• GOP lawmakers grill CDC director on China’s respiratory virus spike
• E-CNY: HSBC, Standard Chartered jump on China’s digital currency bandwagon, joining pilot programme
• China’s Xi Jinping focuses on tech innovation, supply chains during first Shanghai visit in 3 years
• ‘There won’t be another Kissinger’: how veteran statesman’s death marks end of era for US-China relations
• EU set to push Xi Jinping to stop Chinese firms getting around sanctions on Russia
• More Chinese investors look abroad to park cash as Beijing seen ‘softening’ on capital flows
• China indicts 52 per cent more cyber scammers than last year as country cracks down on fraud rings
• China confirms it is working with US to restore military communication channels based on Xi-Biden agreement
• Henry Kissinger: China pays tribute to ‘old friend’ as Putin hails ‘wise statesman’ following death of diplomat – latest updates
• Mainland China and Hong Kong condemn US committee over bill that could lead to shutdown of city’s representative offices in country
• China kindergarten girl, 6, expelled over dish-washing ordeal after father accuses teacher of being ‘malicious’
• China says Canada is distorting facts over jailing of ‘Two Michaels’
• China, Turkmenistan vow to strengthen cooperation on energy and security
• China launches high-orbit satellite internet that could challenge SpaceX’s Starlink
• Hong Kong museums to open exhibition on China’s space programme featuring rare artefacts such as spacesuit, carrier rockets
• China calls for ceasefire, UN peace conference to end Israel-Gaza conflict
• ‘I have no awards, don’t get mad’: China schoolgirl leaves ‘thoughtful’ note for mother at parent-teacher meeting, wins online support
• China sells quantum chips to Middle East and Western countries in show of growing influence in sector
• Henry Kissinger: giant of diplomacy remembered for ‘unwavering commitment’ to China-US ties
• China pays tribute to Kissinger, ‘old friend of the Chinese people’
• Taiwan president says China has too many problems to invade
• China manufacturing: tech can keep supply chain risks in check, expo panellists say
• Charming, controversial Henry Kissinger steered establishment of US-China ties
• Love cover: China couple sue insurance firm for refusing to honour policy with US$1,400 payout for decision to live happily ever after
• China’s manufacturing activity remains in contraction in November, as economic gloom mounts
• Foreign Minister Wang Yi warns of ‘devouring’ Mideast violence as China convenes high-level UN meeting
• China, US cannot afford depopulating the relationship, American ambassador Nicholas Burns says

GOP lawmakers grill CDC director on China’s respiratory virus spike

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2023/11/30/cdc-china-respiratory-virus/2023-11-30T17:21:17.983Z

In her first appearance before Congress as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mandy Cohen faced a barrage of questions Thursday from Republicans about a new spike in respiratory illness in China and whether the agency had erred in its early recommendations to contain covid.

The hearing represented one of Cohen’s first public opportunities to restore trust in the agency that became a punching bag for Republicans who opposed school closures, vaccine mandates and masking requirements in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Cohen’s appearance came as clusters of pneumonia in Chinese children emerge as the latest public health issue enmeshed in geopolitical conflict.

GOP lawmakers cast the rising viral activity as suspicious and reminiscent of the early days of the pandemic. But Cohen joined other public health experts in describing the situation as the usual fluctuations of any respiratory virus season.

“We do not believe this is a new or novel pathogen,” Cohen testified before the House panel that oversees the CDC.

She said the increase was driven by familiar threats: covid, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and mycoplasma, a bacterium that can infect the lungs.

Experts say what’s happening in China could be the result of children susceptible to pathogens they were not exposed to while social distancing to avoid covid. It was a trend observed around the world, including in the United States last year amid an unusual RSV surge. China finally eased its strict covid restrictions starting December 2022, long after other countries did so.

“You have three years worth of those individuals as kindling for these respiratory viruses,” said Amesh Adalja, an infectious diseases specialist and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. “It makes biological sense, and it’s not surprising given many countries in the world experienced this last year.”

Authorities from China’s National Health Commission in November attributed the rise in respiratory illnesses to known pathogens and the lifting of coronavirus restrictions.

Republican members of Congress said assurances from the Chinese government should not be trusted, especially after Chinese officials had shared little information about the emerging coronavirus threat from Wuhan.

“It brings us back, sadly, to the early days of covid-19,” said Rep. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (R-Wash.), chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee that oversees the CDC. “The lack of reliable information coming out of China is a troubling parallel to 2020.”

But public health experts who have been critical of China’s opaque response to covid say they do not see such a parallel.

“Both things can be true: China can be deceptive, China can be very opaque and China can withhold lots of information, but it also could be this outbreak is ordinary,” Adalja said.

Cohen told the panel that CDC staff who work in China have reported there’s no novel pathogen at play. She said this was corroborated by “other sources from our European Union partners and others to make sure that we are getting a complete picture.” CDC spokespeople did not immediately elaborate on what sort of corroborating information Cohen was referring to.

The World Health Organization says it has asked China to share more epidemiological and clinical information about the clusters of pneumonia in children. Lawmakers who distrust the WHO after its dealings with China during covid called on the Biden administration to do more.

“We are hoping that you can put some pressure in an attempt to try to get China to not mislead the world as they did with covid-19,” Rep. H. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.), chairman of the subcommittee on oversight and investigations that conducted the hearing, told Cohen.

Yanzhong Huang, senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations, said there’s no evidence so far to suggest the Chinese government’s explanation for the latest respiratory virus uptick lacks credibility. But he says concerns about health information sharing after covid remain valid, noting agreements that came out of the recent meeting between President Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping did not include public health.

“The problem remains there, so we cannot just categorically take wholesale what the government says,” Huang said. “There’s no serious dialogue between the two governments on how they should be cooperating with each other.”

As the U.S. experiences its own rise in respiratory viruses, Cohen said the agency projects a similar level of hospitalizations as last season. She said RSV is nearing its peak, but flu season is just starting in most of the country and covid continues to be the primary driver of hospitalizations for respiratory illness with 15,000 admissions a week.

The hearing was largely cordial, though Cohen also fielded sharp questions from Republicans attempting to get her to say the CDC erred in its prior guidelines for masking and covid protections in schools. She did not budge, noting public health officials operated with less information and without vaccines in the early stages of the pandemic.

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E-CNY: HSBC, Standard Chartered jump on China’s digital currency bandwagon, joining pilot programme

https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3243378/e-cny-hsbc-standard-chartered-jump-chinas-digital-currency-bandwagon-joining-pilot-programme?utm_source=rss_feed

Four foreign-funded banks including Standard Chartered and HSBC have jumped on China’s central bank digital currency (CBDC) bandwagon, as financial institutions and regulators push to expand the use of the digital currency in domestic and cross-border payments.

The China branches of HSBC, Standard Chartered, Hang Seng Bank and Fubon Bank became the first overseas banks to participate in China’s CBDC pilot, the banks announced separately this week.

They join more than 40 state-owned banks in launching their services on the e-CNY app, developed by the People’s Bank of China (PBOC)’s Digital Currency Research Institute, a research team within the Chinese central bank dedicated to launching the sovereign digital currency, also known as the e-CNY.

Clients of the participating banks will be able to send and receive money using the e-CNY app, make payments both online and offline, and top up digital wallets by connecting them with an existing bank card or mobile banking account.

“As an important infrastructure for the digital economy, the e-CNY will enhance the payment and consumption experience and strengthen the connection between China and the international financial market,” said Jerry Zhang, executive vice-chairman and CEO at Standard Chartered China.

The e-CNY will see wider application in the future in areas such as merchant payments, trade finance and supply chain finance, Zhang said, adding that Standard Chartered will provide its services to retail and corporate customers with the goal of injecting “new momentum into the development of the real economy”.

Hang Seng Bank (China)’s CEO Song Yuesheng said the bank is committed to accelerating the application of the e-CNY in retail scenarios, with the goal of supporting retail service providers and stimulating consumption.

“Compared to large Chinese banks, foreign banks typically have less diversified product lines in China,” said Li Ying, head of financial institution ratings at S&P Global (China) Ratings. “In terms of sophistication of digital banking in China, domestic banks are also ahead of foreign ones.”

Foreign banks have been making efforts to catch up though, she said. “E-CNY is the new frontier of financial innovation in China. By actively participating in the pilot programme, foreign banks have a better chance to increase their relevance in China’s future banking business.”

How China’s digital yuan could work in a dual-currency socialist system

The move to support the digital currency shows the banks’ commitment to the Chinese market and could set the stage for more foreign-funded banks to follow, Li added.

In addition to keeping up with China’s domestic banks, foreign-funded banks have been eyeing opportunities related to the e-HKD, Hong Kong’s local digital currency.

Since May this year, HSBC and Standard Chartered have been taking part in a trial run of the e-HKD spearheaded by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the city’s de facto central bank. The programme aims to explore the digital currency’s potential use in six areas, including offline payments and tokenised deposits. A total of 16 banks and payment companies, including Alipay and Visa, are taking part.

China CBDC progress ‘on track’, finale ‘not very far away’: ex-head of PBOC

Aside from promoting the use of the e-CNY and e-HKD in domestic payments, central bankers are also calling for stronger collaboration to promote the use of digital currencies in cross-border payments.

During the 2023 Shenzhen International Fintech Festival this week, Mu Changchun, the director of PBOC’s Digital Currency Research Institute, said a multilateral “bridge” directly connecting the central banks of different countries could significantly enhance the efficiency of cross-border transactions and reduce costs, compared with existing cross-border payment systems, which involve one or multiple correspondent banks.

The central banker also said CBDCs should promote the healthy development and stability of the global financial system.

China’s Xi Jinping focuses on tech innovation, supply chains during first Shanghai visit in 3 years

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3243416/chinas-xi-jinping-focuses-tech-innovation-supply-chains-during-first-shanghai-visit-3-years?utm_source=rss_feed

Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated his call for technological innovation and developmental security as he visited Shanghai for the first time in three years.

On the third day of his trip to the eastern financial hub, Xi laid down the goals for an integrated Yangtze River Delta region, comprising Shanghai and its neighbouring Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces.

The region must boost innovative capacity, industrial competitiveness and supply chain expansion, and open up further so that it can play a pivotal role in “Chinese-style modernisation”, Xi told local Communist Party officials at a work conference on Thursday.

“[The region] must focus on the areas of science and technology, industry, finance and the major infrastructures, which are related to national and regional security, and strengthen risk prevention … and capacity building, so as to consolidate our foundation for secure development,” Xi said.

The Yangtze Delta, as one of China’s most prosperous areas and a “showcase” for the advantages of its socialist system, must also speed up integration in areas including infrastructure, industrial development, economic opening up, environmental protection and supply chain expansion, so that it could “become a driver of development for the whole country”, he added.

“It is necessary to steadily expand the systematic opening up of the financial sector, enhance the facilitation of cross-border investment and financing, strengthen the prevention and control of risks in the whole process, and better safeguard the country’s financial security.”

Xi earlier visited the Shanghai Futures Exchange, the Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Exhibition and an affordable housing project over Tuesday and Wednesday, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

Xi has repeatedly stressed technological self-reliance to enhance China’s soft power and “to prevent being strangled by foreign countries”, a reference to the US-led containment of Beijing’s hi-tech ambitions.

During his meeting with US President Joe Biden on November 15, Xi pointed out that the measures taken by the US against China – including export controls, investment reviews and unilateral sanctions – seriously harmed China’s legitimate interests.

