Xi in Heilongjiang; G-20; Biden on China; MSS on another US spy; UK arrests; Warning to RMB shorts; Rumors
Summary of today’s Essential Eight:
Xi’s Heilongjiang tour - Instead of going to India for the G-20 Xi went to Heilongjiang for an inspection tour. On his trip he held a meeting on the revitalization of northeast China, a longstanding goal, and inspected the 78th Group Army. Per the Xinhua readout on the inspection tour, the key themes were “Heilongjiang should build on its strengths and make up for its deficiencies, so as to turn its strengths in resources, ecology, scientific research, industries and geographical location into new development impetus. It is also imperative for the province to build and strengthen its role as a significant national commodity grain production base, heavy equipment production and manufacturing base, key energy and raw material supplier, a vital barrier of ecological security in northern China, and a pivotal gateway for China's northward opening up. While actively performing its duties in ensuring the security of national defense, food, ecology, energy and industries, Heilongjiang must strive to break new ground for high-quality development during the course of comprehensive and all-round revitalization”. Ding Xuexiang joined for the revitalization meeting.
G-20 - PRC media has reported on Premier Li’s meetings with leaders from Europe and the UK, but not on his meeting with US President Biden. The Foreign Ministry spokesperson gave a short readout of the Li-Biden meeting, a meeting that I believe the US side said was not on Biden’s agenda. As for why PRC media like CCTV Evening News has not reported on it when it reported on his other meetings, I do not know but will guess that perhaps they do not not want to show Li Qiang meeting Biden before Xi does? We still do not know why Xi chose Heilongjiang over India, but a post from a CICIR scholar suggests dissatisfaction with India.
Biden meets Li, comments on US-China - Biden did meet with Li Qiang, though there is no readout from the US side and a very brief statement from the PRC Foreign Ministry. It does not sound like it was long or substantive. At a press conference in Vietnam after leaving the G-20, Biden said that “we’re not looking to hurt China, sincerely. We’re all better off if China does well — if China does well by the international rules”, a message multiple members of his cabinet have tried to give Beijing, but which the Chinese side is not buying. Biden also made the claim that because the PRC economy is having difficulties: “I don’t think it’s going to cause China to invade Taiwan. And matter of fact, the opposite — it probably doesn’t have the — the same capacity that it had before.”
Report - Wang Yi not going to UN General Assembly - The Wall Street Journal reports that Vice President Han Zheng will lead the PRC delegation. Han has a ceremonial role, and sending him to the UNGA is within protocol, but he is not the official to work out the details of a November visit to the US by Xi. Top diplomat Wang Yi is, and his absence from the UNGA might be another sign that either Xi has decided there is no point in trying to have a summit with Biden around APEC, or the PRC are holding out for more from the US before Xi agrees to come and have a meeting. The US State Department said today that the US expects to host Wang Yi before the end of the year, but unless he comes before November it is hard to see how a meaningful Xi-Biden meeting would happen at APEC.
MSS reveals details of another US spy - The MSS used its WeChat account to discuss the case of John Shing-Wan Leung, who was sentenced to life in jail in May for spying for the US. The details in the post, if they are accurate, make it sound like Leung was recruited by the FBI while living in the US. The is the third post since early August discussing cases of alleged US spies. This is a significant change in the way they talk about the US and espionage cases, probably related to both the revised counter-espionage law and the worsening evaluation of the state of US-China relations, now and far into the future.
March arrests in UK on espionage-related charges - The Times newspaper broke the story that British security services arrested two men in March for unspecified espionage-related offenses related to the PRC. One has subsequently been identified as Chris Cash, who was the director at the China Research Group. Cash, through his lawyers, issued a statement denying the charges. The timing of the leak to the Times is awkward for the Sunak government, just after the Foreign Secretary visited the PRC and while the Prime Minister was at the G-20 and was scheduled to meet with Premier Li. Cash did not have a security clearance but was in a position to influence the parliamentary debate about China; we have no idea who the other person charged is.
Rumors - US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel doubled down on his recent comments certain to hurt feelings in Beijing with tweets from the official Twitter account of the US Ambassador to Japan, the first in English and the second a Japanese translation of the first, that mentioned one big rumor going around, that Minister of Defense Li Shangfu is under investigation. I have no idea if that is true, but it is remarkable that a US official in Tokyo decided to taunt the PRC about it, and that this is yet another big rumor running rampant. If true it might be related to equipment/weapons procurement/development from the time Li was head of the Equipment Development Department of the Central Military Commission. I am not a fan of going down the rumor mill rabbit hole, but there is another big one going around, that Standing Committee member and Executive Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang is in trouble. Ding spoke at the revitalization meeting in Heilongjiang over the weekend, and appeared at a meeting celebrating teachers, but one version of the Ding-related rumor is that even though he appears in official media he is under “居住监视 residential surveillance” while being investigated. If that were really the case it seems strange that he would have traveled to Heilongjiang, though in his role as Executive Vice Premier his absence from that meeting would have raised questions. So 🤷♂️…I only mention these because in the wake of Qin Gang’s disappearance and then removal as Foreign Minister, and the replacement of the leadership of the PLA Rocket Forces and all the speculation around the reasons for those changes, things look a bit unsettled in year XI of the New Era. The confirmed personnel changes, coupled with the unconfirmed rumors, which could of course turn out to be true, or, as has sometimes been the case in the past, part of disinformation campaigns, make the start of the third term of the Xi Era look a bit wobbly.
Warning to those short RMB - I don't think you will get a clearer warning that the regulators are about to try to inflict real pain on anyone betting against the RMB then the readout Monday from a special meeting on the national foreign exchange market self-discipline mechanism. The readout stated that regulators “will take action when necessary, resolutely correct unilateral and pro-cyclical behaviors, firmly deal with behaviors that disrupt market order, and resolutely prevent the risk of exchange rate overshooting” and warned that “members of the foreign exchange market should consciously maintain market stability, orderly carry out market-making proprietary trading, and resolutely eliminate speculative speculation, inciting customers, and other behaviors that disrupt the foreign exchange market order. Enterprises and residents should adhere to "risk neutrality", not blindly follow the trend, not bet on one side, not bet on levels, and maintain the safety of their property [维护好财产安全].”
Thanks for reading.
The Essential Eight
1. Xi’s Heilongjiang tour
Xi...stressed during a recent inspection tour in northeast China's Heilongjiang that the province must firmly grasp its strategic position in the overall national development, and focus on the primary task of advancing high-quality development. Implementing the decisions and plans made by the CPC Central Committee on promoting the full revitalization of northeast China...
Xi noted that it is imperative to lead the overall industrial revitalization by sci-tech innovation. Based on the existing industrial foundation, solid steps should be taken to promote the high-quality development of advanced manufacturing, and efforts should be accelerated to advance the upgrading of traditional manufacturing. The role of sci-tech innovation as a driving force should be given full play to improve the primary, secondary and tertiary industries in an all-round way, and constant efforts should be made to optimize the economic structure and adjust the industrial structure. Resources for sci-tech innovation should be integrated to guide the development of strategic emerging industries and future industries, so as to form new productive forces. The core competitiveness of state-owned enterprises should be strengthened, while the sound development of the private sector should be guided, and a series of industrial clusters should be created to further strengthen and expand the real economy. Enterprises should be where most sci-tech advances are applied to improve the rate of such application. Proactive efforts are required of the province to align its development with the national industrial and supply chains, and do a good job in developing its competitive industries and its niche areas in certain industries so that its economy will better integrate with the unified national market and play a bigger role in fostering interplay between domestic and international economic flows. The province is urged to adhere to green development by strengthening the innovation in green development technologies so as to establish a green, low-carbon, circular economy.
Xi stressed that Heilongjiang should serve as the ballast of national food security...Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, accompanied Xi on the inspection.
Li Ganjie, He Lifeng, and leading officials of the relevant central Party and government departments were on the inspection tour.
习近平在黑龙江考察时强调 牢牢把握在国家发展大局中的战略定位 奋力开创黑龙江高质量发展新局面
中共中央总书记、国家主席、中央军委主席习近平近日在黑龙江考察时强调，要牢牢把握在国家发展大局中的战略定位，扭住推动高质量发展这个首要任务，落实好党中央关于推动东北全面振兴的决策部署，扬长补短，把资源优势、生态优势、科研优势、产业优势、区位优势转化为发展新动能新优势，建好建强国家重要商品粮生产基地、重型装备生产制造基地、重要能源及原材料基地、北方生态安全屏障、向北开放新高地，在维护国家国防安全、粮食安全、生态安全、能源安全、产业安全中积极履职尽责，在全面振兴、全方位振兴中奋力开创黑龙江高质量发展新局面。
Xi stresses striving for full revitalization of northeast China-Xinhua
Xi...presided over a meeting on promoting the full revitalization of northeast China in the new era.
The meeting was held in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, on Sept. 7...
He stressed that to revitalize northeast China on the new journey of the new era, it is imperative to implement the arrangement made at the 20th CPC National Congress for new breakthroughs in the full revitalization of northeast China, fully, faithfully and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy, firmly grasp the important mission of northeast China in safeguarding the five major securities (political, economic, military, cultural and social securities) of the country, and firmly grasp the primary task of promoting high-quality development and the strategic task of building new development paradigm.
It is also important to coordinate development and security, adopt goal-oriented and problem-oriented approaches, and consolidate strengths and make up for deficiencies...
Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, and Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice premier of the State Council, attended the meeting...
The region's role as a "ballast" to secure national food security has been further cemented, the foundation of its industrial security continuously consolidated, its role of energy security protection continuously strengthened, its function as ecological security barrier constantly strengthened, its ability to safeguard national defense steadily improved, and reform and opening-up in the region has taken on a new look...
The region should speed up the development of clean energy such as wind, photovoltaic and nuclear power, and establish energy bases integrating wind, photovoltaic, fossil and nuclear power as well as energy storage....
It is also imperative to systematically arrange the construction of modern infrastructure system in northeast China, speed up feasibility study and the building of oil and gas pipelines, high-speed railway and rail networks, new power grids and power delivery channels and the new generation of mobile communication and data networks....
Work should be strengthened to send officials from northeast China on secondment to departments of the CPC Central Committee and the central government, as well as to the southeast coastal region, and the other way round, so as to optimize the structure of official ranks, and improve their competence. It is important to manage officials in a strict manner, but they must be given enough care for their all-round development.
In terms of officials' conduct, three distinctions should be made, namely the distinction between errors due to lack of experience and illegal actions, errors from trials and actions in defiance of laws and regulations, and negligence resulting from the pursuit of development and the illegal actions for personal gains.
The mechanism to motivate and protect officials who are active to perform their duties should be optimized to create an environment, in which those competent are promoted, those mediocre are demoted, and those incompetent are dismissed....
Ding Xuexiang said in his speech that under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we should implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and the gist of General Secretary Xi's speech, and firmly grasp the mission of the times, work to both pursue development and safeguard security, and make further breakthrough for full revitalization of northeast China so as to better serve the country's overall development.
[视频]习近平主持召开新时代推动东北全面振兴座谈会强调 牢牢把握东北的重要使命 奋力谱写东北全面振兴新篇章
习近平指出，要以发展现代化大农业为主攻方向，加快推进农业农村现代化。当好国家粮食稳产保供“压舱石”，是东北的首要担当。要始终把保障国家粮食安全摆在首位，加快实现农业农村现代化，提高粮食综合生产能力，确保平时产得出、供得足，极端情况下顶得上、靠得住
Xi calls for stronger military combat readiness-Xinhua
Xi...made the remarks when inspecting the 78th Group Army on Friday.
Xi met with representatives of the group army and had photos taken with them. He praised the military and armed police forces for their prompt and brave participation in the disaster relief work when floods struck the country's northern and northeastern regions.
Xi urged efforts to improve the level of combat preparedness, strengthen the training of key and difficult subjects, and build new combat capabilities.
Xi also stressed the importance of strengthening Party building, maintaining a high level of integrity and unity of the armed forces, and ensuring the military stays stable and secure.
Zhang Youxia and other senior military officers were present during the inspection.
[视频]习近平在视察78集团军时强调 创新集团军建设管理和作战运用方式 全面提高部队备战打仗能力
习近平对78集团军调整组建以来部队建设和遂行任务情况给予肯定。他强调，要提高军事斗争准备质量和水平，加强重难点课目专攻精练，加强新质战斗力建设，加强所属作战力量、作战单元、作战要素融合集成，有机融入联合作战体系。
习近平指出，要全面加强部队党的建设，深入贯彻落实全军党的建设会议精神，增强各级党组织创造力、凝聚力、战斗力。要坚持不懈抓基层打基础，严格部队教育管理，保持部队高度集中统一和安全稳定。要精心组织实施第二批主题教育，着力解决部队发展瓶颈问题，积极主动为官兵排忧解难，不断开创集团军建设新局面。
张又侠等参加活动
对话国经中心首席研究员张燕生：总书记提出的“新质生产力”对黑龙江意味着什么？
On his Heilongjiang inspection tour Xi used the term "new productive forces 新质生产力". Calian News Agency has an article on what it means, quotes Zhang Yansheng, Chief Researcher at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges as saying "In my understanding, the 'new productive forces' mentioned by the General Secretary refers to the concept of improving labor productivity and total factor productivity"
2. G-20
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning’s Regular Press Conference on September 11, 2023
China News Service: What does China think of the G20 Summit in New Delhi and its outcomes?
Mao Ning: China has always attached importance to and actively supported the work of the G20 and believes that it’s important for G20 to stand in solidarity and cooperate to address various risks and challenges in the world economy and development. During his attendance at the G20 Summit in New Delhi, Premier Li Qiang elaborated on China’s views and propositions on G20 cooperation, calling on all parties to stick to the original aspiration of solidarity and cooperation, live up to the responsibility for peace and development as required by our times, and be partners in promoting the world economic recovery, open cooperation and global sustainable development. The summit adopted a leaders’ declaration, which reflects China’s proposition and states that the G20 would act in concrete ways through partnerships, sending a positive signal of the G20 working together to tackle global challenges and promote world economic recovery and global development.
In the process of preparing for this New Delhi summit, China played a constructive role and always supported the summit in attaching importance to the concerns of developing countries and reaching fruitful outcomes in support of common development.
G20 statement drops reference to Russia aggression ‘against’ Ukraine | Financial Times
the wording of the communique still reflected many Chinese talking points, such as that the G20 should limit itself to international economic issues and the language on Ukraine and nuclear weapons. China has also heavily touted its role in supporting African Union membership.
China, Europe seek cooperation in a fragmented world-Xinhua
On Saturday afternoon, Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose country enjoys a 19-year-old comprehensive strategic partnership with China. Li talked with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the same day, marking their second meeting in about five months...
Shortly after attending the summit's third session Sunday, Li met with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, which was the first face-to-face talk between a Chinese premier and a British prime minister in nearly five years. Later in the day, Li had his second meeting in about three months with European Council President Charles Michel...
According to an analysis of Chinese media reports of the four meetings, the top three high-frequency words used were "cooperation," "respect" and "disagreements."
Li Qiang Meets with President of the European Council Charles Michel
Li Qiang noted that the two sides should strengthen strategic guidance. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, and he looks forward to co-chairing the new round of the China-EU Summit with Charles Michel and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. China's development is an opportunity rather than a risk for Europe. Both sides should stay committed to opening-up and cooperation for mutual benefit and win-win results. No matter at present or in the future, China is and will remain a trustworthy friend and partner of Europe. China is ready to work with Europe to step up dialogue and negotiation and explore the establishment of relevant mechanisms, to promote the reliability and stability of China-Europe economic and trade relations. More European enterprises are welcome to invest and do business in China.
Li Qiang pointed out that risk prevention and cooperation are not mutually exclusive, and people should not simply equate interdependence with insecurity, nor should they overstretch the concept of security and politicize economic issues. China's development and openness bring opportunities, not risks, to Europe and the world. China stands ready to strengthen communication and cooperation with Europe to enhance the reliability and stability of China-Europe economic and trade relations. Li Qiang expressed the hope that the EU will uphold the principles of market economy and fair competition, keep its trade and investment markets open, and provide a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in Europe. China is ready to further deepen the green partnership with Europe, strengthen dialogue and cooperation in such fields as clean energy and green finance, and provide support for developing countries in tackling climate change.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Sunday drew attention to this year’s 20th anniversary of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Beijing and Brussels, telling European Council President Charles Michel he looked forward to co-chairing the next China-EU summit with Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen...
The South China Morning Post has reported that the EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell will visit Beijing in mid-October for the annual strategic dialogue with his counterpart to finalise an agenda for the EU-China summit, which is likely to take place in November.
People's Daily commentator "He Yin" on the African Union accession to the G-20 - "China firmly supports Africa in elevating its international status and voice"
The African Union's (AU) accession to the G20 promotes the development of global governance in a more just and reasonable direction. At present, the global governance system is undergoing profound adjustments, and the representation and voice of developing countries urgently need to be strengthened. Africa, with 54 United Nations member states, is the continent with the most developing countries...
非盟加入二十国集团，有助于推动全球治理朝着更加公正合理的方向发展。当前，全球治理体系面临深刻调整，发展中国家的代表性和发言权亟待增强。非洲是发展中国家最集中的大陆，有54个联合国成员国.
China's early support for the AU's accession to the G20 is a vivid practice of promoting a high-level China-Africa community of shared destiny. China and Africa have always been communities with a shared destiny. Close coordination on major international and regional issues and jointly defending international fairness and justice are the inevitable choices for China's development and unity with African countries. China firmly supports African countries and the AU in playing a greater role in international and regional affairs, supports special arrangements to address African demands in the reform of the UN Security Council, and calls on multilateral financial institutions to increase the voice of African countries. China always considers Africa's concerns and supports Africa's implementation of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. The AU's accession to the G20 helps China and Africa jointly practice true multilateralism and work together to advance modernization.
中国率先支持非盟加入二十国集团，是推动构建高水平中非命运共同体的生动实践。中非从来都是命运共同体。在重大国际和地区问题上密切协调，共同捍卫国际公平正义，是中国发展同非洲国家团结合作的必然选择。中方坚定支持非洲国家和非盟在国际和地区事务中发挥更大作用，在联合国安理会改革问题上支持就优先解决非洲诉求作出特殊安排，呼吁多边金融机构提高非洲国家发言权。中国始终想非洲之所想，急非洲之所急，支持非洲落实联合国2030年可持续发展议程。非盟加入二十国集团，有助于中非双方共同践行真正的多边主义，同心协力推进现代化事业。
China’s Premier Urges Biden to See His Nation as an Opportunity - Bloomberg
Li kept a fairly low profile at the gathering in India, holding just five bilateral meetings with leaders, including the one with Biden. In contrast, Xi met 11 heads of state at the G-20 summit in Bali last year. Chinese state media largely downplayed the event, instead focusing on Xi traveling to a province recently hit by flooding and his inspection of a military facility.
