Links for Monday, July 18, 2022

Political graffiti and independent bookstores in Hong Kong
Peeling paint in Hong Kong reveals work of newly relevant ‘King’ / NYT (paywall)
Amid exodus and societal shifts, Hong Kong’s independent bookstores offer freedom of thought, community / HKFP

China’s disabled community finds light and darkness in AI job prospects
In trAIning machines, China’s disabled find new hope, old woes / Sixth Tone
“As China ramps up on feeding data into AI, people with disabilities wrestle with the job prospects it brings.”

China’s nightlife scene suffering under zero-COVID strategy
For China’s nightlife scene, ‘zero COVID’ an unceasing ordeal / Al Jazeera
“China’s ultra-strict ‘dynamic zero-COVID’ strategy, under which entire cities are shut down over a handful of cases, has taken an especially heavy toll on the country’s live music and entertainment establishments, which are typically among the last businesses to benefit from easing restrictions.”

Chinese foreign minister calls out U.S. interference in Syria
Chinese foreign minister criticizes U.S. ‘meddling’ in Middle East as Joe Biden continues tour of region / SCMP (paywall)
“Chinese Foreign Minister Wáng Yì 王毅 has hit out at U.S. President Joe Biden’s trip to the Middle East, telling his Syrian counterpart that the region’s future should be decided by its people.”

An in-depth tour of a fourth-tier Chinese city
What’s a 4th-tier Chinese city like? / Pekingnology
“The streets of Chenzhou are an overwhelming cacophony of car horns, recordable mics screaming shop discounts, and wizened chain-smoking uncles dragging up a half-century of tar from their lungs every five seconds.”

Chaos in Sri Lanka: Hope for Chinese aid and a warning for investors
China will agree to aid ‘at some point,’ Sri Lanka envoy says / Bloomberg (paywall)
“Sri Lanka is continuing negotiations with China for as much as $4 billion in aid and is confident Beijing will agree ‘at some point,’ according to a top envoy.”
Sri Lanka turmoil highlights risk for Chinese firms investing overseas / SCMP (paywall)

The collapse of China’s global image
Party finds it easier to win hearts and minds at home than overseas / SCMP (paywall)
“Trust in the government built up during Xi’s first term, but recent crises amid an economic downturn had severely compromised Beijing’s efforts to maintain its credibility, said a political scientist based in Nanjing….while Beijing has had some success in managing its domestic image, its credibility on the international stage is a different story.”

China pushes UN to halt supply of small arms to Haiti amid upsurge in crime
China urges UN to ban small arms to criminal gangs in Haiti / AP
“China urged the UN Security Council on Thursday to try to cut off the supply of small arms, light weapons and ammunition to gangs in Haiti, which has been unable to stem an upsurge in criminal violence and kidnappings.”
UN Council urges halt to small arms reaching Haiti gangs / AP
China pushes for UN arms embargo on Haiti criminal gangs / Reuters

China destroyed Japanese self-defense aircraft in Xinjiang
Satellite photos show China destroyed object similar to Japan plane / Nikkei Asia (paywall)
“China has destroyed an object believed to be shaped like a Japan Self-Defense Forces (SDF) aircraft in a desert area of Xinjiang, Nikkei has learned through analysis of satellite photographs with experts. The object may have been used for missile attack training on hypothetical targets in Japan.”

Genuine Biotech’s COVID pill gives lackluster results
Genuine Biotech reports unimpressive results for oral COVID pill / Caixin (paywall)
“Chinese drugmaker Genuine Biotech reported unimpressive trial results for its Azvudine Covid treatment, prompting a sell-off in related drug stocks. The response reflected concerns that Azvudine’s clinical trial results fell short of regulatory recommendations.”

China faces COVID surge, sees most cases since May
China COVID cases climb in new risk to economic activity / Bloomberg (paywall)
“China’s daily tally of Covid-19 cases rose to the highest level in more than seven weeks, as infections spread in some central, northwestern and southern provinces.”
China sees most COVID cases since May as lockdowns spread / Bloomberg (paywall)

Water politics of Poyang Lake
Will a barrier to the Yangtze River save Poyang Lake? / Caixin (paywall)

Liaoning Fangda seeks emergency loan of $3 billion from Hainan government
Hainan Airlines’ operator seeks $3 billion emergency loan, sources say / Caixin (paywall)
Beijing-based strategic investor Liaoning Fangda, which took control of HNA Group’s core airline operations as part of the conglomerate’s restructuring, is “seeking an emergency loan of 20 billion yuan ($3 billion) from the Hainan provincial government and billions more in financial assistance.”

