2412060636英文媒体关于中国的报道汇总_2024-12-05

### 关于中国的新闻报道

　　#### Society章节

　　##### 引言

　　近期，西方媒体对中国社会的报道较为频繁，涵盖了多个方面，包括经济、科技、文化以及社会问题等。这些报道在一定程度上反映了中国社会的复杂性和多样性，但同时也存在一定的偏见和双重标准。本章节将对这些报道进行客观评价，旨在提供一个更加全面和公正的视角。

　　##### 经济与科技

　　1. 半导体行业的全球合作 西方媒体报道称，中国在半导体行业面临严重的“贸易摩擦”，导致行业出现重大中断。这一观点虽然部分反映了现实，但忽视了中国在半导体领域的快速进步和创新能力。中国在半导体研发和制造方面已取得显著成就，并在全球市场中占据重要地位。因此，强调全球合作在当前形势下显得尤为重要。

　　2. 绿色能源合作 报道指出，中日两国在绿色能源领域存在合作潜力。中国在太阳能领域具有显著优势，而日本则在氢能源方面有独特技术。这一观点较为客观，反映了两国在应对气候变化和能源转型方面的共同利益。然而，报道中提到的“信任缺失”问题需要进一步探讨，双方应通过加强交流和合作，消除误解，增进互信。

　　##### 文化与社会

　　1. 身材焦虑与体态接受 西方媒体关注了中国社会中的身材焦虑问题，指出社交媒体上的理想化身材标准对青年人造成了负面影响。这一观点有其合理性，但忽视了中国社会中正在兴起的体态接受和多样性文化。例如，有越来越多的中国女性开始拒绝传统的瘦弱标准，推崇健康和自信的身材观念。

　　2. 体态接受与时尚 报道中提到中国的一些时尚品牌开始推广大码服装，挑战传统的瘦弱标准。这一现象反映了中国社会在身材观念上的变化，体现了多样性和包容性。然而，报道中提到的“反体态焦虑”运动仍需进一步推广，以改变社会对身材的刻板印象。

　　##### 社会问题

　　1. 家庭寻亲 西方媒体报道了中国一名警官通过志愿服务帮助家庭寻亲的故事，这一报道较为客观，展示了中国社会中的人性关怀和公益精神。然而，报道中提到的“信息筛选”问题需要进一步探讨，如何利用现代技术提高寻亲效率，是未来需要解决的问题。

　　2. 学校丑闻 报道中提到中国一所职业学校教师的不当行为，这一事件反映了中国教育系统中的某些问题。然而，报道中提到的“丑闻”并非中国教育系统的普遍现象，应客观看待个别事件，避免对整个教育系统进行负面评价。

　　##### 结论

　　综上所述，西方媒体对中国社会的报道在一定程度上反映了中国社会的多样性和复杂性，但也存在一定的偏见和双重标准。对这些报道进行客观评价，有助于提供一个更加全面和公正的视角。中国社会在经济、科技、文化等方面取得了显著进步，但也面临一些挑战。通过加强国际合作和交流，消除误解，增进互信，有助于推动中国社会的持续发展。

新闻来源： 2412060636英文媒体关于中国的报道汇总_2024-12-05; 2412060107The-Economist-What-does-it-mean-to-be-a-member-of-Chinas-Communist-Party-Podcasts; 2412061242The-Guardian-Chanel-hits-lavish-new-heights-in-efforts-to-reignite-Chinese-market

• What a possible South Korean leadership change could mean for China
• China green lights a game-changing new railway through Central Asia
• China warns foreign spies are hiring teens to steal state secrets and sensitive data
• NBA’s deal with Macau marks end of 5-year China exile, brings Nets, Suns to casino city
• China could adopt strategic empathy to mend ties with Europe
• Huawei premium smartphone shipments surge, as Apple continues to lead segment in China
• China, India vow to learn lessons of deadly 2020 border clash, keep talking to avert rerun
• Trump picks Perdue, global firms go local in China: SCMP daily catch-up
• Chanel hits lavish new heights in efforts to reignite Chinese market
• Xinjiang power swing threatened China’s nationwide electricity supply in August
• China’s private firms, in dire straits, flag critical concerns in fresh survey findings
• PLA looks into China-US collaboration in biosecurity research
• Philippines mulls ‘grey zone’ tactics to counter Beijing’s aggression in South China Sea
• Chinese embassy in Syria urges citizens to evacuate immediately as civil war reignites
• Tech war: can Chinese firms skirt broader US semiconductor sanctions?
• Another Hainan ‘tiger’ tangled in a Chinese corruption investigation
• Maritime threats high on agenda as Chinese navy hosts Gulf of Guinea security forum
• South Korea’s martial law, US blasts China’s export ban on key minerals: 7 highlights
• China-Japan cooperation should be ‘priority’ as regional uncertainties loom, experts say
• Chinese ‘fairy sister’ student in Taiwan delegation celebrated for ‘pure beauty’
• Paraguay kicks out a visiting Chinese envoy for urging its lawmakers to turn their backs on Taiwan
• Trump names former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be ambassador to China
• Global firms in China go local as trade, tech flare-ups threaten operations
• Chinese wife pushed off Thai cliff by husband says spouse demanding US$4 million for divorce
• Donald Trump names David Perdue as pick for US ambassador to China
• What does it mean to be a member of China’s Communist Party? | Podcasts
• Inside China’s approach to pro-natalism | Podcasts
• China’s ByteDance, Alibaba, Tencent seek fresh talent at ‘Olympics of AI’
• Donald Trump’s export controls hurting China could rankle US allies: analysts
• Scientists turn huge cave in southwest China into lunar research facility

What a possible South Korean leadership change could mean for China

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3289708/what-possible-south-korean-leadership-change-could-mean-china?utm_source=rss_feed

With South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment looking more likely, analysts say there is a higher chance of the main opposition party rising to power – and it could take a more “conciliatory approach” to China.

But they had mixed views on how Seoul’s foreign policy and its relations with Beijing – which are in a stalemate under Yoon – might unfold if a new leader is elected.

On Thursday, South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party (DP) said it would vote on Saturday for an impeachment motion against Yoon over his declaration of martial law on Tuesday. The martial law decree was lifted six hours later after 190 lawmakers unanimously voted to reject Yoon’s move.

The DP and five other opposition parties submitted the motion on Wednesday, arguing Yoon’s martial law declaration was a violation of the constitution and laws. They said they would file the motion again if it was blocked in parliament.

Ruling conservative People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon initially said he would block the motion but on Friday he reversed that stance, saying Yoon needed to be swiftly suspended from exercising power.

A two-thirds majority – 200 out of 300 members – is required to pass a motion in the National Assembly. With the opposition camp holding a total of 192 seats, it would need at least eight votes from the ruling PPP.

If lawmakers vote to impeach Yoon, he will be immediately suspended from office and the prime minister will become acting president. A trial will then be held in the Constitutional Court, and the president will be impeached if six or more of the nine members of the court vote to sustain the motion.

And if that happens, the government must hold an election within 60 days. That could mean a change from the conservative PPP to the progressive DP, and a possible shift in direction – including on foreign policy.

Should Yoon be ousted, it would be the second time for a South Korean president after Park Geun-hye of the conservative Saenuri Party was impeached in 2017. She was succeeded by Moon Jae-in of the DP.

Analysts say the DP – which has been critical of Yoon’s foreign policy promoting cooperation with the United States and Japan – could gain a political advantage if the president is impeached.

Troy Stangarone, director of the Hyundai Motor-Korea Foundation Centre for Korean History and Public Policy at the Wilson Centre, said that with the opposition united for impeachment and growing public pressure, it was likely that enough PPP members could vote in favour of the motion.

But he said even if the motion was blocked, Yoon would “remain in office as a weakened president”.

“If the Constitutional Court confirms an impeachment of President Yoon, the short duration of the election to choose his successor favours the main opposition [DP] and its leader Lee Jae-myung,” Stangarone said.

Darcie Draudt-Véjares, a fellow for Korean studies in the Asia Programme at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, agreed the vote looked likely to pass.

“Lee Jae-myung and the Democrats are well-positioned to capitalise on this crisis … the DP’s supermajority since 2020 shows their possible strength,” she said. “The conservatives will struggle to recover from Yoon’s democratic breach.”

Lee and the DP have pushed for a more low-key approach to China in their foreign policy agenda.

During the National Assembly election campaign in March, Lee accused Yoon of jeopardising Chinese trade relations with unnecessary provocations.

“China was South Korea’s top export market, but now South Korea is importing mostly from China. Chinese people don’t buy South Korean products because they don’t like South Korea,” Lee said at the time.

“Why are we bothering [Beijing]? We should just say xiexie [thank you] and xiexie to Taiwan as well,” he said. “Why do we interfere in cross-strait relations? Why do we care what happens to the Taiwan Strait? Shouldn’t we just take care of ourselves?”

The opposition’s impeachment motion also takes aim at Yoon’s foreign policy, saying it “antagonises North Korea, China and Russia while ignoring geopolitical balance”. It claims Yoon has brought “isolation in northeast Asia, triggered a crisis of war, and abandoned national security and the duty to protect the people”.

Analysts disagree over whether there will be a shift in foreign policy if a new leader is elected from the opposition.

Andrew Yeo, a senior fellow and the SK-Korea Foundation chair of Korea studies at Washington-based think tank the Brookings Institution, said Yoon had been cautious on China despite his tough rhetoric, but a DP-led government would focus more on relations with Beijing.

“If there’s an opposition party DP member that becomes president, I think we would see even more effort to try to reach out to China,” Yeo said.

“They may not toe the line if the Trump administration is very tough when it comes to things like control of exports, investment, security and technology. I’m not sure if South Korea would necessarily follow suit.”

Yeo said Beijing was also likely to prefer a change in power to the DP since they tended to be “more amicable” towards China.

Ellen Kim, a senior fellow with the Korea Chair at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, said if Lee won the next election, South Korea’s foreign policy was likely to “shift away from the current Yoon administration’s policy”, which could create opportunities for Beijing to draw Seoul closer.

“The Lee government will try to improve South Korea’s ties with China, which could drive him to seek, at minimum, a neutral stance between the US and China,” Kim said.

“He will likely favour engagement with North Korea … This might strike a chord with [US president-elect Donald] Trump’s stance. But there will be many contentious issues in the US-ROK relationship under Trump 2.0, which could raise tension,” she added, using the acronym for the Republic of Korea, South Korea’s official name.

Draudt-Véjares said the DP’s current position and the political climate suggested they could secure both Yoon’s removal and an electoral mandate, which would “restructure [South] Korea’s political landscape”.

“Lee’s signals of a more conciliatory approach to Beijing contrast sharply with Yoon’s US alignment and focus on strengthening US-ROK alliance cooperation, particularly in the military domain,” she said.

“This could affect regional dynamics, especially with Trump’s return and uncertainty over what his Korea policy will be.”

But she noted that Lee’s ongoing legal troubles could block a presidential run. Lee was handed a suspended jail sentence last month for violating election law and is also facing corruption and other charges.

Ramon Pacheco Pardo, an international relations professor at King’s College London, did not expect any significant change in South Korea’s China policy no matter which party is in power.

“The heyday in South Korea-China relations … is now a thing of the past,” he said. “Future presidents may seek to engage in more dialogue with China, but I don’t think that the fundamentals … will change.”

Stangarone from the Wilson Centre agreed that a change in administration might not bring much of a change in policy.

“Yoon was already trying to rebalance his foreign policy to place more emphasis on China. Any incoming administration will likely continue that, but in the context of managing relations with the incoming Trump administration,” he said.

“An impeachment process would constrict South Korea’s ability to manage relations with the incoming Trump administration as policy couldn’t be set until after the new election. This means any new president will lose valuable time in building relations with the new Trump administration.”

China green lights a game-changing new railway through Central Asia

https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3289676/china-green-lights-game-changing-new-railway-through-central-asia?utm_source=rss_feed

China is finally moving forward with plans to build a new railway to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, with analysts saying the project will play an important role in deepening Chinese ties across Central Asia and beyond.

The 523km (325-mile) line – which will connect Kashgar on China’s northwestern frontier with several cities in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan – had been in limbo for decades, but the project is now officially underway and the first phase could be completed by the end of the decade.