“China’s development is driven by innovation, suppressing China’s science and technology is suppressing China’s high-quality development, depriving the Chinese people’s rights to develop,” he said.

The Yangtze River Economic Belt has also been one of Xi’s signature projects. In a speech in October, he instructed officials to develop China’s largest economic zone with an emphasis on not only high-quality and green growth, but also security.

The belt covers seven more provinces in the upper reaches of the river, apart from Shanghai and its three neighbouring provinces.

Firewall: expo panellists talk up tech as China’s supply chain shield

The sprawling belt is China’s biggest economic zone with the highest economic density, according to official figures that show it covers about 21 per cent of the nation’s total land area and more than 40 per cent of the population, while accounting for more than 45 per cent of China’s gross domestic product. It also has nine of China’s 21 pilot free-trade zones.

The three places in Shanghai Xi visited revealed his emphasis on the city’s competitiveness, innovation and ability to provide public support, CCTV said on Thursday.

The futures exchange, founded in 1999, has listed 23 futures products and nine options products, covering metals, energy, chemicals, shipping and other fields. It is one of the three largest non-ferrous metal pricing centres in the world, according to CCTV.

During a visit in 2019, Xi had asked the city to strengthen its role in global resource allocation.

At the sci-tech exhibition, he focused on research and innovation, especially key and core technologies, Xinhua reported.

“He said he hopes basic research can lead to industrial application, and vice versa,” Luo Dajin, director of the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality, told Xinhua.

Gu Jie, founder and CEO of Fourier Intelligence, said Xi was interested in the firm’s humanoid robot and asked whether one could talk to the robot and ask it to complete some tasks.

The affordable accommodation project visited by Xi was in Minhang district’s Maqiao AI hub, home to hundreds of innovative companies. The project strives to house employees from industrial estates in the area, including engineers, city maintenance staff and food delivery drivers.

Xi has repeatedly said, “The cities are built by the people and are for the people”.

In 2019, he said in Shanghai that city planning and remodelling should focus on the needs of the public first.

The work conference regarding development of the Yangtze River Delta on Thursday reflected the president’s resolve to invigorate the mainland’s most affluent region.

According to local government and financial industry officials with knowledge of the matter, a series of market liberalisations to spur regional growth will be rolled out as a result of the meeting.

Meet the shadow agents searching the world in China’s talent war

The conference came on the heels of a Politburo meeting on Monday, when the 24-man decision-making body of China’s ruling Communist Party announced its decision to reinforce the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

At the opening of the China International Import Expo in November 2018, the president declared that integration of the Yangtze River Delta, an area nearly the size of Germany and home to 240 million people, was a national strategy.

Under the strategy, Shanghai and its three neighbouring provinces are required to better connect with each other to create synergy. The goal is to adjust industrial mixes, build highways, ports, railways and bridges, and allocate land resources to chase high-quality growth.

‘There won’t be another Kissinger’: how veteran statesman’s death marks end of era for US-China relations

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3243406/there-wont-be-another-kissinger-how-veteran-statesmans-death-marks-end-era-us-china-relations?utm_source=rss_feed

The death of Henry Kissinger at the age of 100 marks the end of an era in US-China relations at a time of heightened competition and distrust between the two rival superpowers, diplomatic observers have said.

The former US secretary of state’s brand of backchannel diplomacy – characterised by unofficial and informal exchanges – may continue but analysts say the prospect of one individual playing a similar role in future are slim.

He travelled to China over 100 times, including his ground-breaking 1971 secret visit when he was the US national security adviser. That trip paved the way for Richard Nixon’s visit and the historic rapprochement with Mao Zedong, ending decades of isolation and mutual hostility.

Following the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1979, he continued to play an unofficial diplomatic role in stabilising the often turbulent relationship.

This included a visit to salvage relations in November 1989 – months after the bloody Tiananmen Square crackdown on June 4 – under the guise of a “fact-finding mission”, a month after a similar visit by Nixon.

David Arase, resident professor of international politics with the Hopkins-Nanjing Centre for Chinese and American Studies, said Kissinger had acted as a “key go-between or broker that kept two-way communication open and gave wise advice that both sides appreciated”.

Old Anthony Bourdain quote calling Kissinger ‘murderous scumbag’ goes viral on X

He noted that Kissinger had a personal interest in doing so – both in terms of protecting his legacy in restoring diplomatic ties and promoting his consulting business – but said he had also served the public interest in smoothing over rough periods in the relationship between the two countries.

“His death marks the passing of an historical era of Sino-US rapprochement and friendly cooperation that ended cold war China’s international isolation and aided its successful modernisation,” he added.

Alfred Wu, an associate professor at the National University of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, said Kissinger was able to play a unique role as China held him in high regard– even decades after he left office in 1978.

This was evident when Kissinger met President Xi Jinping in Beijing in July this year, while members of the current US administration who were visiting at the same time were denied an audience with the Chinese leader.

During their meeting, Xi told the veteran diplomat: “Chinese people value friendship and we will never forget our old friend and your historic contribution to promoting the development of US-China relations and enhancing the friendship between Chinese and American people.”

He was treated to a lavish lunch at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse featuring 100 longevity peach buns to mark his centenary, less than two months after China’s ambassador to the US Xie Feng had hosted a celebratory birthday dinner for him in New York.

“It is a long-time friendship,” said Wu. “I don’t think anyone could play his role. It’s very hard because the views are so different from both the US and China. I don’t think anyone could claim to be the next Kissinger.”

Charming, controversial Henry Kissinger steered establishment of US-China ties

Zhu Feng, executive dean of the school of international studies at Nanjing University, said Kissinger had been shaped by the historical context of his times, when the two countries have been brought together in the face of a “common enemy” – the Soviet Union – and it was unlikely that a similar figure would emerge in the current climate.

“Will future eras reshape a brilliant diplomat like Kissinger?”, he asked. “If neither China nor the US feels that there is a common enemy that needs to be dealt with together, how could a [new] Kissinger emerge?”

He noted that Kissinger’s influence on Washington’s foreign policy had been on a decline since Bill Clinton’s presidency in the 1990s and his passing would have a limited impact.

But Zhu said the centenarian represented a unique perspective and his voice continued to resonate in the two countries.

Sun Chenghao, a fellow and head of US-EU program at the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University, it was impossible to find an individual identical to Kissinger as he had experienced the whole development of US-China relations.

But it did not mean there would not be another influential figure capable of driving relations.

“It it the era shaping heroes or heroes propelling the era? I think it goes both ways,” he said. “Given the current state of China-US relations, there will undoubtedly be a need for suitable individuals to come forward and promote relations.”

Given the current state of US-China ties, Arase said Kissinger’s death would not have a significant impact on ties because both sides no longer believe that a shared strategic vision of global order – and a strategic partnership to achieve that – is possible.

“Kissinger believed that it was possible but his mentality was shaped by memories of a different era of world history and bilateral relations,” he said.

“There is no one of Kissinger’s stature to fill his shoes, but there are like-minded individuals and organisations that can collectively carry on his legacy of back channel communication.”

The only problem, he went on, was that both countries have “lost faith in strategic compromise and look to solve their problems through competition and assurance of domination”.

EU set to push Xi Jinping to stop Chinese firms getting around sanctions on Russia

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3243420/eu-set-push-xi-jinping-stop-chinese-firms-getting-around-sanctions-russia?utm_source=rss_feed

EU leaders will personally ask Chinese President Xi Jinping to rein in 13 Chinese entities accused of circumventing sanctions on Russia.

They will ask him to put a stop to the practice at a crunch summit in Beijing next week, and his response may determine whether they decide to name and shame the companies in the latest package of sanctions.

The sanctions are designed to stop companies linked to the Russian military from accessing European-made goods, according to several people familiar with the summit preparation.

Chinese firms were initially excluded from the bloc’s 12th package of sanctions, but the names of the companies in question may be added to the list if the EU does not secure a firm commitment to act.

Important member states, including France and Germany, prefer to raise the issue with the very top leadership in Beijing.

There is a sense that decisions are highly centralised in the Chinese political system, and while dialogue continues with Chinese diplomats in Europe, Brussels now wants to take it to a higher level.

EU leaders, including Council and European Commission Presidents Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen, as well as the bloc’s top diplomat Josep Borrell, are preparing to fly to the Chinese capital for two days of talks, on December 7 and 8.

Ambassadors from the 27 member states met in Brussels on Wednesday to discuss summit preparations, and greenlit an orientation note Michel’s team had prepared to gain a mandate for the summit.

Sanctions circumvention was described as the big issue by people in attendance, although ambassadors did not delve into specifics on the Chinese companies in question.

EU stands by Global Gateway advisory roles for firms linked to Beijing

The debate, which lasted 90 minutes, was largely uneventful, with the note highlighting the bloc’s main grievances with China on issues such as trade, climate and geopolitics.

The EU estimates that China is responsible for 70 per cent of the circumvention it sees, with hi-tech products made in Europe ending up on the Ukrainian battlefield via the world’s second largest economy.

In June, after consultations with Chinese Ambassador Fu Cong and representatives from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, Brussels dropped plans to add five Chinese companies to a blacklist as part of its 11th package of sanctions.

The Chinese side said it would work to ensure those businesses stop reselling hi-tech goods made in Europe that are flowing to Russia’s war machine, EU sources said.

EU leaders will be asking Xi for evidence of what China has done to try to curtail the practice, based on the diplomatic commitment made in June.

A second potential deliverable is to get a commitment from China to re-engage with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s peace formula.

Beijing dispatched its special envoy Li Hui to a second meeting of more than 40 countries to discuss the war in Ukraine in Saudi Arabia in August. However, Li skipped the follow-up in Malta, and with a new round of talks planned in the coming weeks, Brussels wants to see China come back to the table.

The leaders will ask China, once again, to use its influence to halt Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, but expectations are running low on this front.

They will also push China on the yawning bilateral trade deficit and perceived unfair trade practices. The commission is currently investigating subsidies in China’s electric vehicle sector and thought to be eyeing probes in other sectors crucial to the green transition.

But few concrete deliverables are expected, and a commitment from Xi on sanctions would be seen as an unlikely coup.

China has railed against the use of unilateral sanctions. In June Fu told the Post “the Chinese government did not commit [to] anything … that’s the bottom line” when asked about cooperation with Brussels on the instruments.

European firms in China will be ‘squeezed out’, EU leader says in de-risking bid

He added: “We understand the concerns of the EU in terms of trying to prevent the circumvention of the sanctions, meaning that some of the items from the European market might be re-exported to Russia and so … according to their view, that needs to be resolved. We’ll see what happens in the future.”

Next week the European leaders will also discuss peace efforts in the Middle East and the issue of Taiwan, where Brussels is braced for possible tensions surrounding the island’s presidential elections in January.

More Chinese investors look abroad to park cash as Beijing seen ‘softening’ on capital flows

https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3243385/more-chinese-investors-look-abroad-park-cash-beijing-seen-softening-capital-flows?utm_source=rss_feed

Chinese investments abroad are expected to surge over the next half-decade as a rising number of companies are going global to explore the market, according to research by HSBC.

Annual flows of outward direct investment, if the current trend persists, could jump by more than 50 per cent, with at least US$1.4 trillion between now and 2028, HSBC Global Research said in a report on Wednesday.

Outward direct investment flows reached US$150 billion in 2022, and China became a net foreign direct investor early this year as the inbound flows dropped, the bank report said.

China was “late to the game” when it amped up overseas investments nearly two decades ago, but now its stock of outward direct investment has already surpassed that of Japan, Germany and the UK, becoming the world’s third-largest after the US and Netherlands, the report said.