State-owned steel
China moves to control iron-ore imports with new state company / WSJ (paywall)
“China, the world’s largest producer of steel, is close to setting up a new state-owned group that will control all imports of steelmaking ingredients, part of a drive to gain more control over resources needed for the country’s growth at a time of rising tensions with the West.”

BYD and TSMC rake in profits in the first half of 2022
BYD notches record profit as sales surge in first half of 2022 / TechNode
TSMC’s revenue increases 43.5% to $18.2 billion in 2022 Q2 / TechNode

Fast fashion giant Shein to pursue New York IPO in 2024
Fast fashion retailer Shein eyes New York IPO in 2024 / TechNode
“Chinese fast fashion platform Shein continues to pursue plans to go public in the U.S., according to a new report from Bloomberg. The article states that the firm is working toward a 2024 listing in the US, which the firm hopes will value its business at about $100 billion.”

Alibaba summoned over massive data breach
Alibaba execs called in by Shanghai authorities over police data heist / Nikkei Asia (paywall)
“Executives and senior technicians from Alibaba Group Holding were summoned by Shanghai police on July 3 after the law enforcement agency suffered what appears to be one of the biggest data breaches in history, individuals briefed on the matter tell Nikkei Asia.”
Scrutiny of Alibaba in record breach may ensnare all China tech / Bloomberg (paywall)

Double-digit unemployment rate in Shanghai
Shanghai jobless rate soars amid COVID-19 lockdowns / Caixin (paywall)
“Shanghai’s urban unemployment rate climbed to 12.5% in the second quarter, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, making it the only province-level area in China with a double-digit jobless level during the period.”

Xi’s policies may be driving foreign capital out of China
China is pariah for global investors as Xi’s policies backfire / Bloomberg (paywall)
“After drawing foreign capital into China’s markets for years, President Xi Jinping is now facing the risk of a nasty period of financial de-globalization. Investors point to one main reason why: Xi’s own policies.”

JD.com expands logistics infrastructure
JD.com unit buys one of China’s largest warehouse operators / Caixin (paywall)
“In an exchange filing Thursday, the Beijing-based e-commerce giant said that its infrastructure management unit, JD Property, has exercised its option to buy China Logistics Property Holdings Co. Ltd. outright after taking a significant stake in the Hong Kong-listed company.”
JD acquires China Logistics Property Holdings, expands its logistics infrastructure / TechNode

Video platform Douyin releases food delivery service
Douyin, China’s TikTok, tests food delivery, bringing ByteDance into a market dominated by Meituan and Alibaba / SCMP (paywall)
“ByteDance’s Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, is once again wading into the food delivery market by testing a new feature that would bring it into direct competition with market leaders Meituan and Alibaba Group Holding.”

China’s Xi makes unlikely visit to Xinjiang
China’s President Xi says security measures in Xinjiang should become regular / Reuters
“China will make security measures in Xinjiang a regular fixture while requiring Islamic practices to conform to Chinese sensibilities, President Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 said on Friday during a visit to the northwestern frontier region, state broadcaster CCTV reported.”
China’s Xi Jinping makes rare visit to Xinjiang / Guardian
China’s Xi made rare visit to Xinjiang / WSJ (paywall)
China’s Xi urges unity on rare visit to once-restive Xinjiang / Reuters
China’s Xi visits Xinjiang for first time in eight years / Nikkei Asia (paywall)

Chinese smartphone brands are facing legal charges in India
India escalates crackdown on Chinese phone makers / FT (paywall)
“The pressure on Chinese smartphone brands comes as New Delhi seeks to build up its domestic tech sector and reduce dependence on imports, and against a backdrop of frosty relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors over their disputed border.”

