What is your mom doing on her mobile phone at night?

1. Party demands screen time from members

China Media Project reports on a new propaganda effort from the Communist Party of China that this week became the most downloaded app on Apple’s China store:

The app’s name, “Xi Study Strong Nation,” or Xue Xi Qiang Guo (学习强国), is derived from a now widely used official pun on the surname of China’s top leader. The surname “Xi” is also the second character in the Chinese word xuexi (学习), meaning “to study…”

The app, or rather the Party that produced it, demands engagement from users: “In a post to the social networking site Douban last month, a post since deleted (archived here), one user talked about how her mother, a teacher at a small town school, had been required to earn a minimum of 40 points a day on the Xi Study Strong Nation”:

When I went home over winter break, I discovered that my mom, who generally didn’t use her mobile so much, was on it every single night, and even would not sleep until late into the night (while she generally was asleep by 10 p.m.). I found this really strange, and only after I asked about it did I learn that the education committee at the subdistrict level had ordered teachers at all schools to download an app called “Xi Study Strong Nation,” and to earn points by fulfilling various tasks every day.

See also: Little red app: Xi’s thoughts are (surprise!) a hit in China / NYT (porous paywall)

“Study the Great Nation recently became the most downloaded app on Apple’s app store in China, and on several app stores that cater to phones running Android as well.”

—Jeremy Goldkorn

2. Pacific Reset update: Trump considers extending trade talks to May

Bloomberg reports (porous paywall) that “President Donald Trump is considering pushing back the deadline for imposition of higher tariffs on Chinese imports by 60 days.” This means that tariffs may not budge until May, rather than the current deadline for a trade agreement of March 1.

• A possible reason why is suggested in a South China Morning Post report: “Chinese and American negotiators remain far apart on a key US demand meant to ensure Beijing honors any commitment to equal market access and intellectual property protection — an issue the US team sees as crucial in reaching a deal to end the months-old trade war.”

• Amid the impasse, “Chinese officials…are focusing on ways to boost U.S. exports to China,” the Wall Street Journal says (paywall). “For instance, China’s top economic-planning agency is proposing to increase U.S. semiconductor sales to China to $200 billion over six years… The sum is about a fivefold increase over current exports.”

• Also in the SCMP: “China raised the idea of setting up a parallel dialogue aimed at resolving Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou’s extradition case” during recent talks in Washington. This may explain why, when Trump was asked after those talks whether the Huawei case was discussed during negotiations, Trump responded, “No, we haven’t discussed that yet. It will be, but it hasn’t been discussed yet.”

Meanwhile, there are many updates related to U.S.-China trade and investment in the news:

• Market reaction to possible 60-day extension
  China stocks get extra lift on hopes for longer tariff deadline / Bloomberg (porous paywall)
  “The Shenzhen Composite Index climbed 1.1 percent before paring the gain to 0.7 percent and settling at 1,399 points, its highest close since Nov. 19.”

• American imports down, but investment up in China
  US exports to China plunged in January as trade war chill took effect / SCMP
  “Chinese imports of US products plunged 41.1 percent from a year earlier to US$9.2 billion last month, the lowest since February 2016, according to data released by the Chinese General Administration of Customs on Thursday.”
  US investment in China more than doubles in January despite trade war, hi-tech industry grows significantly / SCMP
  “Investment into China from the United States more than doubled in January, with the hi-tech industry witnessing the most significant increase. Overall growth in China’s foreign direct investment (FDI) slipped to 4.8 percent from a year earlier to 84.18 billion yuan (US$12.45 billion) in January, according to figures released by the Ministry of Commerce on Thursday.”

• China’s overall exports front-loaded before New Year
  China’s exports rebound ahead of holiday as trade talks continue / Bloomberg (porous paywall)
  “Exports rose 9.1 percent in January from a year earlier to $217.6 billion, while imports fell 1.5 percent, leaving a trade surplus of $39.2 billion… The Lunar New Year break coming about 10 days earlier than last year probably boosted January’s shipments.”

• Trump admin’s tariff exemptions for Chinese steel
  US-China trade war having ‘no effect’ on China steel, amid surging domestic market and tariff exemptions / SCMP
  “New research by US analysts [led by Christine McDaniel, a trade economist at the Mercatus Centre at the George Mason University in Virginia] shows that Chinese steel producers are enjoying more exemptions from US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on steel than those from US allies Canada, South Korea, Spain and the United Kingdom.”

• India’s stake in the trade war
  India likely to gain $11 billion in exports from US-China trade war: UNCTAD / Times of India
  These numbers are according to the UN Conference on Trade and Development estimates, in the case that tariffs continue to increase.

