Highlighted Links for Monday, July 18, 2022

Below are links to other noteworthy reports published in the last 24 hours from and about China. Click through to our China NewsBase to see all the other stories we collected today.

BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY:

Kingsoft word processor freezes document, raising concerns over privacy
Kingsoft word processor scandal raises awkward questions for cloud firms / Caixin (paywall)
“Kingsoft Corp., the company behind one of China’s most popular word processors, was forced to deny that it censored a writer’s draft novel — stored on her hard drive — by locking her out of it. The incident raises awkward questions for cloud service providers about unauthorized policing of private documents.”
A frozen document in China unleashes a furor over privacy / WSJ (paywall)

China’s economy hits weakest growth rate in over two years
China’s economy records 0.4% growth, weakest since Wuhan lockdown / WSJ (paywall)
“China recorded its weakest growth rate in more than two years, a measure of the costs imposed on the world’s second-largest economy by Beijing’s zero-tolerance approach to Covid-19. Gross domestic product expanded at a 0.4% annual rate in the April to June period, China’s National Bureau of Statistics said Friday.”
China’s economy shrinks 2.6% during virus shutdowns / AP
China’s economic growth slows to 0.4%, weakest in two years / Washington Post (paywall)
China posts weakest quarterly growth in 2 years on COVID lockdowns / Nikkei Asia (paywall)
China central bank governor pledges stronger support to economy / Bloomberg (paywall)
In prolonged war against COVID, China’s economy is a victim / WSJ (paywall)
China’s economic comeback from COVID-19 shutdowns likely to be slow and bumpy / WSJ (paywall)

Property sector struggles amid mortgage boycott
China urges banks to extend loans for real estate projects amid mortgage boycott / Reuters
“Chinese regulators stepped up efforts to encourage lenders to extend loans to qualified real estate projects as the beleaguered property sector faced fresh risks from a widening mortgage-payment boycott on unfinished houses.”
China banks told to bail out property developers as mortgage boycotts threaten economy / Guardian
China risks hard landing of housing sector, ex-official warns / Bloomberg (paywall)
China banks report $312 million of bad loans in mortgage boycott / Bloomberg (paywall)
Beijing’s assurances on mortgage protests fail to convince investors / Reuters

CATL considers locations in Mexico for factories
Tesla’s Chinese battery maker is scoping out factory sites in Mexico / Bloomberg (paywall)
“China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd., the world’s biggest maker of batteries for electric vehicles, is considering at least two locations in Mexico for a manufacturing plant to potentially supply Tesla Inc. and Ford Motor Co.”

No more Jeeps made in China
Stellantis ending China Jeep production in radical shift / Bloomberg (paywall)
“Stellantis NV is halting production of Jeeps in China and ending a 12-year joint venture with GAC Group after failing to gain traction in the world’s biggest car market.”

SCIENCE, HEALTH, AND ENVIRONMENT:

Beijing communities backtrack on COVID-monitoring wristbands
Beijing neighborhoods take back electronic bracelets after quarantine complaints / Caixin (paywall)
“Several neighborhoods in Beijing are retrieving Covid-19 monitors they gave out to residents in home quarantine, after online criticism of the requirement to wear the temperature gauges during isolation gained considerable traction.”
Some Beijing travelers asked to wear COVID monitoring bracelets, sparking outcry / Reuters
Beijing communities asking people to wear electronic monitoring wristband during home quarantine / What’s on Weibo

Cholera fears over turtles in Wuhan
In China’s Wuhan, cholera-causing bacteria in turtles strikes nerve / Reuters
“Detection in the Chinese city of Wuhan of a bacteria that caused cholera in a student and was separately found in samples from softshell turtles at a food market has struck a sensitive nerve with ordinary Chinese people, with some relating it to COVID-19.”

POLITICS AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS:

Hong Kong continues to crush dissent
Hong Kong court jails young men who tried fleeing to Taiwan by boat / Reuters
“Seven Hong Kong men who tried to flee Hong Kong by speedboat to escape protest related charges were on Friday sentenced to between seven and 10 months imprisonment for acts to ‘pervert the course of justice.’”
Hong Kong pro-democracy activist says group was forced to delete online posts allegedly violating security law / HKFP
The League of Social Democrats, one of Hong Kong’s final remaining pro-democracy groups, had to delete online posts since it allegedly disobeyed Beijing’s National Security Law. Under this Beijing-imposed law, another protester was tried for “thought crimes” of carrying zip-ties. The first to be convicted under this National Security Law had to pay HK$1.38 million ($175,800) in court fees.

China continues selling chips and more to Russia
Chinese firms are selling Russia goods its military needs to keep fighting in Ukraine / WSJ (paywall)
“Chinese exports to Russia of microchips and other electronic components and raw materials, some with military applications, have increased since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, complicating efforts by the U.S. and Western allies to isolate the country’s economy and cripple its military.”

A reset of China-Australia ties?
China willing to ‘recalibrate’ ties with Australia – Wang Yi / Reuters
“China-Australia relations are facing both challenges and opportunities at the present, and China is willing to ‘recalibrate’ ties in the spirit of mutual respect, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wáng Yì 王毅.”
China willing to ‘recalibrate’ strained Australia ties, FM says / Al Jazeera
End of coal ban would stabilize China relations, Australia says / Bloomberg (paywall)

China’s Pacific schmooze does not stop
China hosts political dialogue with Pacific on same day as regional leaders meet / Reuters
“China hosted a separate political dialogue with Pacific island countries on the same day Pacific Island Forum leaders met and agreed to resolve security issues within “the family”, highlighting rising geopolitical competition in the region.”
Pacific Islands urge unity in face of China ambition / BBC

China’s African schmooze does not stop
Chinese diplomats flock to Africa in response to Western charm offensive / SCMP (paywall)
Xǔ Jìnghú 许镜湖, China’s special representative on African affairs, is on an eight-nation tour.

SOCIETY AND CULTURE:

Performance art on polluted waters
Chinese artist stirs climate action with toxic soup, rock music / Bloomberg (paywall)
“China’s famous environmental artist Nut Brother struggles to keep exposing problems as authorities tighten their grip on the media.”

Dior faces cultural appropriation allegations for copying traditional Chinese skirt
Dior draws fresh fire in China, this time over ‘hallmark’ skirt resembling Ming and Qing attire / SCMP (paywall)
“French luxury brand Dior has come under criticism in China after launching a skirt said to resemble a piece of ancient Chinese clothing, branded by the company as its ‘hallmark silhouette.’”
Mamianqun gate: Dior accused of cultural appropriation for copying design of traditional Chinese skirt / What’s on Weibo

It’s hard to buy pepper spray as a woman in China
Women want pepper spray to keep safe, but buying it isn’t easy / Sixth Tone
“Chinese women are flocking to e-commerce platforms to buy pepper spray amid growing instances of gender-based violence, but they are finding it difficult to get their hands on such products due to the country’s ‘regulatory gray area’ on general use, domestic media reported Wednesday.”