China Railway posted a business tender on its procurement website in late November, stating that the Kyrgyzstan section would have a planned investment of 33.9 billion yuan (US$4.7 billion) and construction was expected to be finished by 2030.

According to analysts, the line is designed to be just the first component in a much wider rail network linking China with countries across Central Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

“The railway has great potential to be extended and serves as a skeleton network for east-west and north-south connections,” said Zhu Yongbiao, a professor in international relations at Lanzhou University. “For example, Uzbekistan’s route can stretch to Pakistan via Afghanistan.”

Connecting lines may also be built to extend the railway to Turkmenistan, Iran and Turkey, said Zhao Long, deputy director of the Institute for Global Governance Studies at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies.

The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway will also offer China a faster – and potentially geopolitically useful – alternative to Trans-Eurasia Logistics, a rail route that connects China to Europe via Russia.

Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute for International Affairs at the Renmin University of China in Beijing, noted that the railway has the advantage of running “straight” to Europe and “avoiding conflicts”.

The new railway will reportedly be capable of transporting goods from China to Europe seven or eight days faster than current land routes.

Proposals for a China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway first emerged in the 1990s, and the three countries signed a memorandum of understanding for the project in 1997. But progress stalled for years as the parties struggled to resolve a series of technical, political and financing issues.

However, the project finally got back on track this year, with the three countries signing an intergovernmental agreement on the construction of the railway at a June summit in Beijing.

According to a report by China’s state-owned Xinjiang Television, the project will employ a build-operate-transfer model and have a total investment of US$8 billion. China owns 51 per cent of the joint venture managing the project, with Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan each taking a 24.5 per cent share.

In October, Du Dewen, China’s ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, visited the offices of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Company, where he hailed the project as “an icon of cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative”.

“We hope that the three countries will make concerted efforts to ensure high quality and standards, and push forward the progress of the project, so that the region will be well-connected with new land routes,” Du said.

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China warns foreign spies are hiring teens to steal state secrets and sensitive data

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3289731/china-warns-foreign-spies-are-hiring-teens-steal-state-secrets-and-sensitive-data?utm_source=rss_feed

China’s top anti-espionage agency has warned that foreign agents are recruiting Chinese teenagers to collect sensitive information, exploiting their lack of judgment and awareness of national security risks.

The Ministry of State Security said in an article posted on social media on Friday that overseas intelligence agencies “package illegal activities and set traps, aiming to manipulate and deceive minors into doing their bidding to steal state secrets”.

Their methods include approaching students online and “promising lucrative and simple part-time jobs” to lure minors into their traps, the ministry said.

It noted that in some cases, the teens were asked to take photos or collect information about military facilities.

The ministry warned that foreign spies sometimes employ tactics similar to pyramid schemes to entice their targets into recruiting their friends and classmates.

“This strategy maximises their ability to collect and steal intelligence. Such cases often involve many individuals and pose significant harm,” it said.

The article cited the case of a high school student in an unidentified coastal region. The student, surnamed Wu, was approached online by someone claiming to represent a company offering part-time work that involved taking photos of local billboards. Initially wary, Wu’s caution waned after earning a referral bonus for convincing a classmate to join.

Wu then recruited even more people, with eight classmates joining within two weeks. The students visited locations requested by the foreign agents to take and send photos, which was against the law and posed a threat to national security, according to the ministry.

Foreign spies often use money as enticement, the ministry said. It gave another example of a minor, surnamed Shen, who took photos of military exercise areas as instructed by foreign agents – capturing images of military vehicles and equipment in the process.

The article said Shen’s father was first contacted by foreign agents when the man posted online looking for part-time work. But due to his health issues, the elder Shen instead arranged for his child, who had dropped out of school, to take part in activities under the direction of foreign agents.

In another case, a middle school student, surnamed Liu, was lured online by a foreign spy posing as a member of a charity organisation, the article said.

The agent befriended Liu under the guise of conducting research for tourism development and convinced the student to take photos at local docks, ports and airports. The agent’s requests then expanded to collecting photos and information about key military facilities, for which Liu was paid several thousand yuan.

Since launching an official WeChat account in August of last year, the ministry has frequently posted alerts about what it says are threats to national security in an effort to educate the public.

The ministry has also warned about foreign spies targeting scientists and researchers as well as Chinese university faculty and students who take part in short-term study-abroad tours.

In the Friday article, the ministry pointed to a lack of “systematic education on national security” as a problem for some students, resulting in insufficient awareness of national security issues and making it difficult for young people to protect themselves.

The ministry said that minors, who lack experience and judgment skills, could be easily influenced by overseas intelligence agencies.

Additionally, teenagers on social media often inadvertently expose their identities and personal details about their lives and school, making them easy targets for foreign spies, the article said.

NBA’s deal with Macau marks end of 5-year China exile, brings Nets, Suns to casino city

https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3289764/nbas-deal-macau-marks-end-5-year-china-exile-brings-nets-suns-casino-city?utm_source=rss_feed

The NBA will return to China in 2025, with two pre-season games in Macau bringing an end to a years-long exile sparked by an official’s tweet in support of Hong Kong protesters in 2019.

A multimillion-dollar agreement between the basketball league and Sands China was signed on Friday, with the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns scheduled to play two matches on October 10 and 12.

Mark Tatum, the NBA’s deputy commissioner, called it an “exciting day” as he took part in a series of media events to announce the move, and referenced the “long history” basketball had in China, adding that Macau was home to “some of the most passionate” fans.

“Our games started being broadcast on CCTV in the mid-1980s, so it’s nearly a 40-year relationship. I think this is such a treat for us to be able to bring NBA games back here to Macau,” Tatum added.

Grant Chum, the CEO of Sands China, said his group was a “pioneer in bringing international events to enhance the tourism landscape of Macau”.

Before the then Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey’s ill-fated tweet at the height of the civil unrest in Hong Kong, the NBA had staged 25 games in China since 2004.

And while most took place in Shanghai and Beijing, others were held in Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Macau, which hosted a clash between Orlando Magic and LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers in 2007.

Orlando also played a game against a Chinese all-star team on that trip, while in 2008, the USA side took part in a series of exhibition matches in Macau ahead of the Beijing Olympics that year.

The new five-year deal, which a source estimated was close to US$25 million a year, is expected to bring two games annually to the 14,000-seat Venetian Arena, and Las Vegas Sands president Patrick Dumont said it showed the casino group’s determination to invest “in Macau’s future”.

“We’ve been working on this for a long time,” said Dumont, who is also majority owner of the Dallas Mavericks.

“It’s a big dream of ours to be able to bring international sports and entertainment to Macau. It’s about driving high-value tourism. It’s about driving sports, mutual dialogue and all kinds of fun things around basketball.”

Sands had reportedly been in talks about a partnership since early 2022, but as well as dealing with Covid-19, also had to negotiate the continued fallout from Morey’s remarks, which effectively saw the NBA banned from China after commissioner Adam Silver spoke out in support of the comments.

The league lost an estimated US$400 million in the first year of the row, highlighting the significant cost of alienating the world’s largest basketball market.

It is no coincidence that the Nets, who are owned by Alibaba chairman Joe Tsai, and the Suns will play next year.

Tatum said the league’s own data showed the franchises, which boast the likes of Kevin Durant, Dennis Schroder and China’s own Cui Yongxi on their rosters, were “two of the most popular teams” when it came to merchandise in Macau.

For Sands, the agreement marks another step in its move to diversify from gaming, something Macau has been pursuing at the behest of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“We are combining our resources with the NBA, and not just doing it for a year, but entering into a multi-year strategic collaboration where we have a series of landmark events at a certain time during the year for several years to come,” Chum told the Post.

“That brings not just the right content for our visitors, but also enhances the reputation and profile of Macau as an international tourism destination that combines the best of entertainment, hospitality and sports.”

That push puts it in direct competition with Hong Kong, which is also hoping to develop as a sporting hub, but in this instance at least is second best.

Sources told the Post that Macau’s infrastructure, in this case the Venetian Arena, and its finances were all on a level above those of its neighbour. Even the soon-to-be-opened 10,000-seat Kai Tak Arena came up short of expectations.

“The lack of [suitable] venues has long been an issue for us; the NBA did not want the Coliseum in Hung Hom for sure,” a source with knowledge of the deal said.

A second insider added that “no one [Hong Kong] company or corporate organisation would be able, or willing, to fork out that kind of money to host [these] events”.

China could adopt strategic empathy to mend ties with Europe

https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3289463/china-could-adopt-strategic-empathy-mend-ties-europe?utm_source=rss_feed

With the impending return of the “America first” president Donald Trump to the White House, some advocate that Beijing and Brussels rebuild trade ties and shield themselves against the precipitous protectionist measures from Washington.

However, with Chinese and European Union negotiators knee-deep in protracted discussions over tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), and a flare-up in Sino-Lithuanian relations signalling more tension, there are headwinds preventing drastic improvements in diplomatic ties in the foreseeable future.

There are three particular obstacles: Europe’s perception of the Sino-Russian relationship, the bilateral trade deficit and the degree to which China’s market is open to European firms and investors.

On her recent visit to China, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock reiterated the detrimental impact of China’s support for Russia on Sino-European ties.

To be clear, as a key economic and trade partner to Russia, China is no more supportive of Moscow’s military aggression in Ukraine than India, which has reportedly imported 13 times more oil from Russia since the outbreak of the war. India is still rapidly consolidating ties with the United States and Europe alike.

Yet Chinese indignation over Western commentators’ apparent double standards is met with limited sympathy from policymakers and politicians in major European capitals, who castigate China for its purported supplying of dual-use exports to Russia. Such resentment has also spilled over into the public, albeit to a lesser extent.

A European Council on Foreign Relations study across 11 member states last year found that while most viewed European trade and investment relations with China as “balanced” or more beneficial than risky, on average 41 per cent of Europeans would be in favour of sanctions against China if it supplied weapons to Russia, even if those sanctions seriously damaged Western economies.

Furthermore, the Sino-European trade deficit has grown considerably during the pandemic, ballooning to US$418 billion in 2022. While the gap has since decreased, concerns remain among pro-business lobby groups and politicians that Chinese manufacturers are rapidly dislodging home-grown champions within the EU.

Vociferous allegations of China using competition-distorting subsidies fail to conceal the real problem facing Europe highlighted in the report by former European Central Bank head Mario Draghi: suboptimal productivity growth that constricts manufacturing capacity and spurs an over-reliance on both the US and China. Such grievances are in turn leveraged by select voices to drive forward the geopolitical agenda of “de-risking” from China.

There is growing scepticism among European firms about the viability and vitality of Chinese markets. Persisting difficulties with market access and ambiguous regulatory standards were cited by the European Chamber of Commerce’s recent position paper which called for a strategic rethink of doing business in the country.

These issues are by no means intractable. There exists a modicum of goodwill from both sides. Moreover, consumers and some manufacturers in Europe stand to gain from more comprehensive and robust ties with China – the former, from cheaper and higher-quality goods, and the latter from China’s dominant position in most critical supply chains, especially in what Beijing calls its “three new” exports of EVs, lithium batteries and solar photovoltaic modules.

With a sluggish rebound in domestic consumption, lethargic investor sentiment, and the risk of more drastic pressures to decouple from across the Pacific, China would also benefit immensely from stabilising ties with large European economies.

However, the first step to mending rifts is the acknowledgement that they have structural roots, as opposed to merely transient, cyclical causes.

With US president-elect Donald Trump pledging a swift end to the Ukraine war, it is not too late for China to push a proposal for a peaceful resolution that preserves as much of Kyiv’s territorial sovereignty as possible while offering all other parties to the conflict a tenable off-ramp.

State-owned enterprises should step in to offer humanitarian and developmental aid to both Russia and Ukraine. Long-lasting regional peace can only come through the provision of security guarantees to Ukraine by a credible coalition of states.

Chinese diplomats should also acknowledge and respond to their European counterparts’ concerns about Russia’s strategic intentions. Divide-and-conquer cannot be a viable strategy in the face of the broad alignment among EU member-states – short of Hungary – on the war.

