News Briefing for Monday, September 26, 2022

Here’s what else you need to know about China today:

The 90-year-old retired cardinal put behind bars in Hong Kong in March stood trial today for allegedly failing to report a now-shuttered support fund that helped bail out anti-government protesters in the city three years ago. Cardinal Joseph Zen (陳日君 Chén Rìjūn) had publicly advocated for the city’s pro-democracy movement and criticized the Vatican’s growing relationship with Beijing, which had previously landed him in hot water.

China’s investment promises to Afghanistan have been held up over Beijing’s concerns about a Uyghur separatist group, despite the Taliban’s reassurances to Beijing.

See also on The China Project:

• February — China ‘deeply concerned’ about Uyghur militants in Afghanistan, ambassador says
• August — China is very active in Afghanistan one year after the U.S. withdrawal — Q&A with Niva Yau

Second-hand electric cars are a thing in China now: From January to August this year, the transaction volume of used new energy vehicles in China was 139,900 units, a year-on-year increase of 94.93%. As of June, there were 10.01 million electric vehicles on China’s roads, accounting for around 3% of all vehicles. See today’s Business briefs from the Chinese media, with more links and info on:

• Bumper autumn grain harvest in sight.
• Shanghai Port expanding to keep up with Singapore.

Home buyers are squatting in their own unfinished homes, according to a new report: “‘All the family’s savings were invested in this house,’ Xu, 55, told Reuters from the Xiulan County Mansion complex, her room bare except for a mosquito net-covered bed, a few necessities and empty bottles on the floor.”

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