—Lucas Niewenhuis

—–

Our whole team really appreciates your support as Access members. Please chat with us on our Slack channel or contact me anytime at jeremy@thechinaproject.com.

—Jeremy Goldkorn, Editor-in-Chief

BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY:

• Hong Kong’s port business falls
  Hong Kong’s port business drops out of top five in world for first time as Asian rivals Shanghai, Singapore, Ningbo, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Busan leave city in their wake / SCMP

• Diapers
  China’s lowest birth rate in 60 years doesn’t deter diaper maker / Bloomberg (porous paywall)
  “China may be experiencing a slowing economy and the lowest birth rate in almost 60 years, but there are still enough babies to keep Japanese diaper maker Unicharm Corp. invested in the market.”

• Ofo operating license suspended in Singapore
  Ailing Chinese bike-sharing service Ofo loses Singapore licence / SCMP
  “Chinese bike-sharing start-up Ofo had its license to operate suspended on Thursday by the Singapore authorities, who said it had breached regulations despite being given ample time to comply.”

• New controls for Chinese online media
  China’s web series, online films required to register, report actor fees / Variety
  “Most web series and online films in China must register with the government and report their budgets and actor salaries starting from this Friday, the country’s media watchdog has decreed.”

• China Minsheng Investment Group Corp. hits hard times
  How China’s JPMorgan wannabe became a $34 billion debt risk / Bloomberg (porous paywall)

• China’s Ant Financial makes moves in the U.K.
  China’s Ant Financial buys UK payments company WorldFirst / Insurance Journal
  “Ant Financial, the Chinese financial services giant controlled by billionaire Jack Ma, bought London-based payments company WorldFirst in its biggest overseas deal since a U.S. expansion was thwarted.”
  China’s Ant Financial agrees to buy WorldFirst in $700m deal / FT (paywall)

• China’s Didi posts massive losses
  China’s Didi reportedly lost a staggering $1.6 billion in 2018 / TechCrunch
  “China’s largest car-hailing company is facing relentless pressure from all fronts.”

• Rising unemployment in China
  Chongqing battling rising unemployment as China’s traditional industrial base follows nationwide slump / SCMP
  “Employment was the top priority the Politburo set last July when it shifted its economic policy focus to stabilizing growth.”

• Alibaba considering stake in German retailer
  Exclusive: Alibaba in talks on stake in China operations of Germany’s Metro – sources / Reuters

POLITICS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS:

• Sweden replaces its ambassador to China
  Sweden recalls China envoy over ‘deal’ on detained bookseller / BBC
  ‘Naive’ Sweden rewrites its China strategy after year of growing trade ties and diplomatic faux pas / SCMP
  Sweden replaces China envoy after article by detained bookseller’s daughter / Radio Free Asia
  “An interim envoy has been sent to Beijing in her stead, the ministry said in a statement.”
  Read about the bizarre ordeal in yesterday’s The China Project newsletter.

• China cancels U.K. trade talks in protest
  China cancels trade talks with UK in protest over Defense Secretary Williamson’s speech / Straits Times
  Jonathan Sullivan on Twitter: “China is the UK’s great hope after brexit (cunning plan huh?), don’t our enlightened leaders know what that entails?”

• Concern about Xinjiang in U.S. Congress and neutrality from India
  Pelosi signals strong US Congress concern over Uyghur political ‘re-education camps’ / Radio Free Asia

“When I went to the Prayer Breakfast the other day, [U.S. President Donald Trump] talked about religious freedom, and we all applauded… But afterwards, I went up to Secretary Pompeo and I said, ‘How come we’re not talking about the Uyghurs?’ and he said, ‘We should — let’s drum it up,’” Pelosi said.

• We have taken note of condition of Uyghurs in China: Government / Economic Times of India
  Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson: “We have taken note of reports on this matter. Normally, it is not our practice to comment on matters pertaining to internal affairs of another country.”

• China tensions keep Kiwis up at night
  New Zealand fears fraying ties with China, its biggest customer / NYT (porous paywall)
  “Days later, the launch of a much-promoted tourism initiative planned between China and New Zealand was canceled, purportedly because of scheduling issues for Beijing, despite being planned for years.”

• Ningxia alcohol regulations
  Police in Chinese Muslim heartland banned from drinking alcohol – even off duty / SCMP
  “Ningxia Hui autonomous region in northwestern China, which has a large Muslim population, has banned all of its police officers from drinking alcohol under any circumstances, on or off duty, according to a local government notice.”