Concerns over both trade imbalances and market access can be assuaged through leading Chinese manufacturers working collaboratively with European counterparts to scale up and bolster joint ventures, technology exchanges and alignment on regulatory and disclosure standards.

This would require strategic empathy on the part of Chinese leaders and bureaucrats, as well as the capacity to address the perceptions of the European people.

Given the sizeable overheads, it is unlikely that most European countries will re-emerge as manufacturing powerhouses. However, Beijing must also recognise that the drive by European firms to relocate supply chains out of China is a secular trend that cannot be reversed.

A practical compromise would be for Chinese manufacturers to work with European counterparts to set up joint ventures in third-party nations in Southeast Asia and Latin America. China could provide expertise, technological support and even subsidies to advance the interests of all parties.

As Chinese leaders plan next year’s macroeconomic policies at this month’s economic work conference, they must focus on measures that will enable economic growth, increase access to foreign capital and maintain a transparent, hands-off regulatory regime in new high-potential sectors.

It will take more than just time for investor confidence and entrepreneurial trust to be restored in Europe and beyond. Moreover, there must be more emphasis on growing the pie and less of a preoccupation with undue securitisation. Actions always speak louder than words.

Huawei premium smartphone shipments surge, as Apple continues to lead segment in China

https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3289747/huawei-premium-smartphone-shipments-surge-apple-continues-lead-segment-china?utm_source=rss_feed

Huawei Technologies gained more ground in mainland China’s high-end smartphone segment in the third quarter, narrowing the gap with US rival Apple, which still leads that handset category, the latest data from research firm Canalys showed.

Shenzhen-based Huawei’s domestic shipments of premium-priced smartphones – handsets that cost more than US$600 – surged 34 per cent in the September quarter from a year earlier, resulting in a 33 per cent share, according to a report released by Canalys on Friday.

While Apple saw its iPhone shipments on the mainland decline 5 per cent in the same period, the US tech giant continued to lead domestic premium handset sales with a 52 per cent share.

Huawei’s strong performance in the high-end segment reflects the continued momentum from the firm’ successful comeback last year to the premium 5G handset segment in the world’s biggest smartphone market, which is on track to record its first sales growth in five years in 2024.

From July to September, Huawei also shipped a total of 1.12 million foldable handsets, up 97 per cent from a year ago, cementing its status as the bestselling foldable brand on the mainland, ahead of rivals such as Honor, Vivo, Xiaomi and Samsung Electronics, according to a November report from research firm CINNO.

Strong demand for Huawei’s attention-grabbing Mate XT trifold smartphone – which costs 19,999 yuan (US$2,800) for the 256-gigabyte model and remains in tight supply – in September prompted many scalpers in Shenzhen to raise its price from 60,000 yuan to 70,000 yuan.

By contrast, the slight decline in Apple’s third-quarter shipments on the mainland shows weakening iPhone sales, which have been exacerbated by the uncertainty around the local launch of Apple Intelligence.

Demand for artificial intelligence-equipped handsets enabled the high-end smartphone segment to record 15 per cent global growth in the third quarter, according to Canalys.

Still, Apple accounted for half of the top 10 bestselling smartphone models in China in the third quarter, led by the iPhone 15 Pro Max, Canalys data showed. In the same period Huawei’s Pura 70 series ranked sixth in shipments among all high-end smartphone models on the mainland.

Among Canalys’ top-ranked premium handset vendors on the mainland last quarter, Honor’s 5 per cent share and the 3 per cent share of both Xiaomi and Samsung ranked behind Apple and Huawei.

Globally, Apple dominated the world’s high-end smartphone segment with a 63 per cent share, as the company’s shipments grew 10 per cent worldwide, according to Canalys. That strong showing was helped by the availability of Apple Intelligence in the iPhone 16 series, which was launched in September.

Samsung took the No 2 spot with a 21 per cent global market share in the third quarter, while Huawei ranked third with an 8 per cent share, according to Canalys.

The global smartphone market is forecast to grow 6 per cent this year on overall shipment of 1.22 billion units, according to Canalys. It cautioned that growth in this segment beyond 2024 will slow to 1 per cent until 2028.

China, India vow to learn lessons of deadly 2020 border clash, keep talking to avert rerun

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3289760/china-india-vow-learn-lessons-deadly-2020-border-clash-keep-talking-avert-rerun?utm_source=rss_feed

India and China have pledged to reflect on the lessons learned from their border stand-off in 2020, while emphasising the need for regular communication to prevent a recurrence.

The resolution came at the first diplomatic talks under a key dialogue mechanism since both sides withdrew from two face-off points along their disputed western Himalayan border.

“The two sides positively affirmed the implementation of the most recent [troop] disengagement agreement which completed the resolution of the issues that emerged in 2020,” a statement from the Indian foreign ministry said after the 32nd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China Border Affairs, held in New Delhi on Thursday.

The issues of 2020 refer to a series of stand-offs that summer along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) separating Indian-controlled Ladakh and Chinese-controlled Aksai Chin. Matters came to a head with clashes in the Galwan River valley that left dozens of Indian troops and at least four Chinese soldiers dead, plunging bilateral ties to their lowest point in decades.

To prevent such incidents in the future, both sides emphasised the need for “exchanges and contacts at the diplomatic and military levels through established mechanisms”, according to New Delhi.

The Chinese foreign ministry also highlighted the importance of leveraging the border negotiation mechanism, and maintaining open diplomatic and military channels.

The two sides agreed to take measures to further ease the situation along the border, it said.

The meeting focused on making preparations for the next round of border talks at the “special representative” level, and maintaining communication through diplomatic and military channels for sustainable peace and tranquillity in the border area, according to the Chinese readout.

The Indian statement said the next meeting of the special representatives would be held “in accordance with the decision of the two leaders in their meeting in Kazan” on October 23, when Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met on the sidelines of the Brics summit.

The summit came days after India said it had reached a deal with China on patrolling the frontier in eastern Ladakh to end the four-year military stand-off, signalling an easing of tensions.

Thursday’s meeting in the capital was co-chaired by Hong Liang, director general of the Chinese foreign ministry’s Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs, and Gourangalal Das, joint secretary for East Asia from the corresponding Indian ministry. The pair also led the 31st round of the WMCC talks held in Beijing in August.

At the 30th round, also held in New Delhi, both sides sought to promote the healthy and stable development of ties and “turn the page” on the border issue at an early date.

On Tuesday, Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said that both countries would consider “other aspects” of bilateral ties in a calibrated manner now that troops had pulled back from the last two face-off points on their Himalayan border.

“Recent developments that reflect our continuous diplomatic engagement since then have set our ties in the direction of some improvement,” Jaishankar told lawmakers in New Delhi.

“The conclusion of the disengagement phase now allows us to consider other aspects of our bilateral engagement in a calibrated manner, keeping our national security interests first and foremost.”

Trump picks Perdue, global firms go local in China: SCMP daily catch-up

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Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China and economy stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider .

US president-elect Donald Trump has picked former senator David Perdue as his ambassador to China, he announced on social media. Perdue, 74, served as Republican senator of Georgia between 2015 and 2021. He did not win re-election for the Senate in 2021.

Despite escalating efforts from the United States and its allies to clamp down on trade, international companies with an interest in the still-sizeable Chinese market are adopting a new plan of action to stay engaged while keeping themselves insulated from unexpected geopolitical shocks, analysts said.

Attendees at China’s first international conference on space habitation and exploitation were given a tour of a vast underground cave system that Chinese researchers are hoping to use as a testing ground for living on the moon and Mars.

The Korean peninsula could emerge as a promising avenue for Sino-Japanese security cooperation as China and Japan share similar regional goals, diplomats and international relations experts said at the annual Beijing-Tokyo Forum held this week in the Japanese capital.

Beijing is cutting down on red tape in a bid to boost small-package exports through e-commerce platforms, which have become a vital export pillar and a means for many to cope with domestic challenges such as finding gainful employment.

China wrapped up a two-day forum on the security situation in the Gulf of Guinea on Thursday as it tries to boost its military presence in Africa, which analysts say would allow Beijing to “project power further west”.

China is finally moving forward with plans to build a new railway to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, with analysts saying the project will play an important role in deepening Chinese ties across Central Asia and beyond.

Chanel hits lavish new heights in efforts to reignite Chinese market

https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2024/dec/06/chanel-hits-lavish-new-heights-in-efforts-to-reignite-chinese-market

Coco Chanel was an ambitious woman, but even she could not have imagined the scale on which the house she founded now operates. This time last year, four blocks of Manchester’s Northern Quarter became a Chanel catwalk. For its final show of 2024, Chanel built a black wooden catwalk spanning the West Lake in Hangzhou, China, to parade this season’s tweed suits with the kiss-curl roof of a pagoda sitting atop a crescent moon bridge over glassy water as a dramatic backdrop.

The 6,000-mile journey from Manchester to Hangzhou reflects the global expansion of Chanel, the second-largest luxury brand in the world. With global revenue reaching $19.7bn in 2023, a rise of 16% on the previous year, Chanel is closing the gap on leaders Louis Vuitton.

The show was the most lavish moment in an ongoing love-bombing campaign by Chanel aimed at reigniting desire among Chinese consumers, where the luxury market is in slowdown. More than half of the 1,000 guests were top-spending Chinese clients. Such a high-rolling audience is not easily impressed, but few were immune to the flex of the journey by liveried barge, which carried guests to seats on a floating stage. In the heart of one of China’s seven ancient capitals, illuminations set the lake ablaze with colour, and to the boom of traditional Chinese drums, models began to traverse the slender catwalk to the stage. At the after-show party, a queue developed next to the Chanel sign, as guests lined up to take selfies.

The origin story of this collection was Coco Chanel’s enchantment with 19th-century Chinese lacquered Coromandel screens, of which her favourite screen, displayed in her study in her Rue Cambon apartment in Paris, showed a map of Hangzhou, which sits 170km south-west of Shanghai, dotted with pagodas, temples and bridges.

The film-maker Wim Wenders, who made for Chanel a short film starring Tilda Swinton to tell the story of the collection online, described the screen as “an amazingly exact description of the city itself”. The collection began with several outfits in black, the screen’s background colour. Later, dresses came in jade green and gold foil, to echo the Coromandel colour palette.

“Imagination is part of creativity. We use imagination to keep a connection with our friends in China, at a time when business [there] is a bit more difficult,” Bruno Pavlovsky, Chanel’s president of fashion, said before the show. He added: “Chanel has had a dialogue with China for many years, and it is not just about selling to China. We buy a lot, too. Most of our silk and cashmere comes from China. That is nothing to do with price, it is because it is the best quality.”

The hottest topic of conversation at the show was the one thing that Chanel, for all their bombast, lack: a designer. Creative director at Chanel, the holy grail of fashion positions, has been vacant since the abrupt departure of Virginie Viard six months ago. Pavlovsky said the search was “in a good position” and hinted at an announcement “in the coming weeks”. He did not confirm rumours that Matthieu Blazy, designer at the insider-favourite Milanese brand of Bottega Veneta, will be appointed from a field of contenders which has included more famous names such as Marc Jacobs and Hedi Slimane. But he suggested that Chanel would not chase a celebrity name, emphasising that “this job is about Chanel, not about the artistic director. Some artistic directors work for a brand, some work for themselves. We want someone who works for the brand”.

This collection was designed by a studio team. “Virginie was not alone. Karl was not alone, the next creative director will not work alone. There is a strong team at Chanel,” said Pavlovsky.

The messaging was about honouring Chinese fashion heritage while weaving Chanel into the story. Hangzhou flourished as a silk production hub on the Silk Road, during a period when silk and porcelain were synonymous with Chinese savoir-faire and luxury, and is resurgent in modern China as a hub for tech companies including Alibaba. The sharp pleats of an ivory silk cocktail dress made by Lognon, an atelier of specialised pleaters, referenced China’s famous folding fans, which were a favourite accessory of Coco herself. Strings of pearls nodded in two directions, being emblematic of China and Paris. Tweeds were dotted with water lilies, delicately embroidered to float on the surface. Quilted jackets echoed the famous square stitching of Chanel’s handbags, while also shadowing the silhouette of the traditional boxy quilted jackets still worn by many older Chinese women.