Rail routes between China, Europe go off track as freight operators skip Russia

However, its total outward FDI stock – the value of Chinese investors’ equity in, and net loans to, firms abroad – is still small relative to the size of China’s economy at 15.7 per cent. The bank put the total at between US$2.5 trillion and US$3 trillion. China’s 2022 GDP was about US$18 trillion.

The global average for outward FDI stock is about 34 per cent of GDP, and China’s total is about one-third of what comes out of the US, the report added.

“There is, therefore, plenty of room for China’s overseas investment footprint to grow,” it said.

In a more upbeat forecast, if outward investment rises along with China’s per-capita gross domestic product, the bank’s research arm said, those flows could expand at three times their recent annual pace to more than US$400 billion each year.

“Greater certainty surrounds the outlook for Chinese direct investment outflows,” the report said. “These are likely to accelerate in the coming years as they increasingly align with Chinese economic and political development priorities.

“We expect that Chinese companies in the technology, renewable energy and EV sectors, blessed with the government’s green light, are increasingly in the driver’s seat and will actively lead overseas investment.”

China’s outward direct investment peaked in 2016 before slipping under pressure from geopolitics, Covid-19 barriers, and the government’s tightened controls on capital outflows, HSBC said. The government that year also began a “clean-up” of “irrational” investments in foreign real estate, entertainment and hotels, the report said.

It added that Southeast Asia, Latin America and the Middle East – accounting for most participants in China’s Belt and Road Initiative – are likely to see a rise in investment from China, while its investment flows to the US and European Union are expected to shrink due to geopolitical complications.

Another charm offensive from China: closer supply chains, no decoupling

Surging inflows over the next few years would reflect the central government’s focus on improving the economy, said Chen Zhiwu, chair professor of finance at the University of Hong Kong.

“As a tactical move, it’s very clear that [China’s leadership] has accepted a temporary softening in terms of capital inflows and capital outflows as a way to put a stop to economic problems,” Chen said.

In the Middle East, HSBC noted, nations’ plans to diversify economies away from oil present a large market for Chinese companies. Energy and infrastructure projects will continue to be the backbone of China’s investment there. Chinese bellwether telecom infrastructure firm Huawei has “made headway” in expanding the Middle East’s 5G networks, the bank added.

The 10-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) was the top recipient of China’s outbound direct investment flows last year after 15 years of growth, HSBC said. Experience there, it said, “shows that trade and investment integration go hand in hand”.

Increased flows in Indonesia reflect China’s “strategy of building a comprehensive supply chain and securing material supplies for its new energy vehicle sector”, and Chinese carmakers’ expansion plans in Thailand may challenge Japan’s dominance in the Thai auto market, HSBC said.

“Going forward, we believe that the demand for metals and minerals is a key determinant in the nature, geography and magnitude of China’s outward direct investment,” it said.

Indonesians, though wary of environmental damage and “social” disruptions, will benefit from Chinese investments in otherwise underdeveloped parts of the huge archipelago, said Paramitaningrum, an international relations lecturer at Bina Nusantara University in Jakarta.

“China will venture to where previous countries won’t go,” Paramitaningrum said. “It can make the areas more developed.”

China indicts 52 per cent more cyber scammers than last year as country cracks down on fraud rings

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3243408/china-indicts-52-cent-more-cyber-scammers-last-year-country-cracks-down-fraud-rings?utm_source=rss_feed

China indicted 34,000 people for cyber fraud in the first 10 months of this year, an increase of 52 per cent compared to the same period last year, as the country vowed to intensify its crackdown on rampant online scammers.

The Supreme People’s Procuratorate said in a statement on Thursday that the number of indictments was expected to increase in the coming months because a large number of suspects had been extradited to China recently.

Following the arrests of several kingpins behind cybercrime syndicates in northern Myanmar in November, mainland media said many suspects had been sent back to China.

A total of 17,000 people were indicted for taking part in overseas cyber syndicates in the first 10 months, up 5.3 per cent compared to the corresponding period last year. Their victims were mostly in mainland China.

Myanmar cybercrime kingpin dead, family handed over to China

China also stepped up its crackdown on human smugglers who help suspects or victims of human trafficking cross the border into neighbouring countries. The country indicted nearly 2,000 people for coordinating human smuggling and another 5,000 for taking people across the border illegally, an increase of 16 and 75 per cent respectively.

Cyber fraud was increasingly dominated by large syndicates, according to the statement.

“Scattered and independent cyber syndicates are becoming fewer and have been replaced by enormous syndicates that operate under the guise of industrial estates or technology parks,” it said.

“These giant syndicates are usually based overseas, and they form enormous and stable fraud networks through control and manage multiple fraud syndicates.”

It cited the example of a criminal enterprise funded by six kingpins that was working under the guise of an alloy and construction material market in northern Myanmar. They “recruited” 18 cyber fraud syndicates to move there and provided food, accommodation and an armed militia to prevent workers from escaping.

The top prosecutor’s office said cyber fraud had given rise to other crimes, from human trafficking and kidnapping to illegal detention.

It also warned that more young people were becoming involved in cybercrime.

In the first 10 months of this year, 20 per cent of those indicted for cyber fraud, providing technological help or covering up such fraud were between 16 and 22 years old.

It said 1 per cent of these suspects were under 18 years old, an increase of 68 per cent from the corresponding period last year.

“Some of the minors were even masterminds of such crimes, meaning these kinds of crimes are penetrating among the underage population,” it said.

For example, one syndicate was led by four minors who recruited 22 other minors from schools and elsewhere and swindled 2.35 million yuan (US$331,460) from 1,700 victims.

The procuratorate also warned that technologies involved in cyber fraud had become cheaper and more available, making it easier for scammers to trick authentication systems through face forgery, hack into mobile phones for banking information and use speech synthesis technology to impersonate family members or banking staff and convince victims to transfer money.

It said elderly people, young people heavily involved in online gaming and housewives eager to find jobs had become prime targets for scammers.

China confirms it is working with US to restore military communication channels based on Xi-Biden agreement

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3243393/china-confirms-it-working-us-restore-military-communication-channels-based-xi-biden-agreement?utm_source=rss_feed

Beijing and Washington are in talks to restore military communication channels following an agreement reached by the leaders of the two countries earlier this month, the Chinese defence ministry said on Thursday.

Senior Colonel Wu Qian, the ministry spokesman, said during a press briefing on Thursday that the defence authorities of the two countries were communicating and coordinating to resume military-to-military communication “on the basis of equality and respect”.

It was the first time the Chinese defence ministry has confirmed it is working with the US to restore military communication channels that had been suspended amid deteriorating ties between the two powers.

US-China defence dialogues restored but unlikely to resolve disputes: analysts

“According to the consensus reached between the two heads of state, the two countries will resume, on the basis of equality and respect, high-level military-to-military communication, the China-US Defence Policy Coordination Talks, and the China-US Military Maritime Consultative Agreement meetings, and conduct telephone conversations between theatre commanders,” Wu said.

“China values the military-to-military relationship with the US. The Chinese military stands ready to work with its US counterpart to … promote a sound and steady China-US military-to-military relationship.”

The statement came two weeks after Chinese President Xi Jinping met US President Joe Biden in San Francisco and agreed to restore multiple military communication channels, some of which Beijing had suspended since August of last year, when then US House speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan.

In a press briefing last month, Wu said “communication requires sincerity and dialogue should have a bottom line” and urged Washington to “earnestly respect China’s core interests”.

Wu said in the Thursday briefing that Xi and Biden discussed and agreed on more than 20 deliverables in various areas, which “pointed the way and drew a blueprint for the sound, steady and sustained growth of China-US relations”.

Wu also said Beijing was willing to cooperate to regulate and strengthen military use and governance of artificial intelligence (AI), calling for the countries to “adopt a prudent and responsible attitude towards the research, development and application of AI technologies in the military field”.

“China is opposed to using AI advantages to undermine the sovereignty of other countries,” Wu said.

“The Chinese side is ready to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with different parties, build consensus on regulating military use of AI [and] avoid the misuse, abuse and malicious use of relevant weapon systems.”

AI has emerged as a key area of competition between the US and China as both powers seek to establish leadership over setting global rules and standards for the technology’s military applications.

During last month’s Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, Xi proposed the Global AI Governance Initiative to promote the “healthy, orderly and safe” development of the technology.

Biden said during the meeting with Xi that AI was a “global challenge” that demanded the joint efforts of the two countries. The two leaders also agreed to restrict the use of artificial intelligence in autonomous weaponry, such as drones, and in the control and deployment of nuclear warheads.

US not ‘trustworthy’, say Taiwanese, but security commitment is solid: survey

However, Wu warned against US military aid and activities near its shores.

Regarding reports that Taiwan plans to purchase six retired US military combat ships and build missile sites, Wu said Taiwan’s government was “relying on the United States and seeking independence” and turning the self-ruled island into a “weapons arsenal”.

“This is pushing Taiwan into the abyss of disaster and will definitely bring huge harm to the Taiwanese people,” Wu said.

“Taiwan’s security depends on the peaceful development of cross-strait relations, and relying on a few US-made weapons is simply unreliable.”

He also said Beijing “firmly opposes” Washington’s interference and support for the Philippines’ resupply mission to the Second Thomas Shoal in the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, warning that “history has proved many times that US intervention will only make the situation worse”.

Henry Kissinger: China pays tribute to ‘old friend’ as Putin hails ‘wise statesman’ following death of diplomat – latest updates

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2023/nov/30/henry-kissinger-dies-tribute-world-leader-diplomat-latest-updates

Mainland China and Hong Kong condemn US committee over bill that could lead to shutdown of city’s representative offices in country

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3243389/beijing-and-hong-kong-condemn-us-committee-backing-bill-could-lead-shutdown-citys-representative?utm_source=rss_feed

Beijing’s Hong Kong foreign ministry arm and the city government have slammed a US congressional committee for approving a bill that could shut down the city’s economic and trade offices in the country, as analysts said it could become law amid pressure caused by the US presidential and congressional elections next year.

The Thursday attack came a day after the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Certification Act, among several pieces of legislation designed to target China, was approved by the United States House Foreign Affairs Committee.

The commissioner’s office of China’s foreign ministry said it “strongly condemned and resolutely opposed the act” and appealed to the US to “step back from the edge of the cliff and stop pushing forward the relevant act.”

The office said the act called for the termination of the privileges held by Hong Kong’s economic and trade offices in the United States and their closure.

It added the move was a clear intervention in Hong Kong and Chinese internal affairs.

The office warned that China would “resolutely” defend its rights.

“We advise the United States to clearly understand the situation, correct its position, and avoid self-inflicted setbacks,” the statement said.

“Do not start any trouble, do not cross the line, use solid action to return to the correct path of promoting mutual trust and cooperation between China and the United States, and give up on oppressing China, as well as oppressing China through Hong Kong.”

The proposed law was among several pieces of legislation designed to target China cleared by the US committee on Wednesday.

If the bill became law, it would require the White House to “remove the extension of certain privileges, exemptions and immunities” given to Hong Kong’s representative offices if it decided that the city no longer had a high degree of autonomy.

The legislation, sponsored by New Jersey Republican congressman Chris Smith, is expected to advance to the full House of Representatives for a vote.

A Senate version of the bill was approved by its foreign relations committee in July, but is still awaiting a vote on the floor.

Top US Treasury official visits Hong Kong in first such trip in years

The Beijing office’s statement was released after the Hong Kong government on Thursday morning condemned the passage of the legislation by the house committee.

