Links for Monday, November 14, 2022

Xi-Albanese to meet at G20
Australia confirms Xi-Albanese talks in Bali, signaling possible thaw in ties / SCMP (paywall)
Albanese meeting with Chinese premier heralds potential thaw in diplomatic freeze / Guardian
Australian PM wants to ask China’s Xi to lift trade barriers / AP
Australia PM Albanese to meet with China’s Xi on Tuesday / Reuters

China eases some pandemic rules but quashes reports it is “relaxing” COVID zero
China eases some pandemic policies, while sticking to ‘zero COVID’ / NYT (paywall)
China says it’s refining COVID rules, not relaxing controls / Bloomberg (paywall)
China eases zero-COVID rules as economic toll and frustrations mount / WSJ (paywall)
China eases some quarantine for travelers even as cases rise / AP
China cuts COVID quarantine rules while Guangzhou nears lockdown / FT (paywall)
China’s looser COVID rules tested with surging outbreak / Bloomberg (paywall)

Tesla to help investigate fatal car crash
Tesla says it will assist police probe into fatal crash in China / Reuters
“U.S. automaker Tesla said on Sunday it will assist Chinese police investigating a crash involving one of its Model Y cars after local media reports said two people had died and three were injured when the driver lost control of the vehicle.”
Tesla responds to deadly car crash in China’s Chaozhou, conflicting with driver’s relatives / TechNode
Tesla to assist investigation into fatal Chinese car crash / Bloomberg (paywall)

Hong Kong protest anthem played at rugby match in South Korea
Hong Kong furious as protest song replaces China anthem at match / Al Jazeera
Hong Kong demands inquiry after protest song is played before rugby match / NYT (paywall)
Protest song played for Hong Kong rugby team in South Korea / AP
Hong Kong demands probe as pro-democracy protest song played instead of anthem at Korean Rugby 7s / HKFP
Hong Kong blasts protest song replacing China national anthem at rugby final / Bloomberg (paywall)

Nanjing Zoo turns to virtual adoptions to help pay its bills
Nanjing Zoo encourages virtual animal adoption amid cash crunch / Sixth Tone
“One of China’s largest zoos is pleading with the general public to digitally adopt its animals and
partly help foot its bills, as strict COVID-19 control measures and reduced traffic have dealt a blow to its finances.”

Alibaba keeps Singles Day sales secret, while Chinese brands sell big
Alibaba Singles’ Day sales kept a secret for the first time / Bloomberg (paywall)
“Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. decided not to disclose full sales results for its signature Singles’ Day shopping festival for the first time, after forecasts that the figure may suffer a decline unprecedented in the event’s 14-year history.”
On Alibaba’s Singles Day, Chinese brands fill shopping baskets / NYT (paywall)
“As geopolitical and economic pressures mount, homegrown businesses are increasingly the preferred choice over Western competitors in a more insular China.”
Chinese brands outnumber foreign names among Singles Day best-sellers / Reuters
Xiaomi tops Android phone sales during Singles Day with 11.9% yearly sales drop / TechNode
Cupid’s Singles Day arrow wide of the mark for China’s weary shoppers / FT (paywall)

Xi’s policies stoke overseas anxieties for Chinese startups
The dilemma of Chinese startups going global / TechCrunch
“They dread getting caught in geopolitical crossfire as they venture into foreign markets.”

Virtual reality is booming in China
Virtual reality investment ‘exploded’ in China in 2021, government says / SCMP (paywall)
“Virtual reality (VR) funding in China more than doubled in 2021 despite the COVID-19 pandemic, government data showed, as Beijing ramps up support for the industry.”

Shanghai trade expo rakes in deals
Shanghai Int’l Trade Expo wraps up with $73.5 billion deals / Sixth Tone
“Tentative deals worth $73.5 billion were inked at the 2022 China International Import Expo, marking a 3.9% increase from the previous year, organizers said, as the fifth edition of the annual exhibition concluded in Shanghai on Thursday.”

Countries grow wary over Chinese stakes in their ports
China’s global port investments give rise to security worries / WSJ (paywall)
“The expanding network could make it easier for Beijing to service a Chinese navy that has become one of Washington’s biggest military concerns, analysts say.”

Rich Chinese head to Singapore to secure their wealth
China’s elite seek safety abroad / FT (paywall)
“Wealthy look to Singapore for personal and financial protection as [Xí Jìnpíng 习近平] tightens grip on power.”

TuSimple reshuffles leadership
Self-driving startup TuSimple ousts CEO, independent directors / Bloomberg (paywall)
“TuSimple Holdings, a self-driving vehicle startup that recently went through a U.S. national security review, ousted its interim chief executive officer and most of its board.”

China’s stakes in Canada’s critical minerals
China has links to dozens of Canadian miners tied to critical minerals / Bloomberg (paywall)
“China has built up stakes in more than two dozen Canadian mining companies, including some of the industry’s biggest names. Canada’s latest crackdown on foreign investments in critical minerals is about to put a chill on such activity.”

Strong dollar pares oil gains after COVID optimism
Oil slips as stronger dollar offsets optimism over China demand / Bloomberg (paywall)
Oil reverses gains, falls on China COVID surge, firmer dollar / Reuters

China-U.S. meetings at East Asia Summit in Phnom Penh and G20 in Bali
Biden meets Xi in Bali as US-China tensions mount / FT (paywall)
In an era of confrontation, Biden and Xi seek to set terms / NYT (paywall)
“Their first in-person presidential meeting, coming after both warned of deepening military, economic and diplomatic rivalry, will show how they address a range of U.S.-China tensions.”
Joe Biden will seek to establish US-China red lines in Xi Jinping talks / Guardian
Power charged by recent home wins, Xi and Biden finally meet in Bali / SCMP (paywall)
Xi tells Biden that China and the United States should take history as a mirror – state media / Reuters
Chinese leader Xi Jinping arrives in Indonesia’s Bali for G20 summit / Reuters
Biden, Xi greet each other warmly as they meet for talks ahead of G20 / Reuters
Biden meets Xi as Asia allies look to lower temperature / Bloomberg (paywall)
Biden shakes hands with Xi as leaders call for easing tensions / Bloomberg (paywall)
China premier Li emphasized ‘irresponsibility’ of nuclear threats at Asia summit – U.S. official / Reuters
U.S. official says China is uncomfortable with Russia’s rhetoric, activity in Ukraine / WSJ (paywall)