• Pakistan snubs India in regional naval exercises
  Pakistan and China build friendship ties at Aman-19 multinational naval exercise but no room for India on the guest list / SCMP
  “Pakistan’s multinational naval drill involving 46 nations has wrapped up in the Indian Ocean and, once again, India was not invited.”

• U.S. fears growing Chinese influence at the UN
  Haley tried to block appointment of Chinese diplomat to key U.N. post. He got the job anyway. / Foreign Policy (porous paywall)

• India considers censoring internet
  India proposes Chinese-style internet censorship / NYT (porous paywall)

Under the proposed rules, Indian officials could demand that Facebook, Google, Twitter, TikTok and others remove posts or videos that they deem libelous, invasive of privacy, hateful or deceptive. Internet companies would also have to build automated screening tools to block Indians from seeing “unlawful information or content.” Another provision would weaken the privacy protections of messaging services like WhatsApp so that the authorities could trace messages back to their original senders.

• China pursues economic justice
  China’s environmental crime arrests soar in 2018 / SCMP
  “China arrested 15,095 people for environmental crimes in 2018, up 51.5 percent from a year earlier, the country’s top prosecuting body said on Thursday, as it worked to improve compliance among local governments and enterprises.”

• Australia woos allies to counter China
  Australia courts Vanuatu to tackle China’s influence / Al Jazeera
  “To counter China’s growing influence in the South Pacific, Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he wants to step up his country’s engagement in the region.”

SOCIETY AND CULTURE:

• Commercialization of Chinese primary education
  Huawei video in Chinese school exam sparks product placement row / SCMP
  “An exam question that required Primary Five pupils to watch a video about Huawei mobile phones has blown up into a controversy over campus advertising.”

• Richard Liu divorce rumors
  JD.com founder Richard Liu divorce rumors shut down in Valentine’s Day statement / SCMP

• Trash at Mount Everest
  China closes Everest base camp to tourists until further notice to tackle mountain of rubbish / SCMP

• Chinese women buy their own bling
  ‘Did you keep the receipt?’ – why Chinese women buy their own jewelry / SCMP

• Independent film in China
  The death and revival of independent film in China / Variety

• Norwegian soccer player becomes Chinese citizen
  Norwegian becomes first naturalized Chinese soccer player / Caixin

• TV shows
  Top 10 overview of China’s most popular TV dramas February 2019 / What’s on Weibo

VIDEO ON SUPCHINA

Some fun things to do in the snow!

Most cities in China don’t get much snow during the winter, but people still think of ways to have fun with it. And once the snow arrives, they put their creativity to work.

FEATURED ON SUPCHINA

Fight sexual harassment: A poster featuring Li Tingting of China’s Feminist Five

Employers in New York State are required by law to adopt a sexual harassment policy that meets certain minimum standards. Among other requirements, according to this new policy, employers must display information about these standards in a publicly available place. Here at The China Project, a proudly feminist Brooklyn-based company, we are of course happy to oblige — and give a shout-out to Chinese feminists while we’re at it. Our poster model is Li Tingting (a.k.a. Li Maizi), one of China’s Feminist Five.

Love in rural China series: ‘My dad is no different than I am’

In 2018, Clarinda Blais spent nine months living in Sanpi, a small village in Huangchuan County, Henan, about 230 kilometers from Wuhan. She returned this year to spend the Spring Festival with her host family in the hopes of answering a question: What is love in rural China? This story is about Yu Xiaoqing 余晓青, 22, and his father, whose expectations for him are a source of friction.

SINICA PODCAST NETWORK

Sinica Podcast: China’s ethnic policy in Xinjiang and Tibet: The move toward assimilation

This week on the Sinica Podcast, Jeremy and Kaiser speak with Tashi Rabgey, research professor of international affairs at George Washington University and director of the Tibet Governance Project. They are joined by returning guest Jim Millward, professor of history at Georgetown University and renowned scholar of Xinjiang and Central Asia. This episode focuses on their respective areas of expertise: human rights violations in the Xinjiang region; the P.R.C. approach to ethnic policies in Tibet and Xinjiang, referred to on this show as minzu (民族 mínzú) policy; and the assimilation and securitization of both regions.

• Subscribe to the Sinica Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, or Stitcher, or plug the RSS feed into your favorite podcast app.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Snow on the Forbidden City

It snowed again in Beijing today. This photo by Tai Gang shows the back entrance of the Forbidden City (故宫 gùgōng; literally, “old palace”), looking majestic under the fresh dusting.