“That act is factually wrong,” the statement said. “It aims to achieve political objectives by smearing and attacking the work of the Hong Kong economic and trade offices in the US on promoting mutually beneficial economic and trade relations and cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and the US.

“The HKSAR government strongly condemned such attempts to damage trade relations owing to individual political interests, and sternly urged the US not to violate again the basic norms governing international relations and to stop political smears and attacks … and interfering in Hong Kong matters.”

If both chambers of Congress pass the bill and US president Joe Biden signs it, the American leader would be required to explain to Congress why the city’s offices in the US should retain or lose their diplomatic privileges, which were granted under the Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992.

The policy act came into force before Britain returned Hong Kong to China in 1997 and was intended to preserve American trade and keep privileges the city enjoyed in place after the handover.

The city’s three representative offices in the US – in Washington, New York and San Francisco – would be required to close within 180 days if the president opted for decertification.

Both versions of the bill include a “disapproval resolution” clause that would allow Congress to override the president’s assessment and force the offices to close.

Hong Kong authorities said the three offices had close contact with the US government, businesses, think tanks and various sectors to boost ties between the city and the country in areas such as trade, investment, arts and culture.

US-China war unlikely, but Hong Kong may be ‘kicked around like a football’

Officials added that the offices contributed to the strengthening of cooperation between the city and the US.

The Hong Kong government said the US had enjoyed a trade surplus of US$284.9 billion with Hong Kong over the past 10 years, the largest among its global trading partners, and more than 1,200 American companies had set up businesses in the financial hub.

“If the US insists on undermining the mutually beneficial relations between Hong Kong and the US through the so-called Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Certification Act, it will ultimately harm the interests of the US and its companies,” city authorities said.

The government added the three US offices would continue to promote Hong Kong’s strengths, combat inaccurate reports and clarify misconceptions to help foster good economic relations and cooperation between the city and the US.

Lau Siu-kai, a consultant to Beijing’s semi-official think tank, the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies, said the move was not one that came from the American government, but was the product of “unfriendly actions” by anti-China politicians.

“In the context of a heated anti-China atmosphere on the eve of the US presidential and congressional elections, it is predicted that the American president will be forced to sign it into law,” he added.

But Lau said that there would be little damage done if the bill became law and Hong Kong’s representative offices were closed because other government bodies would be able to take over their work.

He added that diplomatic affairs could also be handled by China’s embassies and consulates in the country.

China kindergarten girl, 6, expelled over dish-washing ordeal after father accuses teacher of being ‘malicious’

https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3242754/china-kindergarten-girl-6-expelled-over-dish-washing-ordeal-after-father-accuses-teacher-being?utm_source=rss_feed

The plight of a six-year-old girl who was ordered to wash dishes at school for three weeks and then expelled after her father complained about the workload has caused an uproar on mainland social media.

On November 22, the girl’s father, surnamed Yu, from Tongliao in Inner Mongolia, northern China, uploaded a video in which he claimed she had been burdened with washing up for her entire class of 25 children for 20 consecutive days.

“In the beginning, she would come home drenched in sweat, saying how tired she was,” Yu told Jiupai News.

“One night, she woke up in the middle of the night and said, ‘Daddy, I don’t want to go to kindergarten anymore. I’m too tired from washing dishes. While other kids were playing, I was left alone to wash the dishes’.”

Yu described his daughter’s teacher as “malicious”.

“The kindergarten’s justification was that they wanted to toughen up my kid,” he said. “They also claimed that she was too ‘lively’ and she would only have a nap when she was tired.”

He said after he raised the issue his daughter became a target of bullies: “After I exposed the incident, the kindergarten started to take revenge on my kid,” he claimed.

Her grandparents discovered she had been expelled from the kindergarten one day when they went to pick her up.

“We were left in the dark, provided no reason or prior notice from the kindergarten,” Yu told Qianliyan Sohu. “To date, the teacher has not faced me or offered any explanation.”

The kindergarten principal said the school would start legal proceedings against the girl’s father for spreading false information and tarnishing the institution’s reputation.

A legal advisor to the kindergarten said it had never engaged in illegal or inappropriate conduct towards children, adding that it retains the right to expel a student if she fails to follow the rules and regulations.

“It is possible that children are asked to assist with carrying trays and tableware, but not only his child,” the legal advisor said. “Children also consider helping the teacher an honourable thing to do.”

On November 23, the local educational authority announced it would investigate, adding that the results of the inquiry would be made public.

The incident has sparked criticism on mainland social media.

“They made her do hard labour and then expelled her. This kindergarten is behaving inhumanely,” said one online observer.

“They never provided a clear explanation for expelling the child, merely citing a violation of the kindergarten’s rules and regulations. What rules and regulations could a six-year-old child have possibly violated?” said another.

“It is the teacher who should be expelled, and the principal should be held accountable. The innocent kid, what did she do wrong?” added a third.

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China says Canada is distorting facts over jailing of ‘Two Michaels’

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3243367/china-says-canada-distorting-facts-over-jailing-two-michaels?utm_source=rss_feed

China has accused Canada of distorting the facts over the jailing of two of its citizens following recent reports that one of the men said he had been arrested after unwittingly passing on intelligence about North Korea.

Michael Spavor, a businessman who had dealings with North Korea, and former diplomat Michael Kovrig were detained in late 2018 following Canada’s arrest of the Huawei Technologies executive Meng Wanzhou on a US warrant.

Michael Spavor claims he was used by Ottawa for intelligence gathering in China

Kovrig and Spavor were freed in September 2021 – hours after Meng was given permission to leave Canada following a plea deal with the US authorities.

The case prompted accusations in Canada and other Western countries that China was engaging in “hostage diplomacy”.

“Chinese judicial authorities handled the case in strict accordance with the law. The false accusation against China of ‘arbitrary detention’ was a complete distortion of facts and blame-shifting,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a regular press conference on Wednesday.

“Stories made up by the Canadian side have been debunked by facts over time. This is the result of Canada’s own doing.”

Wang also said: “We urge the Canadian side to respect facts, deeply reflect upon its mistakes and stop misleading public opinion, and smearing China.”

Earlier this month, Canada’s Globe and Mail newspaper reported that Spavor, a founding member and director of an non-governmental organisation that facilitates cultural, tourist and business exchanges with North Korea, had blamed his fellow prisoner for his detention.

The report said Spavor, who is one of the few Westerners known to have met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, had passed on information about North Korea to Kovrig.

It then said Kovrig had passed the information on to the Canadian government and other Western intelligence agencies in the course of his duties as a diplomat with the Foreign Affairs department’s Global Security Reporting Programme (GSRP).

An unnamed Canadian official who is alleged to have spoken to Kovrig about his relationship with Spavor after the former took leave of absence from the diplomatic service, told the newspaper that the detentions were “completely arbitrary” and not the result of “one person’s actions over another”.

The report, which cited two anonymous sources, said Spavor was seeking millions of dollars in compensation from the Canadian government.

Following the report, Canada’s Global Affairs Department said the detention of the two men was “unjust and unacceptable”. It has consistently denied that the two were spying and has said it cannot comment on the latest reports for privacy reasons.

One month before their release in 2021, Spavor was sentenced to 11 years in prison by the Dandong Intermediate People’s Court in Liaoning province on charges of foreign espionage and the illegal provision of state secrets, while Kovrig’s verdict was never announced. Spavor’s verdict did not mention North Korea.

Earlier this month the Chinese embassy in Canada said the two men had endangered China’s national security, adding: “The recent reports of Canadian media have once again proven that these facts cannot be denied.”

Canada’s ambassador to China resigns in wake of two Michaels’ release

The Chinese nationalist newspaper Global Times has said that Spavor had photographed and filmed Chinese military equipment and illegally provided the content to people outside the country, while Kovrig had collected non-public information relating to China’s national security and written reports about it.

Kerry Buck, a former Canadian diplomat and ambassador to Nato, said the accusations that Kovrig’s reports were a type of espionage were “ridiculous”.

In a post on X, formerly, Twitter, she wrote: “GSRP diplomats write diplomatic reports. As with all diplomatic reports, they are read by people in Ottawa, including [the Canadian security service] … In no world does this make GSRP diplomats ‘spies’.”

China, Turkmenistan vow to strengthen cooperation on energy and security

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3243356/china-turkmenistan-vow-strengthen-cooperation-energy-and-security?utm_source=rss_feed

China and Turkmenistan have pledged to expand strategic cooperation, including on energy and security, as Beijing looks to boost its influence in resource-rich Central Asia.

Speaking in Ashgabat on Wednesday, Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang said bilateral relations took a “significant leap” when Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov visited Beijing in January and ties were elevated to a “comprehensive strategic partnership”.

Ding told a meeting of the China-Turkmenistan Cooperation Committee that the countries had complementary strengths and mutual interests.

EU will not ‘push’ Russia out of Central Asia, says Russian foreign minister

“China is a trusted friend and partner to Turkmenistan,” Ding said.

“Both sides should utilise their complementary strengths, explore the potential for cooperation, and continue to deepen and expand cooperation in key areas,” said Ding, a member of the ruling Communist Party’s powerful Politburo Standing Committee.

He said the two sides should focus on increasing economic, trade and investment cooperation, and continue to deepen cooperation on natural gas.

The vice-premier’s trip to Central Asia – a region where Russia has traditionally held sway – is part of China’s efforts to step up ties with its neighbours in the region. Beijing sees Central Asia as crucial to the country’s energy security as well as the social stability of its western borders, particularly in the Xinjiang region that neighbours Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. It also comes as China is facing geopolitical pressure over Russia’s war in Ukraine and from the US-led alliance in the Indo-Pacific region.

In May, President Xi Jinping hosted the leaders of the five Central Asian countries in Xian at the first China-Central Asia Summit, with Beijing announcing development support worth 26 billion yuan (US$3.7 billion).

At the summit, Xi also pledged to speed up construction of a Central Asian natural gas pipeline. The project – which will source natural gas from Turkmenistan – started in 2014 but has been delayed by price negotiations and the technical difficulties of laying a pipeline system through another three Central Asian nations.

On Wednesday, China and Turkmenistan also agreed to “continue to expand security cooperation, further deepen counterterrorism cooperation and jointly combat the ‘three forces’,” according to a Chinese statement. Beijing often uses “three forces” to refer to terrorism, separatism and religious extremism in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and Central Asia.

Natural gas has been high on the agenda for China in its bilateral ties with Turkmenistan. The world’s second-largest economy – and second most-populous country – is looking to diversify its energy supply chains as it tries to meet ambitious climate change goals and ensure the nation’s energy security.

Turkmenistan – a landlocked former Soviet state – has an estimated 265 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves and is China’s top natural gas supplier. It has pumped 30 per cent of its gas to China through pipelines in the region since 2009.

Wednesday’s meeting in Turkmenistan was the sixth held under the bilateral cooperation commitment, which is co-chaired by vice-premiers of the two countries. The first gathering was in 2010.

Earlier this week, Ding – a close aide of Xi and the top decision maker on climate change policy – also co-chaired a China-Kazakhstan cooperation meeting in Astana.

Ding met top Kazakh leaders including President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and the two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation on everything from trade, energy, transport and logistics to science, culture, environmental protection, tourism and water management.

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China launches high-orbit satellite internet that could challenge SpaceX’s Starlink

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3243351/china-launches-high-orbit-satellite-internet-could-challenge-spacexs-starlink?utm_source=rss_feed

China announced it has completed the initial set-up of its first high-orbit satellite communication network, which is expected to provide swift satellite internet service within its borders and in several belt and road nations.