China opposed plans for US to host G20 in 2026 | Financial Times
The allocation of the rotating G20 presidency, a role that involves setting the agenda for the group’s discussions that year, chairing ministerial meetings and hosting the leaders’ summit, is typically an uncontroversial process that follows a loose schedule.
But Chinese diplomats called for this year’s G20 summit declaration to delete a reference to the expected US presidency in 2026, according to two people briefed on the private discussions during the drafting process. Western countries, including the UK, opposed the Chinese move, and the phrase was included in the final version adopted by leaders.
China Group Slams India for Divisions at ‘Sabotaged’ G-20 - Bloomberg
A Chinese think tank affiliated with the country’s top spy agency published a strongly worded criticism of India hours before Group of 20 leaders met in New Delhi, accusing the summit host of pushing its own agenda and causing disagreement.
The commentary lamented that India held two prior G-20 sessions in disputed territories — one in Arunachal Pradesh that China also claims, and another in Kashmir, contested by Pakistan. The move has “sabotaged the atmosphere for cooperation at the G-20,” the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations said on its official WeChat account on Saturday.
The post reveals a possible explanation for President Xi Jinping’s decision to stay away from the summit hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Foreign Ministry declined to explain the absence.A Chinese think tank affiliated with the country’s top spy agency published a strongly worded criticism of India hours before Group of 20 leaders met in New Delhi, accusing the summit host of pushing its own agenda and causing disagreement.
The CICIR post. CICIR is affiliated with the MSS - 印度的“大布局”与“小心思”
A translation of the CICIR scholar's article that helps the case that Xi's decidion to snub Modi and the G-20 was about India - India and China Auditioning for The Voice (Global South Edition)
“By deviating from the G20's original intention and priorities and insisting on smuggling geopolitical ‘private goods’ to the global economic governance stage, India has abdicated its responsibility as the rotating presidency“
According to Xu Qin 徐琴 of CICIR's Institute of South Asian Studies, India's actions, such as the selection of the G20's venue, agenda, and other aspects, have betrayed the "small-mindedness" of its "grand scheme."
3. Biden meets Li, comments on US-China
China's Premier Li speaks to Biden at G20, urging more talks - Xinhua
Chinese Premier Li Qiang spoke with U.S. President Joe Biden briefly at the Group of 20 (G20) Summit in New Delhi, India, Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told the media on Monday.
According to Mao, Li called for strengthening communication between the two countries during their exchange.
Mao said Li told Biden that China's development is an opportunity for the United States rather than a challenge.
Biden responded that the U.S. hopes to see the Chinese economy continue to grow and his country will not hinder the Chinese economy from growing, the official said.
The Biden-Li meeting did not get official media reports like Li's meetings with did with Michel, von der Leyen Meloni and Sunak.
Biden meets Li Qiang, says China economic 'crisis' makes Taiwan invasion less likely | Reuters
"My team, my staff still meets with President Xi's people and his cabinet," Biden told reporters. "I met with his No.2 person in India today."
He added: "We talked about stability," and the Southern Hemisphere. "It wasn't confrontational at all."
Remarks by President Biden in a Press Conference | The White House
THE PRESIDENT: Look, I think China has a difficult economic problem right now for a whole range of reasons that relate to the international growth and lack thereof and the — the policies that China has followed.
And so, I — I don’t think it’s going to cause China to invade Taiwan. And matter of fact, the opposite — it probably doesn’t have the — the same capacity that it had before.
But as I said, I’m not — we’re not looking to hurt China, sincerely. We’re all better off if China does well — if China does well by the international rules. It grows the economy.
But they have had some real difficulty in terms of their economy of late, particularly in real estate. Asi- — that end of the bargain. And I think the actions that they’re going to have to take are ones that are — they’re in the process of deciding right now. And I’m not going to predict what — what — what way it will come out. But we’re not looking to decouple from China.
What I’m not going to do is I’m not going to sell China material that would enhance their capacity to make more nuclear weapons, to engage in defense activities that are contrary to what is viewed as most people would think was a positive development in the region.
And — but we’re not trying to hurt China.
Kamala Harris on China: We need to be the leader in the relationship - POLITICO
Managing the United States’ relationship with China isn’t about decoupling, Vice President Kamala Harris said following her trip to Indonesia for a summit of Southeast Asian countries in Jakarta.
“It is about de-risking. It is about understanding,” Harris said during an interview airing on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday.
“It’s not about pulling out, but it is about ensuring that we are protecting American interests, and that we are a leader in terms of the rules of the road, as opposed to following others’ rules,” Harris told CBS host Margaret Brennan.
Biden Forges Deeper Ties With Vietnam as China Mounts Ambition - The New York Times
Speculation about Mr. Xi’s absence has been intense within the Biden administration. There are four theories for why he skipped the meeting: He has domestic political pressure over the country’s growing economic troubles. He wanted to send a signal to India amid a tense border dispute. He is seen at home as having spent too much time abroad. Or he wants to shift the focus to groupings more susceptible to Beijing’s direction, like the BRICS club of nations that includes Russia, Brazil and other powers.
Comment: I hope the administration is also considering that they see opportunity to squeeze the US for concessions to get Xi to go to APEC in San Francisco and meet with Biden and this is part of a ploy, or that they have actually given up on any material improvements or stabilization in the US-China relationship. And if the updates to the October 7th semiconductor export controls are released before APEC, and are actually tougher than conventional wisdom think they will be, and I am starting to hear they will be, then the likelihood of a positive Xi visit to APEC and meeting with Biden seems even lower.
Readout of President Biden’s Engagement with President Joko Widodo of Indonesia | The White House
President Biden looks forward to welcoming President Widodo to Washington for a bilateral meeting at the White House this November, and also looks forward to welcoming President Widodo to San Francisco for APEC Economic Leaders’ Week.
Comment: Wonder if this will make Xi more eager to attend APEC and get a meeting with Biden
4. Report - Wang Yi not going to UN General Assembly
China’s Top Diplomat to Skip U.N. Assembly, Raising Doubts About Possible Xi Visit to U.S. - WSJ
China is planning to dispatch Vice President Han Zheng to an annual United Nations meeting of government leaders later this month, according to people briefed on the matter, instead of sending its top foreign policy official on a broader U.S. trip as previously signaled.
Diplomats from Beijing and Washington have been working for months to pave the way for Xi’s visit. As recently as late July, Chinese officials had indicated to their U.S. counterparts that Foreign Minister Wang Yi would participate in the U.N. General Assembly, which starts on Sept. 19. While in the U.S., the officials said, Wang would potentially travel to Washington for detailed discussions to prepare for Xi’s trip to San Francisco.
Wang’s skipping of the U.N. event raises the question of when the top Chinese diplomat would come to the U.S. so both sides could firm up Xi’s attendance in November’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Beyond that gathering, a Xi trip would include a separate summit between the Chinese leader and President Biden. Officials on both sides see that meeting as a potential boost to months of tentative efforts to stabilize ties.
US expects Blinken will host China's top diplomat Wang Yi before year-end | Reuters
Washington expects U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will host China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi in the United States before year-end, whether at next week's U.N. General Assembly (UNGA) or after, the State Department said on Monday.
"I'll let the Chinese Government speak to whether Wang Yi will or will not attend UNGA next week. But that said, whether it's UNGA or whether it is after UNGA sometime before the end of the year, it is still our expectation that Secretary Blinken will host Foreign Minister Wang Yi here in the United States," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters...
"As the President has said, he hopes to meet with President Xi sometime later this fall. We believe there is no substitute for one-on-one conversations at the leader level, so we will continue to work towards the possibility of that," Miller said on Monday.
More US-China - US House panel plans Taiwan war game with Wall Street executives | Financial Times
Mike Gallagher, the Republican head of the panel, and Raja Krishnamoorthi, its top Democrat, will lead the delegation, according to a person close to the committee.
The war-game participants include representatives from investment banks, in addition to current and former executives from pharmaceutical companies and retired four-star US military officers. The committee declined to name the financial executives who will participate.
The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party will hold a hearing on September 12th at 8:30 a.m., at Peterson Hall at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, NY. The hearing is titled "Systemic Risk: The Chinese Communist Party's Threat to U.S. Financial Stability."
China’s military seeks to exploit U.S. troops, veterans, general warns - The Washington Post
China’s military is conducting a sophisticated exploitation campaign designed to “fill gaps” in its capabilities by targeting current and former U.S. service members and harvesting specialized knowledge they’ve gained, a top general warned in a message obtained by The Washington Post.
China Sows Disinformation About Hawaii Fires Using New Techniques - The New York Times
The disaster was not natural, they said in a flurry of false posts that spread across the internet, but was the result of a secret “weather weapon” being tested by the United States. To bolster the plausibility, the posts carried photographs that appeared to have been generated by artificial intelligence programs, making them among the first to use these new tools to bolster the aura of authenticity of a disinformation campaign.
For China — which largely stood on the sidelines of the 2016 and 2020 U.S. presidential elections while Russia ran hacking operations and disinformation campaigns — the effort to cast the wildfires as a deliberate act by American intelligence agencies and the military was a rapid change of tactics...