The Metiers d’Art collection, a showcase for craftsmanship in fashion, spotlights the skills of the embroiderers, feather-workers, glove-makers, goldsmiths and other specialist ateliers, and is held in a different city each December. More than 800 craftspeople worked on this collection. “Those people and their skills are the true value of luxury,” said Pavlovsky.

China has been a primary growth driver in the luxury industry in recent decades, but a post-pandemic spending spree has stalled, while fractious trading relations with the US have led to an uptick in desire for local brands among shoppers who previously favoured western luxury names.

Luxury brands can no longer take the Chinese market for granted. Luxury is not protected from the rest of the economy when there is an economic crisis, so this is an important moment to reconnect.” Pavlovsky noted that when Chanel staged a smaller catwalk show in Hong Kong last month, the two weeks after the show brought the brand’s best ever sales in the territory.

Xinjiang power swing threatened China’s nationwide electricity supply in August

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3289629/xinjiang-power-swing-threatened-chinas-nationwide-electricity-supply-august?utm_source=rss_feed

China’s national power grid faced a major threat in the summer when a potentially devastating power oscillation affected Xinjiang, home to some of the world’s biggest solar and wind farms.

The National Energy Administration (NEA) reported on Thursday that the “low-frequency power oscillation” was caused by inadequate management of local power unit operations and a failure to activate a system stabiliser, as mandated by the country’s safety standards.

While oscillations can occur in any power system, they are particularly relevant in grids with renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, which are prone to variability because of changing weather.

The August 3 incident “severely threatened” the stability of the power grid in the northwest region and potentially across the entire country, according to a notice posted on the NEA’s website.

Without providing further details of the incident, the NEA emphasised the critical role of grid-connected safety management in maintaining stability and supporting the transition to green energy.

It urged agencies to “actively participate in and jointly conduct emergency drills for large-scale power outages”, and called for improved top-down planning to address structural issues like unbalanced grid configurations.

The administration said regional offices and provincial power management departments would conduct thorough inspections to prevent system oscillations, with findings to be submitted to the NEA by next April.

Temporary imbalances in the supply and demand of electricity act like a tug of war, causing the amount of electrical power transmitted through a system to swing. Most disruptive are low-frequency oscillations, between 0.1 and 1 hertz.

Their longer cycles allow them to persist and propagate across the grid, potentially causing widespread instability or blackouts while damaging equipment and wasting energy.

Xinjiang, which surpassed 80 gigawatts of installed renewable energy capacity in October – enough to power more than 60 million households – according to state news agency Xinhua, has faced similar challenges before.

In 2015, a 0.1-hertz power oscillation incident in Hami, a key energy hub in eastern Xinjiang, triggered severe vibrations in thermal power plant turbines, tripping generators and causing over a gigawatt of power loss within two minutes.

As renewable energy sources expand around the world in response to the threat of climate change, other countries are facing similar issues in maintaining power grid reliability.

In 2011 and 2012, Oklahoma Gas and Electric in the US reported 14-hertz oscillations at its wind farms in the state’s northwest, leading to significant reactive power fluctuations.

In 2020, Australia’s West Murray zone – an area covering parts of Victoria and New South Wales – reported 17-hertz voltage oscillations due to high penetration of solar and wind farms in areas with low system strength.

Ireland has also reported inter-area oscillations linked to renewable energy integration.

In response, engineers are developing advanced grid management technologies, such as real-time monitoring systems and better control algorithms, to stabilise power flow and mitigate oscillations from renewable energy sources.

China’s private firms, in dire straits, flag critical concerns in fresh survey findings

https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3289681/chinas-private-firms-dire-straits-flag-critical-concerns-fresh-survey-findings?utm_source=rss_feed

China’s uncertain economic outlook and subdued demand are straining the bulk of its private enterprises as they grapple with a volatile mix of fragile confidence and a pressing need for stronger policy support, according to fresh survey results from an independent research institute.

Private firms are also proactively recalibrating strategies to survive and thrive in the face of mounting derisking and decoupling pressures, according to the findings posted by Beijing Dacheng on its WeChat social media account on Thursday.

Among the 806 private firms surveyed in late November – most of them small and medium-sized enterprises scattered across manufacturing and service sectors – 52.6 per cent said the private sector was in a difficult situation, and more than 63.3 per cent said they had experienced losses or reduced profits.

Only 16 per cent of the surveyed companies planned to ramp up investment in the next two years. However, no comparison figures were provided.

“Private enterprises are still grappling with high operating costs, recurring payment arrears, and intense in certain industries and sectors, among numerous challenges,” the survey said, referring to the unsustainable state of intense internal competition, or “involution”, that leads to diminishing returns and stagnation.

Beijing has stepped up efforts to help and also guide expectations in the private sector, which contributes more than 60 per cent of the national economic output and employs more than 80 per cent of urban workers.

In a Xinhua editorial on Friday, continuing the country’s publicity push ahead of the tone-setting central economic work conference, private firms were encouraged to adapt to market changes and display confidence in the face of challenges.

And the Dacheng survey came with Beijing striving to shore up private confidence, including via the draft of a widely watched law concerning the promotion of the private sector in early October.

The 77-article draft has stipulated measures to promote fair market competition; enhance the investment and financing environment; encourage private firms’ involvement in scientific projects and technological innovation; and also safeguard their economic rights and interests.

However, many surveyed entrepreneurs expressed insecurities, pointing to profit-driven law enforcement and cross-regional “entrapment style” crackdowns by some debt-ridden local authorities.

When asked about the most urgent actions expected from the central government, more than a third of respondents mentioned such local behaviours.

“This has severely undermined business confidence, and we hope the central government will take decisive action to curb such practices and reverse the situation as soon as possible,” the report summarised.

Meanwhile, 40.7 per cent of those surveyed called for stronger legal protections of property rights and personal safety for entrepreneurs, along with the rectification of cases involving those who had been wronged.

Half of the respondents called for the better implementation of tax cuts and financing support.

“Small and medium-sized enterprises are highly sensitive to policy changes and are significantly impacted by them,” the report said.

As global supply chains shift away from the China-centred model amid Western decoupling and derisking trends, private firms, especially manufacturers and exporters, are bearing the brunt of the impact.

However, most of them are sharpening their competitiveness or exploring new markets, aware of the need to better integrate into the global supply chain, the report said.

PLA looks into China-US collaboration in biosecurity research

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3289472/pla-looks-china-us-collaboration-biosecurity-research?utm_source=rss_feed

In the field of biosafety research, Chinese scientists have collaborated significantly more with scientists from the United States than from any other country, according to a survey by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

In these collaborative studies, “the keywords with the highest emergence intensity are ‘bioterror’, followed by ‘bacillus anthracis’, ‘PCR’, ‘identification’ and ‘biological warfare agents’,” the project team wrote in a report published in the Journal of Air Force Medical University on November 27.

The entity with the highest amount of participation in collaborative research was the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), which administers the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Its main collaborators in the United States included Colorado State University, the US Agency for International Development, the University of Maryland, the University of California, and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, according to the report.

The PLA’s survey analysed nearly 18,000 scientific papers related to biosafety published between 2007 and 2023.

“The strongest connection is between China and the United States,” the report said, revealing that there were 431 collaborations between the two nations, far exceeding those with other countries.

The most frequently cited references in these studies mainly involved “knowledge areas such as biological weapons, species invasion, biotechnology and bioterrorism”. The most-cited paper was published in JAMA in 2001 by scientists from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“The paper mainly discusses the medical and public health management of tularaemia as a biological weapon,” the report said.

This is the first time that a Chinese military research institution has publicly spoken out about cooperation between Chinese and American scientific communities in this sensitive field since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic. In early 2020, shortly after the start of the Covid-19 outbreak, the PLA swiftly entered Wuhan and started its own investigation. Since then, the Chinese government has insisted that the virus did not originate in Wuhan, but was likely to have come from a US laboratory.

“The United States should promptly respond to the reasonable concerns of the international community, actively share its early suspected case data with the World Health Organization, disclose the situation of the Fort Detrick biological laboratory and other biolabs established around the world, and give a responsible explanation to the people of the world,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Tuesday.

“Biosafety issues threaten the survival and development of the whole world and all humanity. The Covid-19 pandemic in 2019 brought unprecedented attention to virology and biosafety, which is expected to last for a very long time to come,” wrote the project team led by Professor Shao Zhongjun, director of the department of military epidemic prevention and epidemiology of the Air Force Medical University, in the conclusion of the report.

“In 2018, Canadian scholars used synthetic biology techniques to completely synthesise a poxvirus that is highly homologous to the smallpox virus and cross-reactive in antigenicity, posing a significant biosafety risk.

“Reverse genetics technology is a commonly used technique in virology research. However, gene editing technology is still in the exploratory stage, and the consequences of virus mutations are unpredictable, posing significant potential biosafety risks … Additionally, some countries or organisations may use modern biotechnology and existing pathogens to create highly hazardous biological warfare agents, biobombs and genetic weapons,” Shao and his colleagues added.

The mainstream scientific community understanding is that the Covid-19 virus originated from nature, having evolved in bats or pangolins over decades before suddenly jumping onto humans. Most scientists agree that international collaborative research is crucial, as it can help identify potential high-risk viruses and accelerate the development of vaccines and drugs.

However, some Chinese military scientists believe the possibility of a non-natural origin cannot be ruled out. In 2015, Professor Xu Dezhong, a senior infectious disease expert, also with the Air Force Medical University, published a book that caused a huge stir. In it, he proposed the theory that the 2003 Severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic in China originated from a man-made biological weapon.

His argument centred around the virus which causes Sars having some genetic segments that suggest lab work. The lab-origin theory for Covid-19 has similar arguments.

Robert Redfield, the former director of the US CDC, is now one of the strongest supporters of the theory. In a podcast released on November 14, he claimed it was a “real possibility” that a laboratory in North Carolina was the birthplace of the Sars-CoV-2 virus which causes Covid-19.

The virus was “intentionally engineered as a part of a biodefence programme” by the US, Redfield was quoted by Newsweek as saying.

“When you look at the accountability for China, their accountability is not in the lab work and in the creation of the virus. Their accountability is not following the international health regulations after they realised that they had a problem,” he said.

Redfield served in the CDC from 2018 to 2021 and played a critical role in America’s battle against the pandemic. Previously, he served as the founding director of the department of retroviral research within the US Military’s HIV research programme and retired after 20 years of service in the US Army Medical Corps.

Philippines mulls ‘grey zone’ tactics to counter Beijing’s aggression in South China Sea

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3289698/philippines-mulls-grey-zone-tactics-counter-beijings-aggression-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed

The Philippines’ new navy chief has suggested that the military could adopt its own “grey zone” tactics in the South China Sea to counter those used by Beijing to advance its territorial assertions in the disputed waterway.

However, analysts argue Manila is unlikely to mimic China’s grey zone strategy, such as deploying maritime militias or ramming manoeuvres, due to the Philippines’ reliance on international law and coalition-building.

During his confirmation hearing with the Commission on Appointments in the Senate on Wednesday, Vice-Admiral Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezpeleta was asked directly by Senator Risa Hontiveros whether the Philippines had its own “grey zone” approaches akin to those used by Beijing.

“How can we establish enough leverage to ensure that we have enough room to manoeuvre diplomatically? What would be our Filipino version of ‘grey zone tactics’ of the Chinese government?” Senator Risa Hontiveros asked Ezpeleta at the hearing.

Ezpeleta replied that the Philippines should deploy more maritime assets in the disputed waterway.

“We have to support the actions of our white ships, such as our coastguard. Another [method] is we have to enhance our maritime domain awareness,” the navy chief said. “I would also like to say that building friends with our allied countries or our like-minded navies is also one way of leveraging. We have a lot of efforts, especially in our modernisation, let’s say for deterrence purposes.”

When asked to elaborate, Ezpeleta replied to Hontiveros’ query by saying that while the navy is making efforts to address this issue, he would “rather say it in an executive session” or a Senate session closed to the public.

Ezpeleta also laid out his priorities as the Navy’s top brass, which include, prioritising the modernisation of the Philippine Navy, enhancing maritime domain awareness, ongoing personnel training, and increasing multilateral cooperation with allied navies.