The Chinese project could be an alternative to SpaceX’s Starlink, according to a Beijing-based communications expert.

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the parent company of the satellite operator, said the network would provide internet service for industries ranging from aviation and navigation to emergency services and energy, state news agency Xinhua reported on Monday.

Chinese scientists move step closer to satellite internet, 6G network

The network includes high-throughput satellites ChinaSat 16, 19 and 26. According to the network operator, the satellites cover China as well as parts of Russia, Southeast Asia, Mongolia, India, and the Indian and Pacific Oceans – encompassing much of the area included in the Belt and Road Initiative, Beijing’s strategy to boost infrastructure links and connectivity across Asia, Africa and Europe.

The total capacity of China’s high-throughput satellites will reportedly exceed 500 Gbps by 2025.

China became the first country to offer smartphones with satellite calling features this summer when tech giant Huawei launched a 5G phone connected to similar high-orbit satellites 36,000km (22,369 miles) away.

Because of their long distance from the ground, high-orbit satellites stay in a comparatively fixed position relative to the device connecting to them, so each one covers a much broader area than low-orbit satellites, said Sun Yaohua, associate professor in information and communication engineering at the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications.

Sun compared China’s high-orbit satellite network with SpaceX’s Starlink, which consists of mass-produced low-orbit satellites, saying the former required far fewer satellites for coverage and had no issues when a connected device switches between satellites, offering higher stability.

The Starlink network was developed by American aerospace company SpaceX to provide high-speed, low-cost internet satellite services. It now has more than 5,000 satellites in low-Earth orbit about 550km away.

“Low-orbit satellites have the advantage of higher communication speeds and low transmission delay, owing to less signal loss over a shorter distance. They’re better positioned for businesses like online HD videos and financial exchanges,” Sun said.

“The low-orbit system also has a more resilient network that is not dependent on a single satellite and can continue to operate if one fails. But if one high-orbit satellite goes down, it will greatly affect the entire network.”

He added the cost of a single low-orbit satellite is much lower, especially as SpaceX can leverage mass satellite production to add to the Starlink constellation.

China makes breakthrough in global race to provide ultra high-speed 6G

“However, the coordination of high- and low-orbit satellites will be a general global trend in the future, with the former for basic coverage and the latter for regional or operational enhancement,” Sun said.

“China’s high-orbit satellite system is relatively more mature. The low-orbit ones are still developing and will surely power up in the future.”

According to Sun, China will need to invest in low-orbit satellite networks to deploy 6G technology and compete with the Starlink satellites in the use of space, as satellite orbits and radio frequencies are “first-come, first served” resources.

“The operation and management of a satellite system is very complex. Experience needs to be gained in actual practice,” Sun said.

“This high-orbit satellite network will not only facilitate Chinese people’s communication in belt and road countries but also provide experience in maintaining and operating a satellite system. It’s important for the future development of China’s satellite internet.”

Hong Kong museums to open exhibition on China’s space programme featuring rare artefacts such as spacesuit, carrier rockets

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3243330/hong-kong-museums-open-exhibition-chinas-space-programme-featuring-rare-artefacts-such-spacesuit?utm_source=rss_feed

Two Hong Kong museums will open a new exhibition on Friday celebrating China’s space programme which will feature rare artefacts such as a spacesuit, carrier rockets and a reentry capsule.

The Hong Kong Science Museum and the Museum of History will showcase the two-part China Manned Space Exhibition, which explores the technical and engineering feats underpinning the country’s space programme and its development over the past three decades.

Speaking at the opening ceremony at the Science Museum on Thursday, Lin Xiqiang, the deputy director general of China’s Manned Space Agency, said he hoped the exhibition would help Hongkongers better understand and take part in spaceflight engineering.

“It is an important milestone for China to climb the peak of science and technology and build a strong country in these areas,” said Lin, who is leading a 17-strong delegation in the city.

“In the new era, China’s manned spaceflight will embark on a new journey and contribute to development in space.”

The two-part showcase will feature more than 25 displays, including a spacecraft return capsule, a spacesuit and models of the Tiangong space station, as well as carrier rockets – launch vehicles which help transport a spacecraft from the Earth into outer space – from the “Long March” series.

Visitors will also be able to explore models of major flight components for future crew-led moon landings, such as new-generation manned spacecraft.

Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki said he hoped the exhibition would inspire young people to become interested in space science and consider a career in the aerospace industry.

“Hong Kong supports the space aspirations of its young people,” he said.

China began its space programme in 1992, kicking off a three-stage plan to gradually increase its capabilities in space exploration and experimentation, and ultimately establish its own manned outpost orbiting the Earth.

Space agency official praises aerospace efforts as astronauts land in Hong Kong

It achieved that milestone last November, when astronauts on the Shenzhou-14 mission – led by Chen Dong, a member of the visiting delegation and head of the astronaut corps – helped complete the construction of the Tiangong space station. The name of the outpost means “sky palace” in English.

Panoramic photos showing the station in its full form for the first time were released on Tuesday, coinciding with the delegation’s visit.

Hong Kong student Vincent Zheng Jun-cheng, 14, who was selected to take part in an an annual camp for aspiring astronauts on the mainland earlier this year, said he felt initiatives such as the exhibition and opportunities to hear from space professionals in person helped stimulate public interest in the sector.

Young Hongkongers over the moon at meeting down-to-earth Chinese astronaut

Members of the visiting delegation, the first one featuring Chinese astronauts since 2012, have had a packed itinerary since arriving in the city on Tuesday. They have attended dialogue sessions with local students and a performance at the Hong Kong Coliseum.

“I was inspired to meet them and hear not just why, but how they became astronauts,” said Zheng, adding that he hoped to become a space science researcher in the future.

The exhibition will open to the public on Friday and run until February 18 next year, with free admission.

China calls for ceasefire, UN peace conference to end Israel-Gaza conflict

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3243328/china-calls-ceasefire-un-peace-conference-end-israel-gaza-conflict?utm_source=rss_feed

China has issued its first formal position paper on the Israel-Gaza war, calling for a comprehensive ceasefire and a UN conference to draw up a road map for the implementation of the two-state solution.

The paper, released at the end of China’s month in the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, also coincided with the United Nations International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on Wednesday.

The day marks November 29, 1947, when the General Assembly adopted the resolution that provided for the establishment of two states in Palestine. It is traditionally used to draw attention to the unresolved question of a Palestinian state.

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to the UN in honour of the day and said China would continue to uphold “justice and righteousness” on the question of Palestine and actively promote peace and dialogue.

He also promised that China would continue to provide humanitarian and development assistance to the Palestinian people.

According to the position paper, titled Resolving the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict, the Security Council should play an “active and constructive role” on the question of Palestine.

China urges UN Security Council to speak as one to end Israel-Gaza conflict

The Security Council should also demand a comprehensive ceasefire and end to the fighting, as well as work for the de-escalation of the conflict and cool down the situation as soon as possible, it said.

The paper also urged the UN body to help restore the two-state solution, based on the 1967 border, which would create a state for the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip alongside Israel, with east Jerusalem as its capital.

In the position paper, China also called for a “broad-based, authoritative and effective” international peace conference, led and organised by the UN “as soon as possible”.

The conference should formulate a concrete timetable and road map for the implementation of the two-state solution and facilitate a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the question of Palestine, it said.

China used its turn in the rotating council presidency to successfully push for the adoption of resolution 2712 on November 15, calling for “urgent and extended” humanitarian corridors throughout Gaza “to save and protect civilian lives”.

Foreign minister Wang Yi arrived in New York on Wednesday to chair a high-level Security Council meeting on the Israel-Gaza war, which he described as “the most pressing issue” facing the council.

Speaking after the meeting, Wang said it was held in response to the strong demands of the international community.

It was also endorsed by Arab and Muslim states in a sideline meeting with senior officials from Qatar, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia, and United Arab Emirates, he said.

What is the Global South and how is Israel-Gaza war shaping its role?

Wang said China’s stance on the war in Gaza was “clear and firm” while “highly aligned” with the Arab and Muslim world.

“We appreciate the temporary truce agreement that Qatar and Egypt facilitated … China will cooperate closely with all sides, encourage a more proactive and effective Security Council, and be more attentive to the calls from the Arab and Muslim countries,” he told his counterparts.

Israel and Hamas agreed on Thursday to extend their truce by at least one more day, minutes before it was due to expire.

The deadliest conflict between Israel and Hamas was sparked when the militant group attacked southern Israel on October 7, killing around 1,200 people and taking some 240 hostages, according to Israel.

Israel’s retaliatory actions in the Gaza Strip have killed more than 14,000 residents and over 100 UN workers, according to the Gaza health ministry.

‘I have no awards, don’t get mad’: China schoolgirl leaves ‘thoughtful’ note for mother at parent-teacher meeting, wins online support

https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3242745/i-have-no-awards-dont-get-mad-china-schoolgirl-leaves-thoughtful-note-mother-parent-teacher-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed

People on social media in China have applauded and encouraged a secondary schoolgirl who left a note for her mother at a parent-teacher meeting asking her not to be angry because she had not won any awards.

A video taken by a teacher shows the girl’s mother sitting at her daughter’s classroom desk during the meeting.

On the desk her daughter had left a note that read: “I have no awards. Don’t get mad” with a smiley face.

The teacher, from central China’s Henan province, posted the video on her Douyin account @Yikuaihongbu on November 22, and it has been viewed more than 4 million times.

Under the video, the teacher said: “Not everyone can win an award. Your mum will be happy as long as you work hard.” She explained that awards were given to students with the best grades in the most recent exams.

She added that the note was evidence of the teenager’s growth and showed her courage in acknowledging her failure and her thoughtfulness in comforting her mother.

Many online observers agreed with the teacher’s comment and praised the girl for her positive and considerate gesture.

“Failing at exams doesn’t mean failing in life. No awards does not mean no path for the future,” said one person on Douyin.

“Her note is more worthwhile than an award,” said another.

“The reason I sent my kid to school was not to push her to succeed. I just wanted her to have more life choices,” a mother commented.

Students in China often face intense academic pressure because education is widely believed to be the only route to success for ordinary people.

The phenomenon of parents pushing their children hard to achieve the best academic results is so prevalent that a phrase, ji wa, or “chicken blood” parenting, was coined to describe it.

The term originated from an unconventional Chinese medical procedure that emerged in the 1950s. It involved injecting individuals with fresh chicken blood as a means of boosting their vitality. Over time, the term has evolved to describe the phenomenon of overzealous and aggressive parenting.

For many online observers, stories that feature encouragement from understanding parents and teachers have become a respite from the pressure of their own stressful lives.

Earlier this month, a father from eastern China’s Shandong province gave a much-applauded school speech praising his son, who he said “will have a bright future despite having bad grades.”

In 2021, a primary school teacher from northeastern China’s Jilin province gave a “most expected little star” award to a boy with mediocre grades, moving the boy, and many people online, to tears.

China sells quantum chips to Middle East and Western countries in show of growing influence in sector

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3243268/china-sells-quantum-chips-middle-east-and-western-countries-show-growing-influence-secotr?utm_source=rss_feed

China’s quantum computing capabilities have made a leap with the first delivery of a domestically developed superconducting quantum chip to an unnamed scientific research institute in the Middle East, according to a state media report.

The sale by SpinQ, a pioneering company based in Shenzhen, comes soon after Chinese quantum chips were sold to the United States and its allies.

It showcases China’s growing influence in the quantum computing sector, underscoring its role in fostering global collaboration within the industry.