China’s promotion of a conspiracy theory about the fires comes after Mr. Biden vented in Bali last fall to Xi Jinping, China’s president, about Beijing’s role in the spread of such disinformation. According to administration officials, Mr. Biden angrily criticized Mr. Xi for the spread of false accusations that the United States operated biological weapons laboratories in Ukraine.
The report - Converging Narratives on Hawaii Wildfires Advance Different Influencers’ Objectives | Recorded Future
Foreign and domestic influence actors are capitalizing on the Hawaii wildfires to advance their own objectives. Russian and Chinese actors are leveraging shared narratives, asserting that the US prioritizes military spending over citizens' welfare, almost certainly aiming to curtail US defense expenditure in relation to Ukraine and Taiwan, potentially affecting the 2024 US elections. Influence actors are also engaging in disinformation campaigns suggesting that the US government caused the wildfires using weather or energy weapons, with a possible feedback loop between Chinese state-sponsored and domestic violent extremist (DVE) influence operations.
5. MSS reveals details of another US spy
China's security authorities disclose details of a US meritorious medal-awarded spy - Global Times
China’s national security authorities on Monday released details about the case of John Shing-Wan Leung, who holds permanent residency in China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and a US passport, and was sentenced to life in prison on espionage charges, including when Leung became an informant of the US intelligence agency, conducting spy activities for the US under the disguise of charity.
Leung was handed down the life sentence on May 15, marking an end of Leung’s “spy career” for the US which spanned more than 30 years, China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) said in a release on its official WeChat account on Monday.The Ministry of State Security's statement said that Leung went to the US to run a restaurant in 1983. In 1986, agents from US intelligence agencies repeatedly contacted Leung, identified themselves explicitly and requested Leung's cooperation. In 1989, US intelligence agencies officially signed a "cooperation agreement" with Leung, recruiting him as an informant. They agreed on a secret means of communication and promised to pay him $1,000 per month, with additional bonuses based on his performance. That same year, Leung obtained the US citizenship.
In order to shape Leung's social image, the US side went to great lengths to create a "persona" for him ̶ they fabricated his background, claiming that he had studied at a university in the UK, worked as a United Nations official, and served in the Vietnam War. They also required him to donate money to US state legislators in order to burnish his image.
Moreover, to enhance Leung's influence among overseas Chinese communities, the US side also provided funding and instructed him to assume positions such as president, honorary president, and chairman of various Chinese community organizations through donations and other means. To increase Leung's visibility in China, a US spy agency instructed him to carry out charitable donations and tried to create a false image of him as a "patriotic philanthropist."
The MSS post - 国家安全部揭开美国“功勋”间谍“假面具” 更多细节披露
Excerpted from an interview with Lu Zhi'an, an associate professor at the Law School of Fudan University - American spy sentenced according to law - Opinion - China Daily
In today's interconnected world, the principle of jurisdiction and rule of law play a pivotal role in shaping diplomatic relations and ensuring justice. The trial and subsequent sentencing of the US "meritorious" spy in China are unequivocally legitimate and based on established international norms.
Protective jurisdiction is a cornerstone of international law which allows a country to assert authority over foreign nationals who commit crimes against another state. The People's Republic of China has enshrined this principle in its legal framework through Article 8 of the Criminal Law. Article 8 explicitly states that "this Law may be applicable to any foreigner who commits a crime outside the territory and territorial waters and space of the People's Republic of China against the State of the People's Republic of China or against any of its citizens".
Since Leung was recruited and worked under the instructions of US espionage agencies, his actions are attributable to the US according to customary international law. Therefore, the US espionage agencies bear responsibility for the actions of Leung. The trial in China should be seen as a principled response to a breach of international law.
6. March arrests in UK on espionage-related charges
Commons worker arrested after allegedly spying for China - The Times
A senior Whitehall source claimed: “This is a major escalation by China. We have never seen anything like this before.”
Rishi Sunak brought up the issue when he met Li Qiang, the prime minister of China, at the G20 summit this morning...
He previously spent time living and working in China, where security officials fear he may have been recruited as a sleeper agent and sent back to Britain with the intention of infiltrating political networks critical of the Beijing regime...
The researcher was arrested in Edinburgh and his London flat is thought to have been searched by police. The second suspect was arrested in Oxfordshire...
Luke de Pulford, of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), said: “It’s no surprise that he’d go after Tom. He’s been out front on China for years. In IPAC we have long suspected that something was badly wrong because there were consistent efforts from a hostile researcher to smear IPAC MPs and label them as extreme on China policy. Now it all makes sense.”
A Whitehall source added: “I’m pretty sure he [the researcher] turned some backbenchers from China hawks into being apathetic about Beijing.
Revealed: China spy suspect is parliamentary aide Chris Cash - The Times
Chris Cash, 28, was closely linked with Tom Tugendhat and was employed as a researcher by Alicia Kearns, chairwoman of the Commons foreign affairs committee.
The suspect is the son of a GP and grew up in a wealthy suburb of Edinburgh. He went to the fee-paying George Watson’s College, where he was a head of house, and later studied history at the University of St Andrews. He became active on Westminster’s social scene and used a dating website, making several attempts last year to arrange a date with a political journalist...
The Times understands that the material exchanged was not necessarily classified or top secret. However, a security source said that information did not need to be top secret to be highly sensitive and valuable to China: “It’s about networks and about influence. What do people in parliament think, which other people can be spoken to?”..
Cash was also active on Westminster’s social scene. He was photographed at a party at the US embassy in London last year and organised bi-monthly drinks at a pub near parliament for a “Whitehall crowd of quite young people interested in China”. The regular event, known as Westminster China Policy drinks, was popular with young civil servants, political aides, journalists and think tank staffers.
I’m not a Chinese spy, insists parliamentary researcher arrested over espionage claims
In a statement released by his lawyers, Birnberg Peirce, the man – who they did not name – said: “I feel forced to respond to the media accusations that I am a ‘Chinese spy’. It is wrong that I should be obliged to make any form of public comment on the misreporting that has taken place.
“However, given what has been reported, it is vital that it is known that I am completely innocent. I have spent my career to date trying to educate others about the challenge and threats presented by the Chinese Communist Party.
“To do what has been claimed against me in extravagant news reporting would be against everything I stand for.”
Chinese premier calls on China, Britain to properly handle disagreements-Xinhua
Both sides should strive to bring more benefits to each other and the world with stable and mutually beneficial China-Britain ties, Li said, adding that China is ready to work with Britain to adhere to mutual respect, treat each other as equals, view each other's development objectively, enhance mutual understanding and trust, and promote the steady and long-term development of China-Britain relations.
The two sides should adhere to open cooperation, safeguard and expand common interests, said the Chinese premier, noting that China and Britain are both advocates, practitioners and beneficiaries of free trade, and the two countries should jointly oppose mixing trade and economic cooperation with politics and security, promote the building of an open world economy, uphold the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core, and ensure the stability and smooth flow of global industrial and supply chains.
UK’s Sunak Confronts Chinese Premier Li After Spying Arrests - Bloomberg
Speaking on Sky News, UK justice secretary Alex Chalk said China was an “epoch-defining threat” before correcting himself to say “challenge.” Chalk added that there was a “rigorous approach” to providing access to Parliament, but that the authorities would have to see if there were lessons to be learnt once the police investigation was over.
Arrest of alleged spy raises questions around UK’s China policy | Financial Times
The government now faces questions from MPs about which ministers knew what — and when — about the arrest, and whether the matter has been factored into Britain’s foreign policy on China, which critics deride as too soft and ministers defend as a balancing act between economic and security considerations.
More pressing in the eyes of many China-sceptic MPs are the implications of the alleged espionage for their safety and, even more worryingly, that of activists critical of Beijing who may have come into contact with the accused spy...
Chung Ching Kwong, a Hong Kong activist working for the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (Ipac) in London, said: “The lack of transparency in the handling of this case poses a serious risk to those dissidents who are already at risk for criticising China, like Uyghurs and Tibetans.”
Luke de Pulford, executive director of Ipac, warned the alleged spy had taken a close interest in and “briefed very strongly” against his organisation’s work, further raising concerns about any information that could have been collated about its activists.
Spy claim prompts call for rethink on UK's China stance - BBC News
Sir Alex Younger, the former head of MI6, said China's definition of intelligence work was "far broader" than typically understood in the UK, including attempts to influence people as well as information gathering.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the UK had to "find ways of engaging" with China, including co-operation in areas such as climate change.
But he said the country should probably be designated a "state of concern" in the UK's security laws, updated earlier this year, which would bring additional reporting requirements for China-linked organisations.
"Sometimes we need to confront China. In my experience, just being nice to them doesn't get you very far," he added.
U.K. Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch said Britain should avoid calling China a “foe” or using language that could “escalate” tensions.
“China is a country that we do a lot of business with,” Badenoch told Sky News. “China is a country that is significant in terms of world economics. It sits on the U.N. Security Council. We certainly should not be describing China as a foe, but we can describe it as a challenge.”
Senator James Paterson warns of ‘very high’ risk of Chinese spies in parliament | The Australian
A senior politician has flagged a “very high” likelihood of Chinese spies operating inside Australia’s Parliament House after a UK parliamentary staffer was arrested under suspicion of espionage.
Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson said the vast majority of staff working in parliament were not security vetted or cleared in any way and called for increased security measures to curb the risk of foreign interference.