A veteran navy officer, Ezpeleta was selected to fill the Philippine Navy’s top post and was sworn in last month by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jnr.

“Grey zone” tactics are coercive actions that fall short of armed conflict, allowing states to pursue territorial goals without provoking military responses. This often involves using coastguard ships and maritime militias to intimidate rivals, as seen with China’s repeated use of water cannons and ramming of Philippine vessels near Scarborough Shoal.

Despite these provocations, analysts argue that Manila is unlikely to adopt similarly assertive methods, favouring diplomacy and transparency.

Vincent Kyle Parada, a former defence analyst for the Philippine Navy, warned that adopting China’s strategies would compromise its response to the West Philippine Sea issue, highlighting the need to maintain the country’s “reputation as a responsible member of the international community and ensuring the moral and legal high ground as the aggrieved party,” referring to Manila’s term for its claimed exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea.

Parada said Ezpeleta was likely confirming the existence of measures to “counter Chinese aggression” rather than implying Manila would replicate Chinese “grey zone” strategies, noting that “I don’t think this is something we would realistically adopt as policy.”

Sherwin Ona, a visiting fellow at the Institute for National Defence and Security Research in Taiwan, agreed and said that the Philippines would continue with its “transparency and aggressive diplomacy.”

“I think that coalition or consensus-building [with like-minded countries] will be a cornerstone of these so-called grey zone tactics,” Ona, also a political science associate professor at De La Salle University, told This Week in Asia.

Ona added that the Philippines’ “grey zone responses” would likely focus on transparency, legal actions, and improving maritime and cyber capabilities as China asserts its presence at sea.

“Amplification of favourable and truthful narratives is another excellent option to support these initiatives,” Ona said. “In addition, I think we will see continuous improvement in our maritime and air defence as well as cyber capabilities. For instance, in cyber, we can improve our attribution abilities to unmask the sources of offensive hacking incidents.

Meanwhile, Don McLain Gill, a geopolitical analyst and lecturer at De La Salle University, noted that the government’s lack of a clear definition for “grey zone tactics” suggests the Philippines’ willingness to use asymmetric activities “to at least address the material inequalities we have with China at sea.”

“So [with] that term, I could feel that the use of ‘grey zone’ would mean asymmetrical capabilities to defend what is rightfully ours,” Gill said.

Gill stated that the Philippines may explore investments and leveraging advanced technology partnerships to counter China’s aggressive presence in the West Philippine Sea.

He emphasised that these tactics are not meant to be “emulating any China strategy”, and that any actions will be defensive, unlike China’s offensive grey zone tactics, and said that Manila would merely do what is necessary to “defend our sovereignty and sovereign rights based on international law.”

In 2016, an international arbitration court ruled in favour of the Philippines, declaring that China’s nine-dash line, which Beijing uses to justify its claims over nearly the entire South China Sea, is invalid.

“So we are defending what is ours based on international law, and we will seek to leverage asymmetric capabilities to do so,” he said.

Chinese embassy in Syria urges citizens to evacuate immediately as civil war reignites

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3289654/chinese-embassy-syria-urges-citizens-evacuate-immediately-civil-war-reignites?utm_source=rss_feed

The Chinese embassy in Syria urged its citizens to leave the Middle Eastern nation “as soon as possible” as the country’s decade-long civil war reignited and anti-government militants captured more cities.

“At present, the war in northwestern Syria is growing tense, and the security situation in Syria is further deteriorating,” the embassy said in a statement on Thursday.

“The embassy in Syria suggests that Chinese citizens in Syria take advantage of the fact that commercial flights are still in operation to return home or leave the country as soon as possible.”

It warned that if Chinese citizens “persist in” travelling or remaining in the area, they could face “extremely high” security risks and access to help might be affected.

The Chinese embassy in Syria regularly issues travel warnings to its citizens. However, the message was the first in at least two years advising an immediate evacuation.

The warning came as anti-government militants, led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, moved south after taking control of Aleppo – the country’s second-largest city – last week after days of intense crossfire.

The rebels announced they also took control of Hama, a city on the Damascus-Aleppo highway, on Thursday.

More than 820 people – including 111 civilians – have been killed across the country since the start of the rebel offensive last week, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group.

There have been no Chinese casualties or injuries reported since the aggression started.

Beijing has taken a clear stance in condemning the anti-government movement as Fu Cong, China’s ambassador to the United Nations, told a UN meeting on Tuesday that his country would support Syria in fighting terrorism.

“A few years ago, the fighting in Aleppo and other places caused enormous human casualties and destruction, and the ferocity of the fighting is still fresh in our minds. This conflict will undoubtedly bring new suffering to ordinary people, and China is deeply concerned and worried about it,” he said.

“Terrorism is the common enemy of the international community. China supports Syria’s efforts to combat terrorism and maintain national security and stability.”

Unlike Russia and Iran, which have intervened in the civil war in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government, China has denied any military involvement in the region while openly supporting Damascus.

Last year, Assad conducted a high-profile visit to Beijing and Hangzhou and met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

During the meeting, Xi urged all countries to lift “illegal unilateral sanctions against Syria”, referring to economic sanctions imposed by the US and other Western countries.

China has become more proactive in managing conflicts in the Middle East. Last year, it brokered a historic peace deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

It also led the Beijing Declaration, a reconciliation agreement among 14 Palestinian factions – including Hamas and Fatah – to end their division.

Tech war: can Chinese firms skirt broader US semiconductor sanctions?

https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3289699/tech-war-can-chinese-firms-skirt-broader-us-semiconductor-sanctions?utm_source=rss_feed

Semiconductor development in China is facing more headwinds after Washington introduced new measures that restrict the export of 24 types of chipmaking equipment to the country and added 140 chip-related domestic entities to a US trade blacklist, according to analysts.

After China moved to ban the export of several rare earth minerals to the US, Beijing may intensify retaliatory measures by curbing the export of chemicals and conducting safety reviews of certain American companies, the analysts warn.

“The latest US controls will certainly choke China’s semiconductor development, which will lead to a supply shortage in the short term,” said Chen Li, an analyst with Beijing-based public policy consultancy Anbound, adding that the shortage would ease in three to five years.

Chen estimated that only 35 per cent of semiconductor-manufacturing equipment currently used in China is locally made, but that could reach 50 per cent next year.

The latest controls affect 24 types of equipment for etching, wafer cleaning, ion implantation, inspection, and metrology – areas where China remains largely dependent on imports. High-bandwidth memory, a vital component in artificial intelligence (AI) chips, was also targeted.

“The new export controls mainly target the advanced-node chips used in AI, high-performance computing and 5G telecommunications,” said Zhang Junya, a senior analyst at LeadLeo who covers technology, media, and telecoms. “In the field of advanced-node chips, it is difficult for China to completely replace US technology in the short term,” he added.

Some production techniques have been localised, such as photoresist strippers that are 80 per cent made in China, but for other processes like etching, thin-film deposition and wafer cleaning, the localisation rate is less than 30 per cent. For lithography, ion implantation, and coater-developers, the rates are below 5 per cent, according to data from LeadLeo and Frost & Sullivan.

Although the US is not the only foreign supplier of the restricted technologies, the latest sanctions were also applied to equipment made in Israel, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. Japan and the Netherlands, the only sources for high-end lithography systems, were exempt because they already have implemented similar restrictions.

The US is a market leader in multiple areas of the semiconductor supply chain. For example, it accounts for more than 80 per cent of electronic design automation software and ion implantation machines, and holds between 60 per cent and 70 per cent of the market for etching tools, according to LeadLeo’s Zhang.

Chinese companies that were newly added to the Entity List have downplayed the impact. Piotech, which produces thin film equipment for semiconductor manufacturing, told Chinese media outlet 21st Century Business Herald that it purchases from multiple suppliers, both domestically and abroad, and that it has some stockpiles.

Chinese companies may be able to circumvent the sanctions by buying from a third country or stockpiling, “but the compliance and legal risks are high”, Anbound’s Chen said.

“The stockpiles are limited, and their export licences generally have expiry dates that may be difficult to renew,” said Chen. “The licence may be revoked if export controls are further escalated.”

Beijing’s counter action came on Tuesday when it banned the export of rare earth minerals – including gallium, germanium and graphite, which are essential chipmaking inputs – to the US. Four state-backed industry bodies in China, covering the internet, semiconductor, automobile and telecoms sectors, have called on their respective members to shun chips from US suppliers.

Zhang said that China may restrict the export of chemicals, such as neodymium, praseodymium and dysprosium, which are widely used in electric vehicles, permanent magnets and wind power generators, if the tech war escalates.

Chen said Beijing may also restrict the businesses of certain American companies operating in China by putting them on the “Unreliable Entity List”, and tighten safety reviews of US tech companies.

Last year, China restricted US memory chipmaker Micron Technology from selling certain products to the country’s critical information infrastructure operators after it failed to pass a cybersecurity review, a move seen as retaliation for Washington’s tightened restrictions on chip exports to China designed to prevent US core technology from being used by the Chinese military.

Another Hainan ‘tiger’ tangled in a Chinese corruption investigation

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3289736/another-hainan-tiger-tangled-chinese-corruption-investigation?utm_source=rss_feed

The southern Chinese island of Hainan – promoted by Beijing as the country’s next free-trade port – has been hit by another corruption scandal, with the Communist Party boss of the provincial capital the target of a disciplinary investigation.

Luo Zengbin, 57, party secretary of Haikou and a member of Hainan’s provincial party standing committee, was “suspected of serious violations of discipline and law” – a euphemism for corruption, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), said on Friday.

Luo is the 54th “tiger”, or senior official, to come under investigation by China’s top anti-corruption body this year, a total that already surpasses last year’s tally of 45 tigers.

Before becoming Haikou’s party secretary in January 2022, Luo, a Sichuan native, spent most of his political career in his home province, where he served from 2021 to 2022 as party chief of Mianyang, home to many of China’s top nuclear and military technology research institutions.

His most recent public appearance was on November 22, when he headed a team to inspect private companies, encouraging them to continue to invest in Haikou. Luo’s disappearance from public view had set off speculation in the top levels of Haikou and Hainan province.

While Beijing has laid out a grand development plan for Hainan, hoping to turn the 35,000 sq km (13,514 square miles) island into the world’s largest free-trade port, the province has been hit by a string of corruption scandals.

Luo is the fourth prominent official to be brought down this year in a series of crackdowns that have shaken the top levels of power in Hainan, beginning with the detention of the province’s former security chief Liu Xingtai in May.

In July, former Hainan party secretary Luo Baoming, a prominent senior official who held various top positions in Hainan for nearly two decades, turned himself in to the disciplinary authorities.

Three months later, the CCDI remanded Chen Xiaobo, who was serving as the deputy disciplinary chief of Hainan. Chen was removed from his party job a month later.

Several top Haikou officials have faced inquiries in recent years, including former deputy mayor Ju Lei, who came under investigation in January.

Two of Luo Zengbin’s predecessors were also punished for taking large bribes.

Zhang Qi, Haikou’s party boss from 2016 to 2019, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2020 for taking more than 100 million yuan (US$13.78 million) in bribes, while Wang Fuyu, who held the position from 2002 to 2004, was given a two-year suspended death sentence in January 2022 for taking 434 million yuan in bribes.

Both Zhang and Wang accepted bribes from property developers when they held key positions in Hainan, which allowed them to approve major land sales.

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Maritime threats high on agenda as Chinese navy hosts Gulf of Guinea security forum

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3289617/maritime-threats-high-agenda-chinese-navy-hosts-gulf-guinea-security-forum?utm_source=rss_feed

China wrapped up a two-day forum on the security situation in the Gulf of Guinea on Thursday as it tries to boost its military presence in Africa, which analysts say would allow Beijing to “project power further west”.

The Chinese navy hosted the seminar in Shanghai, attended by the maritime armed forces of 18 countries from the Gulf of Guinea, including Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Ivory Coast and Nigeria, according to a defence ministry statement.

It said the marine environment and regional security would be on the agenda along with China-Africa maritime security cooperation.

The forum aimed to “deepen China-Africa friendly cooperation and make new and greater contributions to jointly responding to maritime security threats and challenges and jointly safeguarding regional peace and stability”, according to official military newspaper PLA Daily.