Founded in 2018, SpinQ has independently established a superconducting quantum computer R&D centre and a production line for superconducting quantum chips. The chip that was delivered, named QPU, represents a successful venture into standardised mass production of the technology, a key achievement for the industry.

“We are honoured by this collaboration. Delivering the superconducting quantum chip shows our skill and innovation in quantum computing. It also represents our commitment to worldwide collaboration in this field,” founder and chief executive Xiang Jingen said in a report by the state-owned Science and Technology Daily on Tuesday.

Chinese scientists claim record smashing quantum computing breakthrough

The heightened competition in quantum information technologies is reflected in the US Department of Commerce’s inclusion of several Chinese quantum technology enterprises and institutions on its Entity List in November 2021.

This list included entities such as the Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale (HFNL), which developed the world’s first quantum science satellite, Micius, and QuantumCTek Co, Ltd, originating from HFNL and specialising in quantum secure communication products, along with its Shanghai subsidiary.

SpinQ is among the fastest in China’s quantum computing industry to achieve an international market presence. During this trade, the company also engaged in technical exchanges with the buyer.

“This was a mutually beneficial learning process, providing us with invaluable global insights and cutting-edge information,” SpinQ vice-president Zou Hongyan said on the company’s website.

SpinQ has already extended its quantum computing products to five continents with clients across the US, Canada, Australia, Britain, Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Slovenia, Russia, Brazil, Japan and other countries and regions, according to the Science and Technology Daily report.

“From a global perspective, the US leads the quantum information industry, with China ranking high in the second tier. However, the technological development gap is not significantly wide,” Xiang told 21st Century Business Herald in September.

Quantum computing encompasses various physical implementations – including superconducting, semiconductors, ion traps and photonic quantum systems – each with its own advantages and limitations. Superconducting quantum computing, based on superconducting circuits, is the fastest-developing and most industry-ready technology.

Quantum chips, which are akin to the CPU in classical computers, are pivotal to quantum computers. They contain multiple quantum bits (qubits) and use pulse sequences sent by quantum measurement and control systems to perform quantum gate operations between qubits, enabling specific quantum computations.

Producing a standard superconducting quantum chip is difficult because of its complex design, the need to ensure the qubits work consistently and remain stable, and challenges in the materials and technologies used for making and controlling them.

Through independent research and development, SpinQ said it had mastered key technologies – from chip design to complete machine and algorithm applications. Its proprietary chip production line is capable of producing consistent and stable superconducting quantum chips.

Chinese breakthrough a step towards scalable quantum computation: paper

The company has three major production lines: large superconducting quantum computers for industrial scenarios, small quantum computers for educational purposes and a general-purpose quantum cloud platform.

“Looking ahead, SpinQ aims to deepen its internationalisation strategy, driving common prosperity in the global quantum computing industry chain through increased international technical cooperation and exchanges,” Xiang said in the report.

Henry Kissinger: giant of diplomacy remembered for ‘unwavering commitment’ to China-US ties

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3243315/henry-kissinger-giant-diplomacy-remembered-unwavering-commitment-china-us-ties?utm_source=rss_feed

Henry Kissinger will be remembered for his “continued sage advice about China and US-China relations”, says one of the most prominent proponents of US-China engagement.

The former US secretary of state died on Wednesday at the age of 100. Kissinger Associates confirmed the news in a statement, saying he was at his home in Connecticut.

Kissinger, renowned for his historic role in opening China up to the US, was a pivotal figure in shaping US-China relations.

His role as the executive vice-chairman of the National Committee on US-China Relations “demonstrated his unwavering commitment to fostering understanding and cooperation between the two nations”, said Steve Orlins, president of the National Committee on US-China relations.

Orlins fondly recalled Kissinger’s last public appearance at the committee’s annual gala just five weeks ago. “He spoke with great courage and wisdom. The audience was mesmerised and you could hear a pin drop,” Orlins said.

Kissinger’s influence extended beyond his public service. His book On China is considered essential reading for those seeking to understand the complexities of China. “We will miss his willingness to share his wisdom with us and his sage advice,” Orlins said.

Charming, controversial Henry Kissinger steered establishment of US-China ties

Robert Daly, director of the Washington-based Wilson Centre Kissinger Institute on China and the US, referred to Henry Kissinger as “one of the last giants”.

He lauded him as “one of the architects of a relationship that changed the world” and commended his pivotal role in uniting “two nations in the midst of a Cold War”.

“Toward the end of his life, [he] warned that the United States and PRC [China] were in the foothills of a new cold war. He was distressed and alarmed by the arc of the relationship and tireless in his efforts to avoid conflict between the superpowers,” Daly said.

“There is now no one who has his credibility in Beijing and Washington – no one who can shuttle between Beijing and Washington, sit with national leaders and command their attention as Dr Kissinger could.”

Although a controversial figure in Latin America and Southeast Asia, where he was directly involved in wars and coups d’état, Kissinger was a respected adviser to both major political parties in the United States.

Dinners and celebrations in his honour were attended by members of Congress and officials from various administrations. Many presidents, from Richard Nixon to Donald Trump, sought his advice on how to proceed with delicate diplomatic relations with Beijing.

The American diplomat was also highly respected by the Chinese leadership, who would receive him with state honours – even after decades away from the White House.

A gala dinner hosted by the National Committee on US-China Relations in October, for instance, was attended by Xie Feng, the Chinese ambassador to Washington, who read out a letter sent by Chinese President Xi Jinping in celebration of Kissinger’s centenary.

Kissinger was “a trailblazer and icebreaker”, Xi said, extending his “warmest congratulations” for his centenary.

In a brief report on Kissinger’s death on Wednesday, Xinhua news agency reported that he visited China more than 100 times.

China pays tribute to Kissinger, ‘old friend of the Chinese people’

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/11/29/china-henry-kissinger-united-states/2023-11-30T02:19:49.789Z

Chinese state media mourned the death of Henry Kissinger, the 100-year-old who was at the heart of the United States’ rapprochement with China half a century ago and most recently visited China only this summer.

The outpouring of praise and nostalgia for Kissinger was a distinct change in tone for China’s state-run news outlets, noted in recent years for their antipathy toward American administrations as relations have plumbed their lowest depths since the normalization in relations in the 1970s that Kissinger helped bring out.

“Today, this ‘old friend of the Chinese people,’ who had a sharp vision and a thorough understanding of world affairs, has completed his legendary life,” China News said in an obituary published soon after the announcement that Kissinger had died at home in Connecticut on Wednesday night.

China Central Television, the state broadcaster, called Kissinger a “legendary diplomat” and a “living fossil” who had witnessed the development of China-U. S. relationship.

The news quickly became a trending topic on Weibo, the Chinese version of Twitter, with the hashtag of “Kissinger just came to China this year” racking up 56 million views within an hour of the announcement.

Henry Kissinger, who shaped world affairs under two presidents, dies at 100

Kissinger had visited China more than 100 times, most recently in July, as Beijing was seeking to reset relations with Washington — and when Communist Party leaders were nostalgic for the days when the elder statesman was at his most influential.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping — who declined to meet climate change envoy John F. Kerry, who was in Beijing at the same time — told Kissinger that “old friends” like him would never be forgotten.

“The Chinese people never forget their old friends, and Sino-U. S. relations will always be linked with the name of Henry Kissinger,” Xi told Kissinger, both sitting in easy armchairs at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. Noting that Kissinger has just celebrated his 100th birthday and has visited China more than 100 times, Xi said the July visit was of “special significance,” state media reported at the time.

This came after Wang Yi, China’s top diplomat, harked back to the 1970s. “U.S. policy toward China requires the diplomatic wisdom of Kissinger and the political courage of Nixon,” Wang reportedly said.

Kissinger, who served as secretary of state and national security adviser in the Nixon and Ford administrations, was central to the effort to normalize relations between Washington and Beijing in the 1970s.

This began in 1971 when, on a trip to Pakistan, he pretended to be sick so he could shake off the press corps and secretly fly to Beijing, where he met with Premier Zhou Enlai.

The main issue — then and now — was the status of Taiwan, as the United States recognized the nationalist Kuomintang, which had fled to the island after losing the civil war to the Communist Party in 1949, as the sole government of China.

This trip, which Chinese still refer to as the “handshake across the Pacific,” laid the groundwork for President Richard M. Nixon’s historic trip the following year, the first time an American president had visited China since the establishment of the People’s Republic.

It resulted in the “Shanghai Communique,” in which both China and the United States agreed to work toward the full normalization of relations. The United States also acknowledged that “Taiwan is a part of China” and that once this principle was established, neither would do anything to change Taiwan’s quasi-independent status.

It took another seven years — and two more presidents — but the two countries officially recognized each other in 1979, when Jimmy Carter was president.

Since those early days, Kissinger has met with five successive Chinese leaders: Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao and Xi, earning him the moniker “old friend of the Chinese people.”

Taiwan president says China has too many problems to invade

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/30/taiwan-president-tsai-ing-wen-china-problems-invade-xi-jinping

Taiwan’s president has said China is unlikely to attempt an invasion any time soon because it is “overwhelmed” by domestic problems.

Tsai Ing-wen made the remarks in an interview at the New York Times Dealbook Summit.

Beijing considers Taiwan to be a province of China, and has vowed to annex it under what it terms “reunification”. Xi has repeatedly said he hopes for a peaceful takeover, but has not ruled out the use of force. Taiwan’s government and population overwhelmingly reject the prospect of Chinese rule.

Asked about Xi’s hopes for a “peaceful” unification, Tsai on Wednesday said she believed the Chinese leadership was “overwhelmed by its internal challenges”.

“My thought is perhaps this is not a time for them to consider a major invasion of Taiwan … largely because of the economic, financial and political challenges, but also because the international community has made it loud and clear that war is not an option and that peace and stability serves everyone’s interest,” she said.

US intelligence services reportedly believe Xi has instructed China’s People’s Liberation Army to be capable of invasion by 2027, but there is no clear timeline for when such an act might occur. Predictions have ranged from 2023 to 2047 – the latter being the centenary of the People’s Republic of China.

In the meantime the PLA has ratcheted up aggressive military actions towards Taiwan, including daily incursions into its air defence identification zone, and regular live fire drills, often in response to acts that China’s Communist government deems provocative, such as Tsai meeting with US government figures.

Tsai said China was determined to interfere in Taiwan’s January presidential election, and sway it in China’s favour. She said this interference had occurred in some form in every election since 1996 when the first direct presidential elections were held after Taiwan came out of martial law.

“This includes the use of military stress and economic coercion, extensive cognitive warfare campaigns, both tradition and social media platforms, which are not unfamiliar to the people of Taiwan.”

She said the answer was to foster greater unity and trust among different social groups, and counter social discord.

“Taiwan is facing mounting military intimidation, greyzone campaigns, cyber-attacks and information manipulation,” Tsai said.

“In the face of that, Taiwanese people remain calm, and some commentators suggest we may be too calm. But the fact is Taiwanese people remain clear-eyed about the situation.”

Tsai will step down as president after the election in January, having served the maximum two terms. Her time as president saw worsening cross-strait tensions with China, as Xi Jinping ramped up military aggression towards Taiwan. Beijing cut ties with Tsai’s government upon her election, as it considers her Democratic Progressive party to be separatists.

Tsai’s presidency has also seen concerted efforts to bolster international ties and increase global support in deterring a Chinese invasion.