7. Rumors
US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel’s X Post on China Leaders Stirs Controversy - Bloomberg
Rahm Emanuel, a former White House chief of staff, posted a comment on Elon Musk’s X — with the hashtag #MysteryInBeijingBuilding — that riffed on speculation about recent absences from the public eye of top ministers and head of the country’s rocket force, while also highlighting the high youth-unemployment rate under President Xi Jinping.
“President Xi’s cabinet lineup is now resembling Agatha Christie’s novel And Then There Were None,” Emanuel wrote. “First, Foreign Minister Qin Gang goes missing, then the Rocket Force commanders go missing, and now Defense Minister Li Shangfu hasn’t been seen in public for two weeks. Who’s going to win this unemployment race? China’s youth or Xi’s cabinet?”
[视频]习近平致信全国优秀教师代表强调 大力弘扬教育家精神 为强国建设民族复兴伟业作出新的更大贡献 向全国广大教师和教育工作者致以节日问候和诚挚祝福 李强作出批示 丁薛祥出席全国?
Xi Jinping sent a letter to the representatives of outstanding teachers nationwide, emphasizing the need to vigorously promote the spirit of educators and make new and greater contributions to the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation. He extended holiday greetings and sincere wishes to teachers and educators across the country. Li Qiang gave instructions, and Ding Xuexiang attended the symposium for representatives of outstanding national teachers and delivered a speech on September 9
Ding at the meeting with the teachers:
8. Warning to those short RMB
On September 11th, a special meeting on the national foreign exchange market self-discipline mechanism was convened in Beijing. The meeting discussed the recent situation in the foreign exchange market and the issue of the RMB exchange rate. Representatives from the relevant guiding bureaus of the foreign exchange market self-discipline mechanism and 8 core member institutions of the foreign exchange market self-discipline mechanism attended the meeting...
9月11日，全国外汇市场自律机制专题会议在北京召开。会议讨论了近期外汇市场形势和人民币汇率问题。外汇市场自律机制相关指导司局、8家外汇市场自律机制核心成员机构代表参加会议。
The meeting emphasized that maintaining the basic stability of the RMB exchange rate is the common wish of financial management departments, the foreign exchange market self-discipline mechanism, foreign exchange market members, the majority of enterprises, and residents. Under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, the financial management department has the ability, confidence, and conditions to maintain the basic stability of the RMB exchange rate. They will take action when necessary, resolutely correct unilateral and pro-cyclical behaviors, firmly deal with behaviors that disrupt market order, and resolutely prevent the risk of exchange rate overshooting. The foreign exchange market self-discipline mechanism should, under the guidance of the financial management department, continuously guide enterprises and financial institutions to establish a "risk-neutral" concept, strengthen the behavior supervision and self-discipline management of its members. Members of the foreign exchange market should consciously maintain market stability, orderly carry out market-making proprietary trading, and resolutely eliminate speculative speculation, inciting customers, and other behaviors that disrupt the foreign exchange market order. Enterprises and residents should adhere to "risk neutrality", not blindly follow the trend, not bet on one side, not bet on levels, and maintain the safety of their property.
会议强调，保持人民币汇率基本稳定是金融管理部门、外汇市场自律机制、外汇市场成员、广大企业和居民的共同愿望。在党中央、国务院的坚强领导下，金融管理部门有能力、有信心、有条件保持人民币汇率基本稳定，该出手时就出手，坚决对单边、顺周期行为予以纠偏，坚决对扰乱市场秩序行为进行处置，坚决防范汇率超调风险。外汇市场自律机制要在金融管理部门指导下，持续引导企业和金融机构树立“风险中性”理念，加强对自律机制成员的行为监督和自律管理。外汇市场成员要自觉维护市场稳定，有序开展做市自营交易，坚决杜绝投机炒作、煽动客户等扰乱外汇市场秩序的行为。企业和居民要坚持“风险中性”，不盲从跟风，不赌单边，不赌点位，维护好财产安全
Robin Brooks, chief economist of the IIF, on Twitter:
China gives strong warning against bets on renminbi depreciation | Financial Times
The People’s Bank of China said in a statement on Monday that authorities “are capable of and feel confident in . . . keeping the renminbi exchange rate at a reasonably stable level”. The renminbi rose by as much as 1 per cent on Monday to an intraday high of Rmb7.2698 against the dollar.
“We will act when we act, resolutely correcting one-sided speculation,” the central bank added, referring to mounting bets against the currency’s dollar exchange rate driven by a string of underwhelming economic readings as China’s economy struggles to regain momentum.
Exclusive: China's central bank to scrutinise bulk dollar purchases - sources | Reuters
China's central bank is tightening its scrutiny of bulk dollar purchases by domestic firms, three sources with direct knowledge of the matter said on Monday, at a time when the Chinese currency faces mounting depreciation pressure.
Companies that need to purchase $50 million or more will now need approval from the People's Bank of China (PBOC), which convened a meeting with some commercial banks over the weekend on the matter, the sources said.
"The approval process will be extended," said one of the sources.
"The recent yuan depreciation has indeed been too severe, and many now expect the yuan to weaken beyond 7.5 per dollar."
Business, Economy and Trade
China Credit Climbs More Than Forecast as Banks Boost Loans - Bloomberg Aggregate financing, a broad measure of credit, was 3.12 trillion yuan ($429 billion), the People’s Bank of China said Monday, higher than the 2.7 trillion yuan predicted by economists in a Bloomberg survey. Total credit was 2.5 trillion yuan in the same month a year ago. Financial institutions offered 1.36 trillion yuan worth of new loans in the month, more than the 1.25 trillion yuan forecast by economists
China’s deflation pressures ease as consumer prices rise | Financial Times The consumer prices index was 0.1 per cent higher year on year in August, below a Reuters poll of analysts for a 0.2 per cent increase, but emerging from the negative territory of minus 0.3 per cent recorded in July. The producer prices index, meanwhile, fell by 3 per cent year on year, in line with analyst expectations and underlining continuing weakness in the industrial sector. But the fall was less severe than July’s 4.4 per cent fall. Producer prices were also a fraction of a per cent higher month on month.
Yicai - China’s SME Development Index Rises for Third Straight Month in August The China Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Development Index edged up 0.1 point in August from a month earlier to 89.4, but still remained below the expansionary mark of 100, according to the results of a survey released by the China Association of Small and Medium Enterprises today. The index is calculated based on a poll of 3,000 SMEs. The macroeconomic sentiment sub-index climbed 0.3 point last month from July to 99.1 and the market index edged up 0.2 point to 81.1. Both sub-indexes have gained for three consecutive months. The investment sub-index nudged up 0.1 point to 83.4, indicating that companies are more willing to invest as confidence grows and expectations recover.
China Eases Rules for Insurers Buying Stocks in Support Measure - Bloomberg The risk weighting will be lowered for insurers’ investments in CSI 300 Index members as well as stocks listed on the STAR market, according to new rules issued by China’s National Administration of Financial Regulation. The minimum capital requirements for insurers will also be cut, according to a statement. // 国家金融监督管理总局 - 国家金融监督管理总局发布《关于优化保险公司偿付能力监管标准的通知》
深圳楼市再松绑？记者求证：离婚买房追溯3年限制未取消！—证券时报 In recent weeks, the wave of abolition of home-buying restrictions has sent rumors flying. Media reports have emerged that the authorities in Shenzhen will no longer count previous homeownership when it comes to divorced couples. In response to inquiries from the Securities Times, officials at the housing watchdog in Shenzhen said no such rules have been released yet. Last week, new home sales in Shenzhen totalled 379 units, up 5.6% compared to the same period last year.
近20日7城取消限购，二线城市“两限”政策加速退出—21财经 In the last 20 days, seven Chinese cities have scrapped home purchase restrictions, with Qingdao and Jinan being the latest cities to do so. Even in first-tier cities, some tweaks are being applied to home purchase restriction rules. In Shenzhen, for example, Hong Kong residents can buy commercial properties without any restrictions. 深圳明确港澳居民（不包含台湾居民和外籍人士）可以购买商办物业、商务公寓，不限套数；
北京解除二手房指导价限制 海淀29个学区房源恢复挂牌_财新网_财新网 Recently, Caixin learned from multiple sources that the reference price for second-hand housing transactions in 29 communities in Beijing's Haidian District has been canceled. This reference price was previously introduced to suppress the enthusiasm for school district housing.
More Chinese cities lift home-buying curbs to revive demand | Reuters Jinan and Qingdao, two of the largest cities in China's second-most populous province of Shandong, said homes in all areas are allowed to be put on the market, according to a government statement and a local media report.
Caixin Editorial: How Stabilize China’s Property Market to Keep Risks at Bay Prioritizing market mechanisms and using supplementary administrative tools shouldn’t merely rest on the discretion of policymakers. Instead, reforms in areas like land and housing systems should provide a solid foundation. The flaws in China’s real estate market are evident, but identifying different causes leads to different solutions. Past rounds of real estate regulations, though often highlighting the establishment of a long-term mechanism for the sector’s healthy development, have mainly oscillated around short-term metrics such as down payment ratios, mortgage rates and the land supply. Given the less-than-satisfactory outcomes, this shouldn’t be surprising. The fundamental solution is to expedite reforms in land property rights and expand the supply of real estate systemically. Moreover, efforts should be made to advance the construction of affordable housing to make up for past deficiencies, and to regulate the rental market in the spirit of the rule of law, truly balancing both renting and buying. Only then can the real estate market develop in a healthy, stable, and sustainable manner, ensuring housing for all. This would also mitigate a profound source of financial risk for China.