In a keynote speech on Wednesday, Chinese navy commander Admiral Hu Zhongming said the Gulf of Guinea’s security and stability was of “great significance to the countries in the region, Africa as a whole, and even the world”.

“The Chinese navy is willing to work with friends in the Gulf of Guinea to contribute wisdom and strength to promote greater peace, security, stability and prosperity in the Gulf of Guinea,” Hu said, according to the ministry statement.

It was the second such forum since 2022 and the first held in person.

The ministry said security cooperation issues and measures to “jointly deal with maritime threats and challenges such as piracy, smuggling, and illegal fishing” were discussed during an interactive session.

The event also included visits to Chinese navy warships the Type 052D guided missile destroyer Zibo and the Luan guided missile frigate as well as Naval Medical University.

Liselotte Odgaard, a senior fellow at Washington-based think tank the Hudson Institute, said kidnap and ransom issues in the region were likely to have been prominent at the forum.

“Piracy is a growing problem. This also affects Chinese vessels, since China is a large exporter of goods to West Africa and also imports raw materials from the region such as crude oil, and hence many Chinese commercial vessels pass through the area,” Odgaard said.

“This involves kidnapping of Chinese crew members and the destruction of equipment.”

Ilaria Carrozza, a senior researcher at the Peace Research Institute Oslo, agreed that growing concern over piracy and maritime security – which directly affects global resource supply chains – was likely to have been a key agenda item.

“This region is crucial due to its oil exports and as a trade route. China’s involvement, including potential military bases like the one proposed in Equatorial Guinea, could influence regional stability,” Carrozza said.

“China has actively participated in counter-piracy operations and invested in local infrastructure, which might improve maritime safety. However, the presence of a foreign military power could also lead to geopolitical tensions that disrupt cooperative security arrangements.”

The forum was held as China has been seeking to increase its military cooperation with African countries.

The security situation in the Gulf of Guinea was also discussed during an academic seminar at the Naval Command College in Nanjing, Jiangsu province last month, attended by Chinese and foreign students from 11 African nations.

In September, President Xi Jinping pledged 1 billion yuan (US$137.2 million) in military aid and training for 6,000 military personnel and 1,000 police officers in African nations, during a speech at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit.

In December 2021, The Wall Street Journal reported that China was planning to build a naval base in Equatorial Guinea, where China has rebuilt and extended a commercial port, citing classified American intelligence reports and unnamed US officials.

Carrozza said the Gulf of Guinea offered a “gateway to the Atlantic and proximity to vital oil resources and trade routes”, and China’s proposed military base in Equatorial Guinea would “allow it to project power further west, supporting its global ambitions”.

“China’s interest in the region partly stems from its need to secure sea lanes and address piracy, which threatens its trade and investments in West Africa,” she said.

Odgaard said China “uses lack of safety as a reason to get more involved in maintaining security in other countries”, including establishing police forces and building military bases.

“China has a military base in Djibouti, which has been another African piracy hotspot, so it makes sense to have a similar arrangement in West Africa,” Odgaard said.

“In Gabon, Chinese navy ships have already been docking, and since China is Gabon’s main trading partner it makes sense to establish a navy base in this country. This would allow China to play a larger role in countering piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and it would also allow it direct access to the Atlantic Ocean.”

Odgaard added that China’s military engagement in the Gulf of Guinea was a major concern for the US as it “allows China’s military to approach the US from both the Pacific and the Atlantic side”.

“In general, China has invested in global strategic port infrastructure across the globe, which gives it a presence that can be used both for commercial and military purposes,” Odgaard said.

“The US has responded to China’s presence by attempting to expand its own presence, acquiring access to ports around the world.”

South Korea’s martial law, US blasts China’s export ban on key minerals: 7 highlights

https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3289416/south-koreas-martial-law-us-blasts-chinas-export-ban-key-minerals-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed

We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider .

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol’s government lifted the martial law he imposed during a tense night of political drama in which troops surrounded parliament and lawmakers voted to reject military rule. Yoon said his government withdrew military personnel following a bipartisan parliamentary vote that rejected martial law, and the measure was formally lifted during a cabinet meeting.

Manila should strengthen coordination with Southeast Asian nations on its policy towards China, a retired Philippine naval officer said on Monday, as engagement with Washington alone risks potential stronger resistance by Beijing over the contested South China Sea.

A 63-year-old hiker has died in Hong Kong hours after he and three others were attacked by stinging insects in the Tai Po countryside. The four hikers – two men and two women – were exploring Pat Sin Leng along the Wilson Trail at about 4pm when they were attacked by the flying insects.

Taiwanese romance novelist Chiung Yao has died at the age of 86. She committed suicide in her home in Tamsui, New Taipei City, on December 4, Taiwanese media reported.

Washington condemned Beijing’s new export restrictions on key dual-use materials – gallium, germanium and graphite – which are vital for military and civilian technologies, and pledged to take “necessary steps” to prevent further “coercive” measures.

A Scottish DJ has said she was sexually harassed by audience members during her performance at Hong Kong’s Clockenflap music festival, accusing security staff of failing to intervene despite complaints. Simone Murphy, better known as Sim0ne, said a group of men at the front of the crowd were making obscene hand gestures throughout her set.

Public outrage erupted in both Japan and China after a group of mainland Chinese tourists was found to have transformed an Osaka guest house into a “junkyard” following a three-day stay.

China-Japan cooperation should be ‘priority’ as regional uncertainties loom, experts say

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3289634/china-japan-cooperation-should-be-priority-regional-uncertainties-loom-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed

The Korean peninsula could emerge as a promising avenue for Sino-Japanese security cooperation as China and Japan share similar regional goals, diplomats and international relations experts said at the annual Beijing-Tokyo Forum held this week in the Japanese capital.

Gui Yongtao, an associate dean at Peking University’s School of International Studies, told the forum that China and Japan “share the same position” on promoting peace, stability and denuclearisation on the peninsula.

“China and Japan should enhance exchanges with each other, including trilateral exchanges between China, Japan and South Korea so that the peninsula can be more stable,” he said.

“As tensions are escalating on the peninsula, we should give priority to the first goal – peace and stability – and all parties should be urged to reduce tensions by all means.”

Retired Japanese admiral Katsutoshi Kawano said that Tokyo and Beijing face more uncertainties as a Russia-North Korea alliance takes shape.

“Taiwan and the Senkaku Islands issues are still [tense] between China and Japan at this point,” he said, referring to a group of disputed islands known as the Diaoyus in China.

“However, there is still room for cooperation between Japan and China on the Korean peninsula, and we’d better pursue cooperation on this issue.”

“Security guarantees in northeast Asia are now at stake … There are concerns like sending troops from North Korea to Ukraine, and Russia in return sending technology to North Korea … For Japan, this is a very serious crisis,” he said, adding that it was also an important issue for China.

Yoshihide Soeya, professor emeritus at Keio University in Tokyo, said Donald Trump’s return to the White House has heightened the urgency for China and Japan to work together on the Korean peninsula.

The US president-elect might act with his political legacy in mind, rather than regional peace, Soeya cautioned.

Trump became the first sitting US president to visit North Korea and met leader Kim Jong-un in person in 2019. The encounter lasted about one minute, after which Trump stepped back across the border into South Korea.

Reuters reported last month that Trump was discussing pursuing direct talks with Kim.

“I think it is possible for Japan and China to discuss ways to respond to the Trump administration’s attitude, which is completely unpredictable,” Soeya said.

Kawano, the retired admiral, also warned that the current political unrest in Seoul, which was triggered by South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol’s surprise martial law declaration on Tuesday, would also fuel uncertainties about the US alliance with Japan and South Korea, potentially impacting regional stability.

Previously strained ties between Tokyo and Seoul have warmed during Yoon’s presidency, which along with the US, announced a trilateral security pact as US President Joe Biden pushed to unite American allies in the Indo-Pacific.

Yoon’s rapid political decline, prompted after he briefly imposed martial law, “seems inevitable”, Kawano said.

“It will also lead to the destabilisation of the security framework between Japan, the United States and South Korea, which was established to suppress North Korea,” he predicted, adding that the country’s main opposition Minjoo Party may not adopt the current administration’s tough stance on Pyongyang.

After the parliament overturned Yoon’s bid for martial law he is now facing impeachment led by the opposition, but his governing party has refused to join the motion.

Zhang Tuosheng, chief research fellow at the Chinese think tank Grandview Institution, said China will not join the Russia-North Korea alliance despite current geopolitical tensions, but it will strengthen partnerships with the countries under “pressure from the United States and its allies”.

“China’s policy is for partnership, not alliance. We will never join the Russian-North Korean military alliance, and we are not in favour of a military alliance approach to solving regional security problems.

“[However] China, North Korea and Russia share some common interests, and we both face enormous pressure from the US and its allies, and we both support the development of multi-polarisation … so, we need to maintain and strengthen the partnership with North Korea and Russia,” he said.

Zhang also warned that northeast Asia had shifted from being “communication-dominated to a confrontation-dominated”.

“The region has seen the beginnings of a ‘triangle confrontation’ between ‘north and south’, which is China, Russia and North Korea competing with the US, Japan and South Korea,” he said.

Cui Tiankai, a former Chinese ambassador to the US, told a panel that “China and Japan must work together to protect global and regional peace and safety”.

“If China and Japan can cooperate [peacefully], it will be an important consensus for the world and the [Asian] region, and both of us can benefit from the establishment of a more peaceful and stable world and region.”

Jia Qingguo, a former head of Peking University’s School of International Studies, urged Tokyo to respect Chinese sovereignty and territory, saying China has “three red lines” – Taiwan “cannot be independent, cannot be occupied by foreign forces, and cannot develop weapons of mass destruction”.

Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary. Japan, like most countries, including the US, does not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, though it opposes any attempt to take the self-governed island by force. Washington is committed to arming Taipei for its defence.

Beijing has been wary of Tokyo’s growing ties with the island. In 2021, after stepping down as leader, former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe said that “a Taiwan contingency is a contingency for Japan”.

Last month, during a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru, Xi urged Ishiba to “face history squarely, be forward-looking, and properly handle historical, Taiwan-related, and other major issues”.

Rui Matsukawa, a member of the House of Councillors representing the right-wing Liberal Democratic Party, said Japan will “inevitably be drawn into the Taiwan issue” due to its proximity to Taiwan, and the Taiwan Strait’s vital role in Japanese access to resources and energy.

“It is a matter of life and death for Japan that shipping lanes, including the Taiwan Strait, are not blocked,” he said.

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Chinese ‘fairy sister’ student in Taiwan delegation celebrated for ‘pure beauty’

https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3289048/chinese-fairy-sister-student-taiwan-delegation-celebrated-pure-beauty?utm_source=rss_feed

A student from a mainland Chinese university delegation visiting Taiwan has been celebrated by local media as a “fairy sister” due to her “pure beauty” and captivating smile.

The delegation was invited by the Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation to enhance communication between youth on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and promote friendship and exchanges between mainland and Taiwanese athletes.

Peng Yihang, a second-year student majoring in Chinese language at the prestigious Tsinghua University, was among 40 students from the mainland who visited the island at the end of November, according to news portal hxnews.com.

The students, representing seven esteemed mainland universities, toured various universities and high schools in Taiwan during their nine-day stay.

At around 20 years old, Peng has been affectionately dubbed Tsinghua’s “school flower”, a term used in China to refer to the most beautiful girl in a school.

In addition to her charming looks, Peng excels in ballet and has hosted numerous gala events at her university. She has also taken part in stage plays.

Since childhood, Peng has been a well-rounded student, graduating from the High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China, one of the most elite secondary schools in the country.

This trip marked her first visit to Taiwan, where she found the locals to be both friendly and welcoming.

“Yesterday, we visited Zhongshan Girls High School [in Taipei], and they made us feel warm and happy,” she remarked. “Today, students from National Chengchi University recommended many local specialities, such as pineapple cake, small steamed buns, and mashu (a type of glutinous rice cake).”

Peng also expressed her admiration for the Lin An Tai Historical House and Museum, noting how well traditional Chinese culture is preserved in Taiwan.