In the interview she was asked whether the shift of some semiconductor production to the US could weaken Taiwan’s value in the eyes of the global community in terms of protecting it from Chinese annexation. Taiwan manufactures the vast majority of the world’s most advanced chips, and the supply is crucial to technology around the world.

“We have more than semiconductors to be valuable,” she said, noting the wider “clusters” of sectors integrated in Taiwan’s chip production chain.

“We’re pretty confident that the capacity we have now, and the importance of our industry, cannot be replaced anywhere else.”

China manufacturing: tech can keep supply chain risks in check, expo panellists say

https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3243263/china-manufacturing-tech-can-keep-supply-chain-risks-check-expo-panellists-say?utm_source=rss_feed

China is seeking to leverage its technical advancements, especially in strategic industries such as new energy and smart agriculture, to solidify its position in the global supply chain and counter the West’s plans for de-risking, global executives and industry experts said.

Panellists discussed the topic in detail at forums held on Tuesday as part of the inaugural China International Supply Chain Expo in Beijing, a state-backed event affirming the country’s role as a destination for global manufacturers. Efforts to attract foreign investors back to the country – and keep those who remained – have become pronounced in the wake of the pandemic and unpredictable geopolitical shifts.

Companies and governments alike are seeking a more resilient and secure supply chain arrangement, participants said, with technological changes being one of the fundamental drivers of supply chain adjustments.

“Europe, the United States, Mexico, other countries, they are all embracing a large number of Chinese suppliers and technologies by establishing factories, hiring local talent, and implementing the Shenzhen model of operation,” said Chris Pereira, CEO of North American Ecosystem Institute, referring to the south China city known for its embrace of entrepreneurship.

As the world’s largest energy producer and consumer – and, consequently, the world’s biggest new energy vehicle market – China also has an opportunity to use its green transition to jump ahead in the global value chain.

The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, organiser of the expo, listed smart vehicles, green agriculture, clean energy, digital technology and pharmaceuticals as the five major factors reshaping the global supply chain.

It also noted the supply chain has become more localised, diversified, digitised and green, and innovation and technology remain essential.

As it attempts to consolidate its footing in an increasingly interconnected yet fractured landscape, China will no longer be an export-oriented economy but increasingly expand its global presence or invest overseas, said Jean Lu, deputy CEO of Standard Chartered Bank China.

“Four to five decades ago, we saw the globalisation process led by European and American companies, and two to three decades ago Japanese and Korean companies,” she said. “In the next five to 10 years, we will witness the emergence of multinational Chinese enterprises.”

Technology was also highlighted as a critical element of China’s food security drive.

Song Juguo, a deputy director with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, said China is ready to work with global partners on advanced equipment and biological breeding, weak links in the country’s campaign for self-sufficiency in grains.

No grain drain for China as bumper crops defy flood, drought and import doubts

Liu Huang, general manager of agricultural firm Shenzhen Huada Everything Technology, said China needs to be connected with the global market in oil seeds and feed, but should also strike a balance between reliance on overseas suppliers and its own stocks.

Wu Yun, deputy general manager of China Energy Engineering Corporation, emphasised the need for stability. “We need to focus on supply chain vulnerability caused by highly concentrated production capacity,” he said, “and strive to enhance the resilience of the clean energy supply to geopolitical factors, trade restrictions, natural disasters, technological barriers and oligopolistic monopolies.”

Charming, controversial Henry Kissinger steered establishment of US-China ties

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3243307/charming-controversial-henry-kissinger-steered-establishment-us-china-ties?utm_source=rss_feed

Henry Alfred Kissinger, the American diplomat, consultant and politician who served as US Secretary of State and National Security Adviser under the presidential administrations of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, died on Wednesday, aged 100.

Kissinger – a controversial Nobel Peace Prize winner best known for helping Nixon establish relations with China and for his role in the Vietnam war – left an indelible mark on the latter half of the 20th century, particularly his role in US foreign policy from 1969 to 1977.

He died at his home in Connecticut, Kissinger Associates said.

Initially uninterested in China on becoming the White House national security adviser in 1969, he made two trips to Beijing in 1971 at Nixon’s behest, the first in secret, negotiating with premier Zhou Enlai over what still remains the most fraught issue in US-China relations – Taiwan – paving the way for Nixon’s historic trip.

The major sticking points – US military support for the self-governing island and whether the United Nations would recognise Beijing or Taipei – were ultimately finessed with a series of communiques, assurances and laws.

Kissinger initially argued for a “two Chinas” formula that would see both Taiwan and China seated at the UN, but Zhou said no compromise was possible. After extensive negotiations, Taipei lost its United Nations seat to Beijing, Washington officially recognised only one China and the US agreed to support Taiwan militarily.

Papered over with vague wording was whether the US would come to Taiwan’s defence in the event of an attack, a policy known as “strategic ambiguity” that US hardliners have sought to chip away at in recent years.

Kissinger’s trips paved the way for the 1972 summit between Mao Zedong and Nixon that saw formal relations established after 23 years of hostility. As part of that, the two sides also made a tacit agreement to work strategically against the Soviet Union, although full normalisation of relations would take place only in 1979.

More divisive were Kissinger’s actions in prolonging and expanding the Vietnam war. “I refuse to believe that a little fourth-rate power like North Vietnam doesn’t have a breaking point,” he told aides in July 1969.

Kissinger marks 50 years since first China visit, urges US-China talks

Initially on becoming national security adviser, he favoured negotiations with Hanoi and opposed the wholesale bombing of Cambodia, which Hanoi was using as a vital staging area and supply route.

But when Nixon threw his support behind the bombing campaign, Kissinger quickly followed suit, ultimately leading to the genocidal reign of Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge. In 1973, the Pentagon acknowledged that Kissinger approved each of the 3,875 bombing raids on Cambodia in 1969 and 1970 as well as “the methods for keeping them out of the newspapers”.

Kissinger, who became US secretary of state in late 1973, also played a key role in negotiating the Paris peace talks and ceasefire, controversially winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973 with Vietnamese counterpart Lê Đức Thọ, who turned down the award. The ceasefire was short lived, however, and the communists took over two years later.

Over his decades in policy, he also played a crucial part in a host of other major events, including detente with the Soviet Union and support for Pakistan in its bloody war against former East Pakistan, ultimately resulting in an independent Bangladesh. Archer Blood, then the US consul general to East Pakistan, described the attack as “selective genocide”.

Kissinger also helped negotiate a successful end to the 1973 Yom Kippur war between Israel and Egypt, supported a coup against Chile’s democratically elected Salvador Allende that same year; gave a green light to Indonesia in its 1975 invasion of East Timor, leading to a 24-year brutal occupation; and considered air strikes against Cuba the following year.

After Nixon’s resignation in 1974 over the Watergate scandal, Kissinger’s power diminished under president Gerald Ford, although he remained secretary of state until Ford left office in January 1977.

Nixon and Kissinger made a fascinating, complementary pair, wrote historian David Rothkopf in his 2005 book Running the World: The Inside Story of the National Security Council and the Architects of American Foreign Policy. Kissinger was charming and worldly, providing the grace and establishment respectability that Nixon looked down upon but aspired to. “These self-made men were driven as much by their need for approval and their neuroses as by their strengths,” Rothkopf wrote.

In subsequent decades, Kissinger held various academic, corporate board, policy and reform commission positions, and founded the consultancy Kissinger Associates. He wrote some 20 books and maintained close ties to China, saying in the CBS interview in May 2023 that if he put in a call to President Xi Jinping in Beijing “there’s a good chance he would take my call, yes.”

He was also largely supportive of Deng Xiaoping’s decision to use the military against protesting students in Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989. In recent years, he has called for an easing of tensions between Washington and Beijing.

In one of his last public appearances, Kissinger told the National Committee on US-China Relations in late October that the two nations had a “unique ability to bring peace and progress to the world” and a “unique ability to destroy the world if not together”.

Just a few months earlier, Kissinger had made his last visit to China, where he met Xi during a “private trip”.

Kissinger: China, US must reveal red lines to avoid conflict

Kissinger was born on May 27, 1923, into a Jewish family in the German region of Bavaria. He was forced to flee with his father, mother and younger brother in 1938 as Nazi persecution intensified. They stopped briefly in London before moving to New York City, where he changed his name to Henry, attended high school and studied accounting at City College of New York.

Although he adjusted quickly, he never lost his thick German accent, in part because he was reluctant to speak as a child. In 1943, partway through college, he joined the US Army where he did intelligence work, won a Bronze Star for tracking down Gestapo officers and saboteurs and became a naturalised citizen.

Returning to the US after the war, he entered Harvard University and earned a bachelor’s, master’s and PhD. His doctoral thesis on the relationship between peace and legitimacy was so long at over 400 pages that Harvard set a 35,000-word limit on subsequent dissertations.

He remained at Harvard as a faculty member while working at various outside fellowships, consultancies and think tanks, focusing increasingly on nuclear weapons. With an eye on melding theory with practice, he became foreign policy adviser to New York governor Nelson Rockefeller’s 1960, 1964 and 1968 campaigns for the Republican presidential nomination.

Kissinger warns of ‘catastrophic’ conflicts between China and US

When Nixon was campaigning in 1968, Kissinger initially called him “the most dangerous of all the men running to have as president”. But after Nixon won the Republican nomination, Kissinger changed his tune, telling Nixon aide Richard Allen that he was willing to do whatever he could to help get Nixon elected.

Kissinger, whose actions were often carried out in secret – including his role in hiding the 1969 bombings of Cambodia and Laos from Congress and the American public – faced his share of critics, from anti-war activists and sociologists to politicians and foreign policy experts who accused him of arrogance and adhering to a 19 century view of power politics.

Unapologetic to the end, he questioned the intelligence of his critics, including some who called who actions in Vietnam and Cambodia criminal.

“That’s a reflection of their ignorance,” he said in an interview on CBS Sunday Morning shortly before his 100th birthday. “It was a necessary step. Now the younger generation feels that if they can raise their emotions, they don’t have to think.”

Charles Freeman, a retired diplomat who served as translator during Nixon’s 1972 trip to Beijing, said Kissinger was firmly rooted in European balance of power politics and had little interest or knowledge about Asia until visiting China in 1971.

“He went to Beijing and was entranced, discovered leaders with very sophisticated vision, very sophisticated statecraft with sensible opinions on everything, even though China was isolated,” said Freeman, a former US ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

Kissinger was brilliant and complicated, Freeman added.

“He could be utterly charming, but only when it was in his interest. And he was not considerate of subordinates,” he added. “He had great deference to authority … Although Nixon was a tortured man, and Kissinger observed that up close, he was always very careful not to cross Nixon.”

He was the first foreign-born US secretary of state and the first to hold that title and the national security adviser job simultaneously.

In 1949, he married Ann Fleischer. They had two children and divorced in 1964. He married Nancy Maginnes in 1974. At the age of 100, he continued to serve as chairman of Kissinger Associates.

Kissinger is survived by his wife, Nancy, and his two children, David and Elizabeth Kissinger, whom he had with his first wife, Fleischer.

Love cover: China couple sue insurance firm for refusing to honour policy with US$1,400 payout for decision to live happily ever after

https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3242740/love-cover-china-couple-sue-insurance-firm-refusing-honour-policy-us1400-payout-decision-live?utm_source=rss_feed

A married man in China who successfully sued an insurance company for failing to honour a “love insurance” policy that had a marriage payout of 9,995 yuan (US$1,400) has attracted much support on mainland social media.

Liu Xiaoming, from Sichuan province in southwestern China, bought the insurance policy in March 2018 as a surprise for his girlfriend.

The couple first met in high school and their relationship started when they both went to university.