France puts screws on EU chief to hit back against Chinese electric vehicles – POLITICO
Paris is pressuring European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to announce a new probe against Chinese electric vehicles in her annual State of the Union speech on Wednesday, despite fears across the bloc that Beijing could retaliate.
For months, the French government and its proxies in industry and the European Commission have been pushing the EU executive to launch an anti-dumping investigation against insurgent Chinese e-carmakers. This could open the way for Europe to impose additional levies against Chinese vehicles it reckons are being sold unfairly cheaply to grind down European competitors.
Germany, Europe’s top carmaking nation, opposes any punitive measures given its major brands are heavily exposed to the Chinese market with much to lose from any trade war.
India imposes anti-dumping duty on some Chinese steel for 5 years | Reuters ndia on Monday imposed an anti-dumping duty on some Chinese steel for five years, according to a government notification. On Sept 4, India's steel secretary, Nagendra Nath Sinha, said New Delhi was monitoring the steel imports situation after the steel industry raised concerns over potential dumping by Chinese sellers.
Chinese vice premier meets U.S. guest-Xinhua Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met with Myron Brilliant, senior advisor to the U.S. consulting firm Albright Stonebridge Group and former executive vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse on Monday
Long visa wait times are slowing China's international travel rebound - CNBC Long wait times for visa applications are keeping people in China from traveling internationally as much as they’d like to, Jane Sun, CEO of travel booking site Trip.com Group , told CNBC’s Eunice Yoon.
Chinese EV battery maker Eve joins hands with partners including Daimler Truck to set up a US$2.6 billion US plant | South China Morning Post The US$2.64 billion plant, whose location has not been revealed, will use Eve’s technologies to develop and manufacture lithium-ion-phosphate (LFP) batteries for commercial vehicles, Eve said, adding that the three partners will be the major customers of the venture. “Products will be mainly used in electric commercial vehicles in the North American market,” it said. “The tie-up will bring benefits to all the relevant parties in lowering development and production costs.”
Franklin Templeton CEO says China pessimism is overhyped | Reuters "There is a lot of pessimism built into the pricing," she said at a session at the Forbes Global CEO Conference in Singapore. "You are talking about the second-largest economy," she said. "You are talking about an economy that generates more engineers than any other any country in the world every year, and so from innovation I think there is going to be opportunities."
The $100 Billion Luxury Complex That’s Sitting Empty and Unfinished - WSJ The $100 billion development called Forest City, meant to be the company’s flashy overseas showpiece, has instead become a target of creditors as the developer shows signs of financial distress. Forest City is Country Garden’s most valuable asset outside China. Should the company eventually default, the unfinished megaproject could help its creditors recover an estimated $1.5 billion, said John Han, a partner at New York-based law firm Kobre & Kim.
Former Alibaba chief Daniel Zhang steps down from cloud unit | Financial Times “The timing is peculiar on the day the transition was set to take place,” said one Alibaba insider, adding that cloud division employees were “very surprised at the announcement”. “If you’re going to do a graceful transition, there is a question about why the announcement is coming on the day the planned changes were set to take place,” the person added.
No more exceptionalism for US banks in China | Financial Times “Western banks will be rethinking their own China risk appetite,” said one senior banker, pointing to three potential areas of concern in their dealings with Chinese banks — cash management and clearing; investment banking; and lending. If bank risk committees are not proactive about re-examining this and other risks stemming from China’s more belligerent attitude to western interests, they are sure to be nudged by regulators and policymakers.
Caixin - Guangzhou Scraps Controversial Price Limits on Housing Projects Guangzhou quietly abandoned a controversial, seven-year-old policy limiting new housing prices in a move to ease controls on the ailing property market. Several industry sources told Caixin that the southern China metropolis of 15 million people recently canceled price restrictions on new real estate projects. Developers still need to file planned selling prices with authorities, but regulators no longer provide price guidance, according to the sources. “Developers can now determine prices on their own, either higher or lower,” a person close to Guangzhou’s housing policy said.
Caixin - Better Sino-U.S. Relations Vital for Chip Sector Growth, Industry Chief Says “Our biggest hope is that the governments can get to a better place where there’s less tension,” John Neuffer, president and CEO of the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), during a Caixin interview in Beijing on Sept. 1. “One of the secrets to the success of the semiconductor industry is the development of a global supply chain,” Neuffer said. “A country can try to have an end-to-end supply chain, but that supply chain won’t be very innovative, and it will be incredibly expensive,” he added, pointing to the widespread use of chips in electric vehicles (EVs), have surged in popularity in China amid the country’s green transition.
Caixin Cover Story: Chinese Battery Makers Gird for Price War in Competition to Supply EV Producers Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd., better known as CATL, holds 43% of domestic market share, while Warren Buffett-backed BYD Co. Ltd., which makes both electric cars and batteries, has about a 30% share. The next largest producer clings to just 8.55% the market....BYD, based in Shenzhen and boosted by demand for its own EVs, is quickly gaining on its bigger rival in batteries. For the first seven months of this year, CATL, with headquarters in Ningde, Fujian province, lost 5.1 percentage points of market share compared with all of 2022, while BYD gained 6.2 percentage points. Just like the intense EV price war in China since January, many expect the two battery giants will eventually start a price war at some point when CATL can’t bear losing its No. 1 position to BYD
Chinese aircraft maker receives over 1,000 C919 jet orders-Xinhua The order quantity for China's homegrown C919 jet has reached 1,061, said He Dongfeng, board chairman of the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC), at Sunday's 16th Pujiang Innovation Forum.
Xi sends congratulatory letter to 2023 Pujiang Innovation Forum-Xinhua In his letter, Xi noted that the world today is living through accelerating changes unseen in a century, and a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is gaining momentum. Scientific and technological innovation is an important force for humankind to jointly address risks and challenges and promote peace and development.
Death and debt in China: how a ‘half-baked’ bankruptcy law offers few individuals a fresh start | South China Morning Post Li Shuguang, a professor from the China University of Politics and Law who engaged in the drafting and amendment of the Enterprise Bankruptcy Law, said that while giving “honest but unfortunate” debtors a second chance and offering a “stable expectation” for creditors, a personal bankruptcy law is also a fundamental component of common prosperity – a repeated goal of President Xi Jinping that aims to put more money in the hands of low-income groups while reducing regional pay disparities. Freeing such debtors from some of their debt burden could help resolve many social conflicts stemming from outstanding payments, while making people less likely to turn to crime in desperate times, he noted.
三部门出手！制止婚宴餐饮浪费—中新网 Three government agencies including China's marketing watchdog released a notice encouraging people not to waste food at weddings. “Operators should include relevant content like a ban on food waste into wedding service contracts; they should instruct consumers to “clear their plates” and optimize wedding menus…and instruct consumers to pack up their leftovers.”
Politics and Law
Thread-bound edition of Xi's selected works published-Xinhua thread-bound edition of the first two volumes of "Selected Works of Xi Jinping" has been published. The latest edition, printed in traditional Chinese characters, follows the publishing of the first two volumes of the book series in standard Chinese language by the People's Publishing House in April. It stands as a valuable edition suitable for both study and collection.The first two volumes of the "Selected Works of Xi Jinping" contain Xi's important works from November 2012 to October 2022.
CCTV on this new collector’s edition of Xi’s slected works《习近平著作选读》第一卷、第二卷线装本出版发行 经中共中央宣传部审定，《习近平著作选读》第一卷、第二卷线装本已由线装书局、人民出版社联合出版，即日起在全国发行。 这部线装书以人民出版社2023年4月出版的《习近平著作选读》第一卷、第二卷为版本，繁体大字竖排，16开，全套16册，分装两函。典雅精美的装帧，加上独特的印制材料和工艺，使该书具有浓厚的中华文化韵味，是可供学习、收藏的珍本书。
Book of Xi's discourses on working class, trade unions published-Xinhua A compilation of excerpts from discourses by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on the work related to the working class and trade unions has been published by the Central Party Literature Press...Compiled by the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, the book brings together 240 relevant passages under eight subjects, excerpted from over 70 important spoken and written works Xi made between Nov. 15, 2012 and July 7, 2023. Some have been made public for the first time.
CCTV on Xi’s new book《习近平关于工人阶级和工会工作论述摘编》出版发行 工人阶级是我们党最坚实最可靠的阶级基础，工会工作是党治国理政的一项经常性、基础性工作。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央着眼巩固党长期执政的阶级基础和群众基础，坚持党对工会工作的领导，坚定不移走中国特色社会主义工会发展道路，高度重视和大力推进党的工运事业和工会工作，开创了新时代工运事业和工会工作新局面。习近平同志围绕工人阶级和工会工作发表的一系列重要论述，立意高远，内涵丰富，思想深刻，科学回答了工人阶级和工会工作的一系列方向性、根本性、战略性重大问题，丰富了马克思主义工人阶级和工运学说，对于新时代工运事业和工会工作创新发展，团结动员亿万职工为全面建设社会主义现代化国家、全面推进中华民族伟大复兴贡献智慧和力量，具有十分重要的意义。
茅台原董事长袁仁国被传去世 曾受贿1.13亿元被判无期徒刑 Yuan Renguo, the former chairman of Moutai Group and Guizhou Moutai, has died. In September 2021, Yuan Renguo was sentenced to life imprisonment for accepting bribes totaling 113 million yuan.