“The students at Chengchi University are incredibly kind. They even offered to help us order food deliveries, concerned that we might find it inconvenient to do it ourselves,” Peng commented.

She extended an invitation to Taiwanese students to visit the mainland, particularly Tsinghua University.

“I would love to treat you to delicious food. Tsinghua has 22 canteens, and I haven’t been to all of them yet. When you come to Tsinghua, I can take you to try the different canteens,” said Peng.

The term “fairy” is commonly used in Chinese media to describe women who embody an ethereal and pure beauty, often characterised by qualities such as grace, charm, and a youthful appearance.

The most famous “fairy sister” is Chinese-American actress Liu Yifei, known internationally for her role as the titular character in Disney’s live-action film Mulan.

Other notable members of the delegation included six-time Olympic table tennis champion Ma Long, and Yang Qian, a Tsinghua student who won two gold medals in shooting at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Paraguay kicks out a visiting Chinese envoy for urging its lawmakers to turn their backs on Taiwan

https://apnews.com/article/paraguay-china-diplomatic-ties-taiwan-trade-784b083353b331bf9274a4666066beb4

2024-12-05T17:28:02Z

ASUNCIÓN, Paraguay (AP) — Paraguay on Thursday kicked out a Chinese envoy for allegedly interfering in its domestic affairs and urging the South American nation to break off ties and long friendship with Taiwan. The Chinese diplomat was given 24 hours to leave the country.

In a curt statement, Paraguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had revoked the visa of Xu Wei, a senior Chinese envoy to Latin America who was in Paraguay for an annual UNESCO meeting, declaring him persona non grata “over interference in internal affairs.”

The day before, Xu skipped the UNESCO session and instead turned up at Congress in Paraguay’s capital of Asunción, where he caused a diplomatic stir by calling on Paraguay to ditch Taiwan, the self-governing democratic island of 23 million people that China claims as its territory.

Paraguay is the only nation in South America and one of just 12 worldwide that recognizes Taiwan as a country. The Paraguayan government has stayed firm in its commitment — even as Beijing ramps up its lobbying of foreign counterparts to stop recognizing the island.

In recent years, four countries in Latin America — Honduras, Panama, the Dominican Republic and El Salvador — cut ties with Taiwan in favor of Beijing, whose one-China principle forces countries to choose between having full diplomatic relations with China or Taiwan.

From the halls of the futuristic Congress building in Asunción that Taiwan helped fund, Xu stressed Beijing’s interest in establishing relations with Paraguay, but said the onus was on officials in Paraguay to make the first move.

“It is either China or Taiwan,” he said. “I recommend that the government of Paraguay make a correct decision as soon as possible.”

Addressing lawmakers, Xu dangled the prospect of expanded trade with Beijing among “thousands of other advantages.” Some members of the Paraguayan Congress, citing farmers’ struggles to export soybeans and beef to China, have argued that the nation stands to benefit from a diplomatic flip in the long run.

China’s trade with South America has grown exponentially in recent years, reaching nearly $500 billion as of 2023, according to data from the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.

On Wednesday, the Taiwanese Embassy in Paraguay lashed out at China on social media platform X, calling Xu an “infiltrator” who seeks “to undermine the firm friendship between Paraguay and Taiwan” that dates back to 1957.

Trump names former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be ambassador to China

https://apnews.com/article/trump-transition-administration-c481302fb42d7b6fc9d90dda23b45258FILE - Former Sen. David Perdue speaks during a gubernatorial Republican primary debate on May 1, 2022, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, Pool, File)

2024-12-06T02:57:08Z

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday he is choosing former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be ambassador to China.

Trump said in a social media post that Perdue, a former CEO, “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China.” Perdue pushed Trump’s debunked lies about electoral fraud during his failed bid for Georgia governor.

Perdue lost his Senate seat to Democrat Jon Ossoff four years ago and ran unsuccessfully in a primary against Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.

Economic tensions will be a big part of the U.S.-China picture for the new administration

Trump has threatened to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China as soon as he takes office as part of his effort to crack down on illegal immigration and drugs. He said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the country from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10% tariff on goods from China, as one of his first executive orders.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington cautioned earlier this week that there will be losers on all sides if there is a trade war.

“China-US economic and trade cooperation is mutually beneficial in nature,” embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu posted on X. “No one will win a trade war or a #tariff war.” He added that China had taken steps in the last year to help stem drug trafficking.

It is unclear whether Trump will actually go through with the threats or if he is using them as a negotiating tactic.

The tariffs, if implemented, could dramatically raise prices for American consumers on everything from gas to automobiles to agricultural products. The U.S. is the largest importer of goods in the world, with Mexico, China and Canada its top three suppliers, according to the most recent U.S. Census data.

Trump also filled out more of his immigration team Thursday, as he promises mass deportations and border crackdowns.

He said he’s nominating former Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott to head U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Scott, a career official, was appointed head of the border agency in January 2020 and enthusiastically embraced then-President Trump’s policies, particularly on building a U.S.-Mexico border wall. He was forced out by the Biden administration.

Trump also said he’d nominate Caleb Vitello as acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the agency that, among other things, arrests migrants in the U.S. illegally. Vitello is a career ICE official with more than 23 years in the agency and most recently has been the assistant director for the office of firearms and tactical programs.

The president-elect named the head of the Border Patrol Union, Brandon Judd, as ambassador to Chile. Judd has been a longtime supporter of Trump’s, appearing with him during his visits to the U.S.-Mexico border, though he notably supported a Senate immigration bill championed by Biden that Trump sank in part because he didn’t want to give Democrats an election-year win on the issue.

COLLEEN LONG Colleen covers the White House for The Associated Press, with a focus on domestic policy including immigration, law enforcement and legal affairs. AAMER MADHANI Aamer Madhani is a White House reporter. twitter mailto

Global firms in China go local as trade, tech flare-ups threaten operations

https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3289543/global-firms-china-go-local-trade-tech-flare-ups-threaten-operations?utm_source=rss_feed

Despite escalating efforts from the United States and its allies to clamp down on trade, international companies with an interest in the still-sizeable Chinese market are adopting a new plan of action to stay engaged while keeping themselves insulated from unexpected geopolitical shocks, analysts said.

The strategy, dubbed “in China for China”, is an integrative process by which foreign businesses design, develop and produce wholly within the country to sell to local clients.

It is becoming one of few viable choices for many multinationals – particularly those in tech and manufacturing – said Xin Qiang, a professor at Fudan University’s Institute of International Studies in Shanghai.

“It is not an option for many to give up the Chinese market. Going forward, many foreign firms will, to some extent, segregate China from their other operations,” he said.

The Dutch firm NXP – a major supplier of semiconductors that counts China as one of its key revenue sources – is the latest business to join this trend, as more US restrictions on tech exports enter into force and Donald Trump’s second term in the White House draws near.

The company is mulling the construction of China-specific chip supply chains as it juggles compliance requirements from Western governments and its commitments to the world’s second-largest economy, according to reports by Bloomberg and others. Andy Micallef, NXP’s executive vice-president, was quoted as saying the company will build a fully local supply chain with customers that want domestic manufacturing capacity.

Analysts said this localisation, already in place for other fields like chemicals, pharmaceuticals and automotives, could be an effective way for tech-focused foreign firms to restructure their business – but also carries limitations.

“This strategy is to ensure China treats their products as locally made ones and can help Beijing deflect any arguments that China manufacturing is for export to the US,” said James Zimmerman, former chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China and a current partner at international law firm Loeb & Loeb in Beijing.

“If companies in China have a choice between an American product vs a product made locally or from a friendlier jurisdiction, they may go with the alternative. But if they can’t source locally, they still need to source globally.”

On Monday, the US imposed restrictions on the export to China of 24 types of chipmaking equipment and three categories of software, with a focus on the high-bandwidth memory chips vital for artificial intelligence (AI) applications. The curbs are intended to prevent Beijing from expanding its AI capabilities for military use.

One day later, four Chinese trade associations urged their members to exercise caution when procuring American chips. Whether produced by a Chinese company or a foreign one, the associations encouraged members to favour products manufactured domestically.

Zimmerman warned that US companies could be at a disadvantage compared to Chinese firms or those from a third country that are not bound by the limitations of export bans or sanctions.

“If sanctions don’t apply to competitors like local Chinese firms, they will fill the gap at a loss to American companies and workers,” he said.

Still, few are contemplating leaving China. Despite the intensifying conflict over tech dominance between the two countries, China remains a major market for US firms.

California-based Qualcomm said in its most recent financial report last month that as much as 46 per cent of its revenue came from customers with headquarters in China, its biggest market. This marked an increase from the 37 per cent it reported in 2023. Nvidia, whose chips are helping to power the AI wave, counted on China for 15 per cent of its revenue for the three-month period ending October 29 – and 27 per cent of company revenue for the whole of 2023.

Digitimes Research analyst Jim Chien estimated the proportion of direct imports from the US in China’s total chip imports fell below 3 per cent in 2023. China’s total semiconductor imports in 2024 are tipped to grow 5.2 per cent year on year to US$320 billion, with its chip trade deficit set to rise 3 per cent to US$238 billion.

Although Xin of Fudan University warned such segregation will affect China’s use of the most cutting-edge Western technology, it is still preferable to a total exodus by foreign firms.

“China understands the rising geopolitical challenges facing multinationals and will strive to improve the business environment. This strategy may not be what Beijing wants, but at least those foreign firms that are adopting the strategy are not leaving.”

Chinese wife pushed off Thai cliff by husband says spouse demanding US$4 million for divorce

https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3289188/chinese-wife-pushed-thai-cliff-husband-says-spouse-demanding-us4-million-divorce?utm_source=rss_feed

A woman in China who survived being pushed off a cliff in Thailand by her husband now finds herself trapped in a legal battle with him after the attempted murder five years ago, as he demands 30 million yuan (US$4 million) for a divorce.

The husband, Yu Xiaodong, 38, is seeking compensation for what he describes as his “emotional and youth loss”, while his incarceration in Thailand complicates the Chinese judicial process.

Yu was sentenced to 33 years and four months in prison by a Thai court following a third hearing of the case in June last year.

Wang Nan, 37, also known online as Wang Nuannuan, sustained severe injuries when Yu pushed her from a 34-metre-high cliff at a Thai national park in June 2019.

At the time, Wang, who was pregnant, suffered 17 bone fractures and underwent extensive surgery, requiring over 100 steel pins and 200 stitches. Tragically, she lost her unborn child, and doctors indicated that she might never conceive naturally again.

Despite her traumatic experience, Wang recently revealed that her marriage to her husband remains legally intact, as she has faced numerous challenges in securing a divorce.

During a live-stream, Wang disclosed that Yu is demanding 30 million yuan as compensation for what he claims to be “emotional and youth loss”.

“Yu and his mother argue that the sum is meant to compensate for his mental suffering. His mother even blamed me, saying, ‘If your business hadn’t been so successful, it wouldn’t have tempted my son to make this mistake,’” Wang stated.

In September, Wang announced the birth of her son, conceived through in vitro fertilisation (IVF). However, she noted that her child’s registration must list Yu as the father because they remain legally married.

In an interview with the Post, Zhang Yongquan, a former prosecutor and current partner at Grandall Law Firm, described Wang’s case as a “dead end” and an “unsolvable situation”.

Zhang highlighted significant challenges, such as China’s marital law requiring both parties to appear in court in person and the complications posed by cross-border incarceration on judicial proceedings.

Zhang explained: “Every court session requires the physical presence of the parties involved. If one spouse is incarcerated, it may necessitate a local lawyer or notary visiting the prison for notarisation. The relevant legal documents would then need to be sent to the Chinese court via diplomatic channels.”

“Another option is to utilise online court hearings. However, this approach is controversial. For instance, if a divorce case involves an American and a Chinese citizen, conducting an online court session on US soil could raise concerns about China’s judicial actions infringing upon US judicial sovereignty.”

He added that some judges might visit prisons to conduct hearings, as many prisons are equipped with designated courtrooms.

“However, this method isn’t feasible for foreign prisons due to costs and issues of judicial sovereignty,” he pointed out.

Zhang emphasised that incarceration is recognised as a legitimate reason for a party’s inability to appear in court, indicating that under such circumstances, granting a divorce to Wang would be impossible if her husband’s absence is justified.