The policy stipulated that if the couple married between three and 10 years after the policy was purchased, specifically between March 2021 and March 2028, they would receive a payout of 9,995 yuan.

However, after the couple tied the knot on December 1, 2022, and submitted the required claim documents, the insurance company refused to pay, despite multiple complaints.

Liu told Jimu News that many consumers had purchased this “love insurance” and the company’s own promotions said more than 15,000 people had placed orders for the policy.

According to the company’s official Weibo account at the time, three tiers of love insurance were available, with premiums ranging from 99 to 297 yuan, and up to 495 yuan (US$70).

The 99-yuan tier had a payout of 1,999 yuan, but Liu had opted for the 495-yuan tier, the highest level, with a payout of 9,995 yuan.

Frustrated by the insurance company’s refusal to pay, Liu took his case to court, seeking the insurance payout along with late payment penalties.

He lost the first trial because the court agreed with the company’s defence that love was an emotional relationship which does not fall within the scope of insurance regulations and the insurance contract was therefore invalid.

Dissatisfied with the initial judgment, Liu appealed to the Beijing Financial Court for a second trial.

The Financial Court evaluated the case from a fresh perspective, stating that the insurance wasn’t related to a “love relationship” but rather to the financial interests that might arise from wedding preparations, which are considered legitimate under the law.

Furthermore, the basic principles of insurance mandate that the subject covered by an insurance contract must be uncertain.

A love relationship, with uncertainty concerning whether and when a couple would eventually marry, aligns with these principles.

Finally, the court upheld Liu’s appeal and ordered the insurance company to pay him 9,995 yuan.

Public sentiment remains critical of the insurance company, with many online observers sharing their experiences.

“I have personally experienced disputes with this company. They don’t pay cancer insurance policies, you have to sue them to get compensation,” one person said.

“Shouldn’t he sue the insurance company for commercial fraud?” said another, while a third remarked: “This is really terrible!”

China’s manufacturing activity remains in contraction in November, as economic gloom mounts

https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3243295/chinas-manufacturing-activity-remains-contraction-november-economic-gloom-mounts?utm_source=rss_feed

China’s manufacturing activity remained in contraction for the second straight month in November, signalling a rockier path ahead for the world’s second-largest economy.

The official manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) stood at 49.4, compared to 49.5 in October, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Thursday.

The manufacturing PMI reading was lower than market expectations, with Bloomberg predicting slight growth to 49.8 It is the lowest reading since 49.3 in July.

A PMI reading higher than 50 typically indicates expansion of activity, while a reading below denotes a contraction.

China’s manufacturing PMI had remained in contraction for five consecutive months since April, and after returning to expansion in September, slipped back into contraction in October.

“Affected by factors including some manufacturing industries entering the traditional off-season and insufficient market demand, the manufacturing PMI was slightly lower than last month by 0.1 percentage points,” said NBS statistician Zhao Qinghe.

The non-manufacturing PMI, meanwhile, stood at 50.2 in November, compared to 50.6 in October.

The official composite PMI, which includes both manufacturing and services, fell to 50.4, down from 50.7 in October.

China’s economy is still facing a bumpy recovery with various uncertainties, including a sluggish property market, fiscal pressures on local governments, a bleak export outlook and low confidence in the private sector.

S&P global Ratings predicted in its economic outlook on Sunday that China’s economy would grow by 5.4 per cent in 2023, year on year, but could slow to 4.6 per cent growth next year.

“China’s outlook has improved, but obstacles remain,” analysts at S&P Global said.

“A property downturn is still a pain point for the Chinese economy, but growth momentum has slightly improved because of policy support.”

More to follow …

Foreign Minister Wang Yi warns of ‘devouring’ Mideast violence as China convenes high-level UN meeting

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3243292/foreign-minister-wang-yi-warns-devouring-mideast-violence-china-convenes-high-level-un-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned the UN Security Council on Wednesday that a resumption of fighting between Israel and Palestinians threatens to “devour the whole region” as he called for a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire in Gaza.

China wraps up its rotating one-month presidency of the 15-member Security Council on Thursday that has been consumed by the emergency. Beijing’s growing focus on global diplomacy and outreach to Mideast countries was evidenced by its decision to dispatch one of its most senior diplomats from Beijing to chair a high-level session on the crisis.

China held the presidency during November and Ecuador takes over in December.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday that the Gaza Strip was in the midst of an epic humanitarian catastrophe and urged the world not to turn away.

“Intense negotiations are taking place to prolong the truce – which we strongly welcome – but we believe we need a true humanitarian ceasefire,” he told the meeting.

A six-day truce between Israel and Hamas was scheduled to expire early on Thursday. The fighting was ignited when Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, killing around 1,200 people and taking some 240 hostages, according to Israel.

The attack prompted an aggressive Israeli military counteroffensive in the Gaza Strip that has included air strikes, a siege and ground assault against Hamas, which governs the densely populated Gaza Strip and is listed as a terrorist organisation by Washington. At least 14,000 Gaza residents have been killed in Israeli strikes, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, along with over 100 UN workers.

As of Wednesday morning, 60 Israeli hostages and 180 Palestinian prisoners had been released with more set to be freed later in the day. Israel has agreed to extend the ceasefire by one day for every 10 hostages released.

Qatar, which has played a key role mediating the conflict, said negotiators were working for a “sustainable” ceasefire.

China has walked a fine line with its Middle East policy, calling for a ceasefire, free flowing humanitarian aid and moves to prevent the Israel-Palestinian conflict from spreading. But it has also balked at calls – including those by US President Joe Biden during his meeting with President Xi Jinping this month in San Francisco – to use its influence with Iran and Syria to ensure that the crisis does not expand more broadly.

Wang told reporters after the meeting that Xi has spoken with state leaders other than Biden, including with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi during the August Brics grouping of developing countries, and that China sees things differently.

“The consensus reached at that summit is to call for a comprehensive ceasefire to ensure unhindered humanitarian access and a return to the two-state solution,” Wang said. “And it is along that direction China will continue to play a constructive role.”

Xi Jinping and Iranian president vow to strengthen multilateral alliances

Many countries including the US have called for a separate state for Palestinians – and China has issued a position paper and called for an international peace conference to help build a consensus – but it has long proven elusive.

“Only when the two-state solution is fully implemented can the Middle East enjoy genuine peace and Israel enjoy lasting security,” said Wang. “It must be prioritised, not marginalised, on the international agenda.”

Wang said that China has sent humanitarian aid to Gaza, without disclosing how much, but that it was stopped at the border. He said another shipment was on its way that would hopefully be delivered “as quickly as possible”. Separately, the US said it delivered 54,000 pounds of aid to Egypt on Tuesday for Gaza residents.

In recent years, Beijing has tried to take a higher profile in global diplomacy, offering periodically to negotiate between Moscow and Kyiv in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. And in March, it mediated a rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

China has strengthened its outreach in the Mideast as well as in Africa and Asia in response to Washington’s “allies and partners” strategy to counter Beijing’s contested sovereign claims in the South China Sea and expanding regional and global footprint.

“The Chinese want regional stability, especially in the Gulf, where ironically the US Navy protects Saudi oil exports to Beijing,” said Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

“At the same time, they’ve been expanding their political role in the region, hoping to exploit Washington’s close identification with Israel to pick up points with the Arabs, Palestinians and Global South.”

Wang has called for effective implementation of Resolution 2712 – the council’s first resolution for a Gaza ceasefire on humanitarian grounds, adopted on November 15 – as the first step in promoting a ceasefire and as a good start to resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict through political means.

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Most members on the council – comprised of permanent members China, the US, Russia, France and the United Kingdom as well as 10 revolving members – called on Wednesday for an immediate ceasefire, humanitarian relief and meaningful adoption of the resolution.

But Russian UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya criticised the resolution as “toothless” and “watered down” by Washington, citing “US-provoked divisions” and the “blatant double standards” of global suffering, comparing a video of Ukrainian officials dancing to Palestinian hardship.

China and Russia, having announced a “no-limits” partnership days before Moscow’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, have joined forces in countering US “unipolar hegemony” and promoting the benefits of authoritarian governance. Beijing, however, has stopped short of openly supplying weapons to Moscow, wary of a backlash from its customers in Europe and North America.

In a related move, Wang met on Tuesday in New York with Malaysian Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir, according to Xinhua, and said Beijing was ready to elevate its bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership and deepen exchanges. The two nations are set to launch a mutual visa-free entry arrangement, with Zambry expressing hope that more Chinese tourists will visit Malaysia.

China, US cannot afford depopulating the relationship, American ambassador Nicholas Burns says

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3243214/china-us-cannot-afford-depopulating-relationship-american-ambassador-nicholas-burns-says?utm_source=rss_feed

China and the United States must resume people-to-people exchange at all levels to prevent the delicate relationship from “getting knocked off the course again,” US ambassador to China Nicholas Burns said.

The envoy, who took part in the summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Joe Biden in San Francisco earlier this month, said both sides were able to discuss issues core to their interests, noting the importance of the two leaders’ commitment to bringing back people-level exchange.

“The people-to-people exchange is the ballast to keep the relationship stable,” Burns said, in an exclusive interview with the South China Morning Post. “Our two governments have a competitive and contested relationship, but at the people-to-people level, it’s really important that we stay connected.”

During their first face-to-face summit in Bali, Indonesia, in November 2022, Xi and Biden agreed to develop “constructive relations”.

But the goodwill was short-lived after the US discovered an alleged spy balloon from China in its airspace. Beijing said the balloon was intended for civilian purposes and had entered US airspace by accident, but the incident deflated the relationship to a new low.

The leaders’ summit in San Francisco was widely regarded as the biggest guardrail against a continuing downward spiral in bilateral relations.

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“It is important for us to continue the momentum [after the San Francisco summit] so we do not get knocked off the course again. The key is to keep the two governments and the senior officials in close communication,” Burns said.

While maintaining official channels is essential, Burns said people exchange between the two sides is key. He said the pandemic caused a sharp drop in people-to-people contact at all levels.

China remained America’s largest source of foreign students this year, but the numbers have dropped significantly over the past three years.

Both countries also agreed to significantly increase direct flights from next year, to facilitate exchanges and business travel.

“Before the Covid-19 pandemic, we had [a total of] 345 flights per week. That number dropped to 12 at one point, and now it’s 70,” Burns said.

Chinese student enrolments in the US – which once stood at nearly half a million a year – dropped below 300,000 in 2022, according to the Institute of International Education.

There are far fewer American students in China today than before the pandemic, Burns said.

“We cannot have the next generation of American students not know about China and not speak Mandarin. Otherwise, we will feel the impact in 20 to 30 years. We need more young people to understand China. We need to recruit people who are China specialists.”

Regarding Xi’s goal to have 50,000 American students come to China over the next five years, the veteran diplomat said that “it may take time to get there, but it is encouraging to hear that”.

Number of Americans studying in mainland China falls sharply

While Washington wants to work with Beijing to repair the relationship, Burns said the US would continue to speak out on human rights issues.

“Human rights and democracy are very important to the United States. President Biden raised the issue of Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong with President Xi at the summit meeting,” Burns said.

“We cannot be silenced on these issues as the US stands for human rights and freedoms. This is core to our identity.”

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Likewise, the US would not lift its investment restrictions and sanctions on advanced chip technology to China, he said.

“We are not going to apologise for these [export] controls and restrictions … Such sensitive technologies, like artificial intelligence, could be used to help the People’s Liberation Army to develop its capabilities.

“National security is non-negotiable.”