China accelerates issuance of special local government bonds to help local banks
China expedites local government debt issuance to bolster capital of smaller banks / Reuters
“China’s banking regulator has worked with the finance ministry and central bank to accelerate the issuance of special local government bonds to help supplement the capital of small and medium-sized banks, China Banking and Insurance News reported.”
30% of China’s local governments may face severe debt strain: S&P / Nikkei Asia (paywall)

Tighter regulations for online lending
China issues more rules for online lending to control risks / Caixin (paywall)
“The additional rules further clarify the requirements for loan management and independent risk control expected of lenders, according to a Q&A published by the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) on Friday.”

Honda and Muji jointly develop basic ebike
A bicycle made by two: Honda and Muji tie up for China ebike / Nikkei Asia (paywall)
“Honda Motor and Ryohin Keikaku, operator of the Muji brand, have jointly developed a bike that can reach a top speed of 25 kph. They are hoping to sell the bike to the young fans of Muji as being the perfect way to commute over short distances, particularly in urban areas.”

Plummeting price for Sichuan peppercorns
What inflation? China’s peppercorn purveyors are feeling the heat. / Washington Post (paywall)
“From Sichuan peppercorns to cotton to housing, the concern this year in China is sinking prices. It’s a stark difference from the West, where consumers are coping with eye-watering inflation.”

Hong Kong consumers are unhappy with food delivery platforms
Complaints against food delivery platforms in Hong Kong increase by over 35% in first half of 2022 / HKFP
“The watchdog listed details of three complaints in a press conference on Monday. The cases involved issues surrounding the pricing difference between the online platforms and the restaurant, membership fees, as well as delivery problems.”

China’s oil refineries see first annual output decline since 2011
China’s refinery output in first annual decline since at least 2011 / Reuters
“China’s refinery throughput for the six months to June marked the first annual decline for the period since at least 2011, data showed on Friday, as strict COVID-19 restrictions and fuel export curbs dampened production.”

Chinese banks to repay more victims following banking scandal protests
China banks vow to repay more customers after protests / HKFP
“Chinese regulators have promised to repay more victims of one of the country’s biggest-ever banking scandals, after hundreds of thousands of customers were left without access to funds, triggering rare mass protests.”

China’s heat wave pushes tourists to cooler destinations
Chinese heatwave prompts tourists to head to the high ground / SCMP (paywall)
“The heatwave sweeping across China is pushing tourists to seek out cooler destinations this summer following the easing of restrictions on domestic travel.”

U.S. sails Navy ship near disputed islands in South China Sea
U.S. Navy ship again sails near disputed South China Sea islands / Reuters
“A U.S. Navy destroyer sailed near the disputed Spratly Islands on Saturday, the U.S. Navy said, its second such ‘freedom of navigation’ operation in a week in the South China Sea.”

Possible U.S. sale of military technology to Taiwan approved
U.S. approves possible sale of military assistance to Taiwan / Reuters
“The U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of military technical assistance to Taiwan worth an estimated $108 million, the Pentagon said on Friday.”

Former British prime minister rallies Western powers against China
Tony Blair urges western powers to stand up to China / PA Media via Guardian
“Tony Blair has issued a rallying call to western nations to come together to develop a coherent strategy to counter the rise of China as ‘the world’s second superpower.’”

U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen calls on allies to combat China’s trade practices
U.S., allies cannot allow China to dominate raw materials, technologies – Yellen / Reuters
“U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will call on Tuesday for deeper trade ties among allies to fortify their supply chains, combat inflation and thwart China’s ‘unfair trade practices’ and efforts to dominate key raw materials and technologies markets.”

Hong Kong sentences fake marriage ringleaders to nearly three years in prison
Hong Kong bogus marriage ‘masterminds’ sentenced to 33 months in prison / Caixin (paywall)
“A Hong Kong district court has sentenced the ringleaders of a gang that arranged more than 150 fake cross-border marriages to almost three years in prison, a longer term than usual due to the seriousness and extent of their criminal activities.”

Chinese pop star Jackson Yee rejects National Theater job after public reaction
Chinese celebrity Jackson Yee bows out of National Theatre post after public backlash / SCMP (paywall)
“The Chinese pop star and actor Jackson Yee said on Sunday he would not take up a post at the National Theatre of China on Sunday after his recruitment prompted accusations that celebrities were being given preferential treatment.”