China's top political advisor urges uniting compatriots at home, abroad for national reunification-Xinhua China's top political advisor Wang Huning has called for efforts to forge unity and solidarity among Chinese at home and abroad, firmly oppose "Taiwan independence," and promote the reunification of the motherland. Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, made the remarks at a meeting of the China Council for the Promotion of Peaceful National Reunification. The meeting held on Monday elected Wang as the president of the council.
Ex-Senior Supreme Court Official Probed in Anti-Graft Campaign - Caixin Zheng Xuelin, a retired senior official of China’s top court, is being investigated by the Communist Party’s top graft buster as part of an ongoing campaign to stamp out corruption in the country’s judicial system. Zheng, former head of a division of the Supreme People’s Court (SPC) that hears civil cases, is suspected of “serious violations of discipline and law,” a common euphemism for corruption
China to Allow Some Suits Against Foreign States: A Summary of the Foreign State Immunity Law The Law marks a historical change in China’s stance on foreign state immunity—a doctrine that shields states and their property from the jurisdiction of foreign courts—and brings China’s practice in line with international norms. In short, starting next year, foreign states will be subject to suit in China in certain circumstances as provided in the Law in which they currently enjoy immunity. Below, we for the most part offer only a straightforward summary of the Law, without attempting any critical or comparative analysis.
China May Ban Clothes That Hurt People’s Feelings. People Are Outraged. - The New York Times Many people are concerned that the proposal doesn’t specify what would constitute an offense. The language it uses — clothing or symbols that are “detrimental to the spirit of the Chinese nation and hurt the feelings of the Chinese people” — tracks expressions the foreign ministry and official media use to voice their displeasure at Western countries and people. No one knows exactly what they mean.
New patriotic film ‘Pathfinders’ makes heroes of early communism relatable to young audiences - Global Times Pathfinders portrays the lives of three outstanding young revolutionaries - Qu Qiubai, Zhang Tailai and Yun Daiying - who sacrificed themselves for their revolutionary beliefs 100 years ago.
Trailer for 觅渡:
Nathan Sperber, Party and State in China, NLR 142, July–August 2023 This essay investigates the party-state tandem in the prc through the prism of the post-Stalin ussr. The Khrushchev and Brezhnev years, in so far as they correspond to a period of institutional stabilization, offer a sounder basis for party-state comparisons than the dramatic decades of Stalin’s dictatorship or the turbulent 1980s of Andropov, Chernenko and Gorbachev. The point is not to suggest an essential identity between the Chinese and Soviet polities, still less a common historical destination. The aim is rather to cast light on the Soviet origination of many features of present-day China, and on the important ways in which China has departed from the Soviet template—and continues to do so today, in the context of ongoing organizational change under Xi Jinping. To that end, what follows will first discuss the communist party structures and state forms that emerged from the turmoil of the Bolshevik and Chinese revolutions. The mechanisms through which the party leaderships have attempted to direct the state will then be examined, before going on to consider how these have been re-codified historically, in response to periods of crisis. If the perspective adopted here is chiefly formal and organizational, this is not to say that other factors—social and economic pressures, ideology, coercion—do not matter; they do. This study’s premise is rather that any assessment of the prc, whichever way it leans, requires a realistic understanding of its organizational substratum.
Foreign and Defense Affairs
Cambodian PM to visit China, meet Xi this week: Beijing | The Straits Times “At the invitation of Premier Li Qiang... Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet will pay an official visit to China from Sep 14 to Sept 16”, foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said in a statement. Mr Hun Manet will also meet and hold talks with Premier Li Qiang and Standing Committee Chairman Zhao Leji, she told a regular briefing.
Xi to Welcome Zambia, Venezuela Leaders in China as He Skips G-20 Summit - Bloomberg Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema will visit China from Sept. 10-16, while Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro will arrive on Friday for a seven-day trip, the Foreign Ministry in Beijing said in separate statements.
Interview: Venezuela ready to work with China to build community of shared future, says Maduro - People's Daily Online "Between China and Venezuela, there is an exemplary relationship," Maduro told Xinhua in an exclusive interview ahead of his state visit to China. At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, Maduro is on a state visit to China on Sept. 8-14. "I believe the ties between the governments and people of China and Venezuela are ties of mutual trust, true brotherhood, and cooperation for shared development," he said.
Meloni Tells China That Italy Plans to Exit Belt and Road - Bloomberg During a meeting on Saturday on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in India, Meloni told Li that Italy plans to withdraw from Chinese President Xi Jinping’s signature Belt and Road Initiative while still looking to maintain friendly relations with Beijing, according to a person familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named. Italy officially signed up for the pact in 2019.
Maldives presidential runoff is set for Sept. 30 with pro-China opposition in a surprise lead | AP News Main opposition candidate Mohamed Muiz managed a surprise lead with more than 46% of votes, while the incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who was seen as the favorite, got only 39%. The election on Saturday has shaped up as a virtual referendum over which regional power — India or China — will have the biggest influence in the Indian Ocean archipelago state. Solih is perceived as pro-India while Muiz is seen as pro-China.
A Chinese academic visiting Australia on a research trip had his accommodation raided by Asio and the Australian federal police, and was offered $2,000 in cash by a man purporting to be from “the federal government” for information on his networks and contacts in China.
The academic, an associate professor at a major Chinese research university, is an expert on Sino-Australian relations and was visiting Australia between July and August. His surveillance comes as Australia seeks to restore its relations with China, with a confirmed prime ministerial visit to Beijing later this year.
Comment: Academic’s name has come out, seems like a clumsy way to turn someone
A battle over a foreign agent registry highlights split in Chinese-Canadian community | South China Morning Post While some Chinese-Canadians say that without such a registry, public figures and Chinese dissidents will become easier targets for Beijing, others fear it could chill benign engagements with Chinese actors and civil discourse more broadly. Canada has never had an equivalent to the United States’ Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), which has been in place since 1938.
Exclusive: GSI, GDI and other initiatives proposed by Xi based on equality, mutual respect for seeking joint solutions to common problems: Grenadian Foreign Minister - Global Times Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Foreign Minister of Grenada Joseph Andall in Beijing on Wednesday. The Chinese diplomat said China highly appreciates Grenada's adherence to the one-China principle, and supports Grenada in exploring a development path suited to its national conditions. China and Grenada signed the Memorandum of Understanding on joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2018, opening a new chapter for cooperation in various fields. The Global Times reporter Chen Qingqing (GT) exclusively interviewed Andall in Beijing after the meeting, talking about China-Grenada relations, the cooperation under the BRI and the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
JOINT LEADERS’ STATEMENT: ELEVATING UNITED STATES-VIETNAM RELATIONS TO A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP | The White House The Leaders underscored their unwavering support for the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, without the threat or use of force, as well as freedom of navigation and overflight and unimpeded lawful commerce in the South China Sea, respect for sovereignty, and for sovereign rights and jurisdiction of coastal states over their exclusive economic zones and continental shelves in accordance with the international law of the sea as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Leaders recognized the importance of the full and effective implementation of the 2002 Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in its entirety, and reaffirmed their support for ASEAN efforts to conclude an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, one that is in accordance with international law, including the1982 UNCLOS and does not prejudice the rights of any state under international law.
Ten intl friends awarded inaugural Orchid Awards in China for promoting cultural exchanges - Global Times Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, attended the ceremony. The 10 friends include Joseph W. Polisi, an American music educator, who received the Lifetime Honorary Award, Essam Sharaf, former prime minister of Egypt, who received the Outstanding Achievement Award, and Flora Botton Beja, a Mexican sinologist, who received the Outstanding Achievement Award, according to China Pictorial on Friday.
Director-General of the Department of Treaty and Law of the Foreign Ministry Ma Xinmin Holds Consultation on International Law with Director of the Legal Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry On September 7, 2023, Director-General of the Department of Treaty and Law of the Foreign Ministry Ma Xinmin and Director of the Legal Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry Musikhin Maxim Vyacheslavovich had an exchange of views on issues on international law of mutual interest and concern in Beijing
PLA aircraft carrier Shandong makes Taiwan ‘show of force’ days after US, Canadian warships cross strait | South China Morning Post The People’s Liberation Army aircraft carrier Shandong sailed just 60 nautical miles (111km) off Taiwan’s southernmost tip in what is being viewed as a fresh show of force as tensions escalate in the region. The passage, cautiously monitored by the Taiwanese military, came two days after the PLA condemned a Taiwan Strait transit by US and Canadian warships as an open challenge to Beijing’s claim that the channel is an internal waterway.
Ukraine war: Chinese opera singer visits Mariupol Theater sparking diplomatic row | CNN Chinese opera singer Wang Fan has sparked a diplomatic row after she was filmed singing the Soviet war song “Katyusha” inside the Mariupol Drama Theater in Ukraine where hundreds were killed last year. Wang was part of a group of Chinese bloggers visiting the occupied Ukrainian city. “Katyusha” is a Soviet-era folk song that gained popularity during World War II, calling on the population to serve and defend their land.
Joerg Wuttke says there’s no hope that China will rejoin the world - Sydney Morning Herald
Joerg Wuttke, the president emeritus of the EU Chamber in China, is in Australia to address the Asia Society on Monday about the economic trajectory of the world’s second-largest economy...
Asked if there was anyone who could persuade Xi to adopt a more collaborative posture, Wuttke said it was impossible.
