A new state security chief steps up, while a property giant chief steps down

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

China has appointed a new state security minister, Chén Yīxīn 陈一新, who has spent many years in Zhejiang, like many new appointees in the third term of Xí Jìnpíng 习近平. He replaces Chēn Wénqīng 陈文清 (no relation), who was promoted to oversee police, legal affairs, and intelligence. Meanwhile, further reports underscore Xi’s complete dominance of China’s government after the just-concluded 20th Party congress.

The real estate sector looked a little wobblier again today, with news of the sudden resignation of Wú Yàjūn 吴亚军, the founder and chairperson giant of Chinese property company Longfor, “fueling a further selloff that dragged many securities to record lows,” per Bloomberg. Wu started her career as a journalist and is sometimes called the world’s richest self-made woman.

Is China giving more money to Pacific friends? A new analysis from Sydney-based think tank the Lowy Institute reports that, while China’s overall aid to Pacific nations dropped from a peak of $287 million in 2016 to $187 million in 2020, it has increased financial support to new diplomatic supporters Solomon Islands and Kiribati.

A high-level U.S.-China phone call: Russia’s war on Ukraine and Biden’s sweeping export controls were discussed (statements from Washington, Beijing) in a bilateral phone call between Chinese Foreign Minister Wáng Yì 王毅 and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday, as the two nations try to “return to a normal track” following growing tensions over the past few months.

• Wang Yi also welcomed Nicholas Burns, the U.S. ambassador to China, to his new post on Friday.

Clapping can now get you prison time in Hong Kong, at least that’s what two supporters of a prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activist were convicted of on Thursday, after they had expressed “seditious” public support at the sentencing of lawyer and vocal China critic Chow Hang-tung (鄒幸彤 Zōu Xìngtóng) in January.

• Meanwhile, two people have been convicted of rioting near government headquarters during the 2019 protests and unrest, including a 14-year-old minor.

Another great quarter for BYD: Electric vehicle (EV) and battery manufacturer BYD Auto has announced revenue for the third quarter of 117.08 billion yuan ($16.13 billion), a year-on-year increase of 115.6%, and a net profit of 5.72 billion yuan ($788.09 million), an increase of 350.3%. BYD also announced it was ordering eight cargo ships, at a total cost of 5 billion yuan ($688.89 million), to ship its vehicles to overseas markets. See today’s Business briefs from the Chinese media, with more links and info on:

• A new government big data system.
• New rules for celebrity endorsements.

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