Wang’s current legal predicament has sparked significant discussion on Chinese social media.

One commenter remarked: “Asking for compensation after attempting murder? How could someone be so shameless?”

Another echoed: “The kind of parents determines the kind of son they raise.”

A third added: “The law needs reform! Victims shouldn’t suffer further from legal loopholes. If a spouse commits a serious crime like attempted murder, courts should expedite the divorce without requiring the perpetrator’s consent.”

Donald Trump names David Perdue as pick for US ambassador to China

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3289592/donald-trump-names-david-perdue-china-ambassador-pick?utm_source=rss_feed

President-elect Donald Trump has picked former senator David Perdue as his ambassador to China, he announced in social media.

Perdue, 74, served as Republican senator of Georgia between 2015 and 2021. He did not win re-election for the Senate in 2021.

“Tonight, I am announcing that former US senator David Perdue has accepted my appointment as the next United States ambassador to the People’s Republic of China,” Trump said on his social media account.

Trump emphasised Perdue’s “valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China”, citing his “40-year international business career” and work as a US lawmaker.

“He has lived in Singapore and Hong Kong, and worked in Asia and China for much of his career. In the US Senate, he served on the Armed Services Committee, where he was chair of the powerful sea power subcommittee”.

Perdue also served on the foreign relations committee, “the only Republican to serve on both committees”, Trump added.

“He will be instrumental in implementing my strategy to maintain Peace in the region, and a productive working relationship with China’s leaders.”

More to follow...

What does it mean to be a member of China’s Communist Party? | Podcasts

https://www.economist.com/podcasts/2024/12/03/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-member-of-chinas-communist-party

China’s Communist Party boasts more than 99 million members. But quantity doesn’t mean quality—and Xi Jinping has been trying to root out weak members.

Jiehao Chen, The Economist’s China researcher and Drum Tower producer, and Gabriel Crossley, our China correspondent in Beijing, examine what it means to belong to the CCP in today’s China—and how that is changing. Plus, what do America’s China hawks get wrong about the party’s members?

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Inside China’s approach to pro-natalism | Podcasts

https://www.economist.com/podcasts/2024/12/04/inside-chinas-approach-to-pro-natalism

A handpicked article read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. China’s government strictly enforced its one-child policy for decades. Now it is encouraging women to have more children. But despite a wide array of new incentives, this cultural shift is proving difficult.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

China’s ByteDance, Alibaba, Tencent seek fresh talent at ‘Olympics of AI’

https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3289555/chinas-bytedance-alibaba-tencent-seek-fresh-talent-olympics-ai?utm_source=rss_feed

Chinese Big Tech firms ByteDance, Alibaba Group Holding and Tencent Holdings are looking to recruit some of the world’s brightest minds in artificial intelligence (AI) with their enhanced presence at this year’s Annual Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS), often referred to as the “Olympics of AI”.

At NeurIPS to be held in Vancouver, Canada, from December 10 to 15, TikTok parent ByteDance, Alibaba advertising unit Alimama and video-gaming giant Tencent are set to host various events on the sidelines of the conference, according to company notices. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post.

The three companies are currently jostling to entice more skilled recruits to work in mainland China’s fast-growing and highly competitive AI sector.

By 2030, demand in China for professionals skilled in AI product development will reach six million individuals, according to a McKinsey report published last year. For every five new AI jobs in China, there are only two qualified workers available in the market, a 2023 study by career social network site Maimai showed.

ByteDance’s Doubao large language model (LLM) team is organising a dinner, where its technical leaders and researchers will share their insights to invited AI professionals, academics and students. LLM is the technology underpinning generative AI services like ChatGPT.

“ByteDance is increasing its investment in top talent and frontier technology,” the Beijing-based company’s notice said. “Join us, you will be working with the best scientists and engineers to tackle technology challenges.”

An AI study by researchers from ByteDance and China’s Peking University this week received the “Outstanding Paper” award from NeurIPS. More than 50 research works from ByteDance were accepted for this year’s conference.

Alibaba’s Alimama, meanwhile, is organising an AI-related contest at the event, according to a report by local media outlet 36Kr.

In a WeChat post, Tencent said it will host a “Starlit Tech Gala” at a venue that is close to the Vancouver Convention Centre, where NeurIPS will be held. The Shenzhen-based company said the gala will feature a special session with Tencent recruiters.

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Donald Trump’s export controls hurting China could rankle US allies: analysts

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3289580/donald-trumps-export-controls-hurting-china-could-rankle-us-allies-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed

US president-elect Donald Trump is expected to broaden usage of export-control tools including the foreign direct-product rule against China, possibly generating more friction with American allies, economic analysts warned on Thursday.

The incoming Trump administration may want a “much broader decoupling” with China and is “prepared to bear costs” associated with such an act, including potentially greater resistance from allies, an ex-adviser to President Joe Biden told a panel hosted by the Washington-based Peterson Institute for International Economics.

“Trump loves tariffs, but the perception that a second Trump administration is not going to be an active user of sanctions and export controls on China is just flatly wrong,” said Peter Harrell, now with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, another Washington-based think tank.

“The Trump administration, they’re going to expand it when it comes back next month,” he added, referring to the policy practice.

Trump’s return to the White House next month has triggered widespread concern about a more intensive Sino-American trade war. The once and future president has promised to impose tariffs on Beijing from day one of his second term.

His picks for his economic policy team include Jamieson Greer for US trade representative, Scott Bessent for treasury secretary and Howard Lutnick for commerce secretary.

If confirmed, Bessent and Lutnick would oversee the implementation of sanctions and export controls. All have advocated for tougher economic measures against Beijing.

Harrell’s observations came amid the release of a PIIE report finding the US has increasingly used different sanction mechanisms against China tied to export controls.

During his first term from 2017 to 2021, Trump deployed the foreign direct-product rule targeting Huawei Technologies, restricting US and foreign companies from supplying products to the Chinese tech giant if they contained American technology.

And for the first time since taking office in 2021, the Biden administration this week used the rule against 16 Chinese companies considered to be essential to the country’s chipmaking industry.

The administration has ramped up measures intended to slow China’s hi-tech development.

Washington reportedly weighed the move for months following reluctance voiced by its allies.

Japan and Netherlands, which followed America’s move restricting exports of chip manufacturing equipment to China, were exempted from the foreign direct-product rule.

Meanwhile, products containing American technologies made in Israel, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan are subject to US screening.

South Korea, the largest memory-chip supplier to Beijing and another key ally in Washington’s tech strategy against Beijing, is expected to be hit hard by the rule amid its record sale of chips to China.

That is despite Washington’s request for months that Seoul tighten its chip-export controls.

Martin Chorzempa of the PIIE and a report co-author said Washington’s strategy of incorporating allies in its export-control plans against China had produced “mixed success”.

“[The Netherlands and Japan] have often chafed at the US demands to restrict more and more technology that’s actually older and older technology … where they don’t really necessarily buy the US security arguments and especially the trade-offs involved in trying to deprive China of it,” explained Chorzempa.

China promptly responded to Washington’s latest restrictions by banning critical- mineral exports to the US that are key to chipmaking, including gallium, germanium and antimony.

In total, 140 entities associated with China and accused of producing or supplying semiconductor-related components empowering the mainland’s military development were added to Washington’s entity list.

The list singles out entities that the US is restricted from trading with. Washington deems the mainland’s military development a threat to American national security.

The report found that the Biden administration and Trump’s first administration added the same number of 384 Chinese entities to the US entity list. At present 912 entities from the mainland appear on the list.

Both also made use of the “specially designated nationals and blocked persons” list to target Chinese entities alleged to support sanctioned countries including Russia and North Korea as well as those accused of trafficking narcotics.

Trump during his first presidency added 236 Chinese entities to this list, while Biden added 317, according to the report.

The PIIE also found that Huawei was the most targeted Chinese company across different US sanction lists, appearing a total of 149 times together with its subsidiaries.

Experts have warned about the risks of relying increasingly on sanction lists, which sometimes are “vague” as to why certain companies are being targeted. It can also be unclear what an entity must do to come off a list.

In addition, American allies and trading partners could find it difficult to be convinced to comply with the controls if the terms are muddled.

“We should not just kind of automatically take a firm and apply it across all of our sanctions lists,” said Harrell. “I think doing so could result in … a bunch of really unexpected counter-production.”

Some instances of inclusion were also “arbitrary” and lacking a clear basis, added Chorzempa. He citing the case of mainland consumer electronic giant Xiaomi, blacklisted by the first Trump administration over its alleged ties to China’s military.

Scientists turn huge cave in southwest China into lunar research facility

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3289493/scientists-turn-huge-cave-southwest-china-lunar-research-facility?utm_source=rss_feed

Attendees at China’s first international conference on space habitation and exploitation were given a tour of a vast underground cave system that Chinese researchers are hoping to use as a testing ground for living on the moon and Mars.

Xie Gengxin, from the Centre of Space Exploration at Chongqing University in southwestern China, organised the visit to Youyang Base, where large-scale closed cave ecosystem validation research is under way.

The Youyang cave system spans about 3,000 metres (9,840 feet), with the widest section measuring 130 metres (427 feet) and its highest point reaching 108 metres (354 feet).

“Earth’s caves provide an excellent simulation of lunar lava tubes in terms of internal structure, natural environment, and isolation from the external world,” said Xie, in an interview with the South China Morning Post on Wednesday.

Xie and his team first proposed in 2019 that the moon’s hollow, tubelike caves, formed by volcanic activity, might be suitable for human habitation and suggested that the environment could be simulated using natural underground spaces on Earth.

The proposal followed that year’s successful germination of cotton seeds on the moon’s far side, as part of the Chang’e 4 lunar landing mission.

Xie, who was chief designer of the moon surface micro-ecological circle, revealed at the time that cotton, rapeseed, potato, arabidopsis – commonly known as rock cress – as well as yeast and fruit flies, were chosen for the experiment.

Bases on the moon and Mars will be essential components of future deep space exploration, but their extreme environments present significant challenges – including temperature fluctuations, intense radiation and frequent meteorite impacts.

In contrast, the recently discovered lava tubes on the moon can withstand meteorites and radiation, while maintaining relatively stable internal temperatures.

And if the ceilings are thick enough, the tubes could be pressurised to standard atmospheric levels, making them a promising site for future lunar bases, according to the scientists.

To validate the relevant technologies in advance on Earth, Xie and his team of researchers turned to the karst landscapes that are a feature of parts of southwest and southern China.

They explored hundreds of caves across Chongqing, as well as Sichuan, Hunan and Hainan provinces before deciding to focus on caves in Wulong and Youyang for further design work.

“Major research areas include environment simulation, human-machine interactions, controlled ecosystems, and communication and navigation systems. Construction will largely be carried out by robots, with priority given to utilising resources that can be found on the moon,” Xie said.

The team’s plan for an extraterrestrial, cave-based habitat involves three phases, starting with identifying and modifying a suitable lava tube, then establishing a cave farm for plants and livestock, and finally habitat construction.

Robots will complete tasks like sealing and construction in the lava tube modification phase, which includes integrating smart lighting systems that combine natural and photovoltaic light for illumination and energy support.

According to the researchers, a production area will be reserved in the planned moon base layout, where lunar regolith will be transformed from loose dust and broken rocks into building materials or planting medium.

Once the initial modifications are complete, a cave farm will be established. It will be divided into three key areas, with the farming zone focusing on plant cultivation and animal incubation.

An equipment area will incorporate local resources and human waste to establish resource cycles, converting some organic matter into nutrient solutions. Finally, a backyard will serve as a transitional space for plants adapted to lowlight conditions.

The habitat construction phase will focus on optimising energy systems and residential areas to ensure the long-term survival of humans.

An energy system will use solar power and thermoelectric generation from the moon’s surface to generate electricity, providing stable power supply for system operations, heating, and environmental regulation.

The residential area will balance comfort and functionality, providing living, exercise, and research spaces for the crew, according to the researchers.

“As deep space exploration advances rapidly, using lunar and Martian caves to build habitats will become a crucial starting point for humanity’s exploration of the cosmos and expansion of living space, ushering in a new era of extraterrestrial civilisation,” Xie said.

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