“No, I see no possibility for anyone from abroad to influence him because the man has decided to be chairman of everything, and he makes the decisions,” he said.
“And hence, he cannot, for the sake of it – revise decisions.”
Many overseas Chinese who have sought help from such volunteer service platforms expressed their incomprehension and indignation, and called for justice to be served for such volunteer service platforms on the internet. However, the volunteer service platforms, named "Overseas Police Service Stations," are shuttering their doors due to the vicious defamation, causing great inconveniences for overseas Chinese nationals.
Analysts pointed out that the US, which calls itself the "beacon of human rights," is once again ignoring the fact and conflating issues, leading many to suspect that such actions have a nefarious purpose behind them.
Through an in-depth investigation, Global Times reporters found out that Safeguard Defenders, an organization funded by an ex-con with a criminal record and engaged in aggressive anti-China defamation, is behind this conspiracy as part of its efforts to smear and attack China. Some Western politicians and media outlets have deliberately spread a false report by the Safeguard Defenders on the so-called "secret police station" as a means to attack China.
PLA Navy's semi-submersible ship holds first nighttime operation training - Global Times The semi-submersible ship Yinmahu, attached to a support ship detachment of the PLA Navy, recently mobilized for nearly 1,000 nautical miles to an unfamiliar sea region, consecutively carried out vessel loading and transport training, and for the first time held submerge-load-float training at nighttime, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Friday. Yinmahu is the PLA Navy's latest semi-submersible ship. It has a large deck with a length of more than 100 meters and a width of more than 30 meters that can submerge more than six meters underwater while the other parts of the ship remain above the surface, the report said.
'Silent Barker' Spy Satellite Network Against China, Russia space threats - Bloomberg Silent Barker is a response to efforts by China and Russia to develop systems capable of launching into orbit and taking out other satellites. In its annual threat assessment this year, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said China has weapons intended to target US and allied satellites, and “counterspace operations will be integral” to operations by its People’s Liberation Army.
Tech and Media
Chinese Warnings on iPhones Tap Deep Strain of Security Concerns - The New York Times A researcher in a government-run research institute in Beijing, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the drive to discourage the use of iPhones appeared to ripple from what Chinese officials and party newspapers have described as a strategy of “substitution for domestic products” in key technologies, which has picked up pace since last year. In a speech to senior officials in February, which was published in July, Xi Jinping, China’s leader, urged increased efforts to achieve self-sufficiency for China in scientific research and advanced technologies.
Comment: the good news about all the speculation about whether or not the reported Apple device bans in some government ministries and organizations and SOEs will hurt Apple sales is that it should be easy to test in the the next few weeks. Apple announces the new iPhone 15 lineup next week and so we should get pre-orders and sales data fairly soon. Apple has survived previous rounds of techno-nationalist fervor, this time may well be different, but the iPhone 15 is still likely to be a far better device than anything else in the market
Huawei releases 5G foldable phone ahead of Apple's big launch event - Nikkei Asia "The best foldable phone is still going to be Huawei. Let's welcome another handset, the Mate X5, to join our pioneer program," Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei's consumer business group, said in a social media post on Weibo. Preliminary reviews in China of the Mate X5 show that it uses Huawei's 5G-capable Kirin chipset, which it developed in-house.
Panasonic expands staff at China-based software R&D hub by 40% - Nikkei Asia Panasonic Holdings has expanded its software development capabilities in China by scaling up staff in the city of Dalian by 40% over the last few years. Panasonic Software Development Center Dalian has grown from about 700 people in 2020 to roughly 1,000 people in 2022, president Zhang Xue told Nikkei in an interview. The center is now the Japanese electronics company's biggest overseas software development hub in terms of head count.
China wants metaverse firms with ‘global influence’ and plans for up to 5 industrial clusters by 2025 | South China Morning Post According to the policy document published on Friday by five Chinese ministries led by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), China aims to build “three to five industrial clusters” around the emerging technologies by 2025 with key breakthrough applications and governance for the conceptual next-generation internet made up of three-dimensional spaces. The document, which maps out a blueprint covering 2023 to 2025, emphasises the application of the metaverse to various industries, such as home appliances, automotive and aerospace. Manufacturing industries such as steel and textiles can also adopt related technologies to optimise scheduling, material calculation, and other parts of the production process, according to the plan.
The Flaw in Apple’s Plan to Make Chips in Arizona — The Information $$ The Arizona factory—which has been a focal point of the Biden plan and will cost $40 billion to build—will do little to make the U.S. self-reliant in chips. That’s because many advanced chips made in Arizona for Apple or other customers such as Nvidia, AMD and Tesla will still require assembly in Taiwan in a process known as packaging, according to interviews with multiple TSMC engineers and former Apple employees.
Society, Arts, Sports, Culture and History
Wang Fang Criticized for Mariupol Performance - The New York Times A
After her performance, Ms. Wang and the other Chinese visitors met with Denis Pushilin, the head of the self-declared separatist Donetsk People’s Republic, Mr. Pushilin said in a post on the messaging app Telegram. He praised Ms. Wang’s performance and said the theater was “being restored by St. Petersburg.”
The group also met with the top Russian-installed official in Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, who said in a Telegram post that they had discussed “cooperation in the field of tourism.” Mr. Aksyonov quoted Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin, saying, “China is a brotherly state to Russia.”
Ms. Wang has not commented on the episode. But her husband, Zhou Xiaoping, a prominent nationalist writer who was in Moscow, defended her. In a post that was later deleted, he described Ms. Wang as a “Chinese folk singer without any political identity” and said that she had been pushing for peace.
The business of farewell: A closer look at China's mortuary industry - Ginger River Review Today's story uncovers the daily work of funeral practitioners and businesses running in the industry from an insider's view. The article is selected from 极昼工作室 [Media-Fox], a WeChat blog affiliated with the portal giant Sohu.com. It records real-life stories and provides a platform for the voices of frequently overlooked individuals to be heard.
China’s Yin Ruoning becomes women’s golf world No 1, finishing third at LPGA Championship | South China Morning Post China’s Yin Ruoning became the world number one in women’s golf on Sunday by finishing third at the LPGA Queen City Championship. The 20-year-old became only the second Chinese woman to claim the world number one ranking after Feng Shanshan, who reached the summit from November 2017 to April 2018.
Air China Flight Evacuates Passengers After Engine Catches Fire - Bloomberg An Air China Ltd. flight was evacuated on landing in Singapore after one of the engines on the Airbus SE A320neo aircraft caught fire. All 146 passengers and nine crew members were safely evacuated after landing at about 4:15 p.m. local time, and the fire in the left engine was extinguished 10 minutes later, according to a statement by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore. Nine passengers sustained minor injuries related to smoke inhalation and abrasions during evacuation, it said...
Eyebrow Pencil Gate: "Lipstick King" Li Jiaqi Loses 630,000 Fans In One Night | What's on Weibo Li Jiaqi is facing controversy for remarks he made during his recent e-commerce livestream. When viewers made comments about an eyebrow pencil being expensive, he lashed out and asked them if they worked hard enough.
Tourist site’s discriminatory treatment causes online outrage - Global Times Popular Chinese blogger Lan posted a video today at noon on Chinese short-video platform Douyin to complain about some extremely unjustified beahviour he met with at the Xiangyang Tangcheng Film and Television Base tourist sites, in Central China's Hubei Province, as tourists were forced to give up their seats for 11 foreigners before the beginning of a show. The blogger considered such treatment a “total humiliation.”
Popular Influencer’s Disappearance Sheds Light on Elderly Fans - SixthTone The shutting down of an influencer popular among the elderly has sparked calls from a leading scholar for society to pay more attention to the emotional needs of the aged. Xiucai, which means scholar in Chinese, had accumulated over 12 million fans and over 200 million likes on Douyin before his account was inexplicably closed down on Sept. 2.
Energy, Environment, Science and Health
Caixin In Depth: Canceled Contracts Upset Chinese Drugmakers’ Overseas Push “Chinese companies are taking in a lot more cash this year from out licensing than they are spending from licensing products into the local market,” said U.S. investment bank Stifel Financial Corp. in a market review. The review also showed that the China’s pharmaceutical firms booked almost 35 times more funds from cross-border out-licensing deals than spent on in-licensing in the first half, compared to nearly 3 times for the whole of 2022.
Yicai - Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing Rank Among World’s Six Most Ideal Cities for Scientists, Survey Shows Shenzhen came in second place, Shanghai fourth and Beijing sixth, according to the report which was carried out by the German-British academic publisher Springer Nature in conjunction with the Shanghai Institute for Science of Science.
Weekly Alert | China portside thermal coal losing steam; China market summit summaries China's portside thermal coal market is losing steam again after brief rebound last week.... And we've summarized key points of speakers at just concluded China Coal Market Summit.
Education
In China, Pricey Teachers’ Day Presents Spark Debate on Gift-Giving - SixthTone A school in northern China’s Shanxi province is investigating an incident where a students’ parent committee at a middle school class pooled 5,000 yuan ($689) to buy gifts for teachers in celebration of China’s Teachers’ Day, which took place Sunday. The incident has ignited public debate over the increasingly controversial trend of giving teachers lavish gifts, despite longstanding regulations prohibiting such gestures.
If Li could be dragged down then the awkward problem of Defense Minister being sanctioned by America will be solved.
There seems to be no end to the lengths the CCP will go to embarrass itself. Are we entering the Century of Self-Humiliation?