Highlighted links for Wednesday, November 16, 2022

Below are links to other noteworthy reports published in the last 24 hours from and about China.

BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY:

Chinese people are getting a lot of cash back on their taxes
China’s refunded more taxes in 2022 than last 3 years combined / Bloomberg (paywall)
“China has handed out more value-added tax rebates this year than all of what it refunded in the last three years combined, the government said, as authorities try to help businesses weather COVID and other economic headwinds.”

Beijing reiterates economic support after disappointing October data
China vows to make stabilizing growth a higher priority / Bloomberg (paywall)
“China’s top economic planning agency said it will make stabilizing the economy a higher priority as it expects hard work will be needed to sustain growth in the remainder of the year.”

Will China’s property rescue work?
Doubts hang over China’s property sector rescue package / Nikkei Asia (paywall)
Optimism builds for China’s property sector after state financial package / FT (paywall)
China home prices fell most in seven years before sector rescue / Bloomberg (paywall)

U.S. dependency on Chinese solar
The U.S.’s struggle to wean itself from Chinese solar power / WSJ (paywall)
“To compete in a business dominated by its geopolitical rival, the U.S. needs to build a supply chain nearly from scratch.”

PBoC report on the yuan
Central bank report on yuan/RMB internationalization since 2017 / Pekingnology
Pekingnology translates a de facto report of the progress in the Chinese yuan’s internationalization from the People’s Bank of China.

Chinese sponsors dominate World Cup spending
Chi­na’s busi­ness­es get top billing at World Cup af­ter team flops / Al Jazeera
“Chi­nese brands, in­clud­ing Wan­da Group and Vivo, are the biggest-spend­ing spon­sors at the 2022 tour­na­ment.”

Mercedes cuts prices of Chinese EVs to keep up with competition
Mercedes slashes China EV prices by up to $33,000 as sales lag / Bloomberg (paywall)
“Mercedes-Benz Group AG cut prices on two electric car models in China by as much as $33,000, as heated competition in the world’s biggest EV market impacts sales.”
Mercedes-Benz follows Tesla and cuts EV prices in China / FT (paywall)

SCIENCE, HEALTH, AND ENVIRONMENT:

Confusion and frustration under COVID zero
COVID lockdown chaos sets off a rare protest in a Chinese city / NYT (paywall)
China continues to relax COVID measures even as local officials battle record cases / WSJ (paywall)
Footage shows rare protest against COVID lockdown in China / NYT (paywall)
Fear and panic in Chinese city rumored to be exiting COVID zero / Bloomberg (paywall)
Frustration turns to anger in China due to ongoing COVID curbs / Al Jazeera
In ‘zero-COVID’ China, 1 case locks down Peking University / AP
China’s virus cases surge to near 20,000 in test for COVID zero / Bloomberg (paywall)

POLITICS AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS:

World’s two biggest Western economies are split on China
The stark U.S.-German differences on China / Politico
“The transatlantic partners split on the nature of the country under Xi, and the extent of economic partnership with Beijing.”

Xi-Biden afterglow
Biden-Xi talks mark shift in U.S.-China ties / WSJ (paywall)
Xi-Biden talk: Assurances, clearer line on Taiwan, a new framework / Beijing Channel

Less frosty China-Australia ties?
Xi calls for improved China-Australia relations at G-20 / Caixin (paywall)
“President [Xí Jìnpíng 习近平] said China and Australia need to “improve, uphold and further develop” their relationship, which has experienced difficulties in recent years, during the first formal meeting of the nations’ leaders since 2016.”

Vaccines do the heavy lifting in China’s foreign aid donations
China’s aid exports hit $1.3 billion last year on vaccine gifts / Bloomberg (paywall)
“Chinese donations of physical aid jumped to almost $1.3 billion last year as the government, companies and individuals gave vaccines, food and other goods to foreign nations.”

U.S. and Canada crackdown on Chinese overseas spying
Chinese national faces sentencing in U.S. aviation spying case / AP
Researcher accused of spying for China seeks bail in Canada / Reuters
U.S. advises academic researchers on stopping Chinese spying / Bloomberg (paywall)

Germany, divided on China, begins to court Taiwan
German economic official heads to Taiwan as Berlin looks beyond Beijing / SCMP (paywall)
“Germany has sent a senior economics official to Taiwan on a brief trip as Berlin weighs up both its ties with the island and its trade and political relationship with Beijing.”

Taiwan tensions at COP27
China complains over support for Taiwan at COP27 climate summit / Reuters
“China on Tuesday criticized calls made by some COP27 delegations for Taiwan to be included in the annual climate talks process.”

Beijing revises rules for online comments
China publishes revised rules to regulate online comments / Reuters
“China’s cyberspace regulator on Wednesday published revised rules to regulate online comments, which will be effective from December 15.”

SOCIETY AND CULTURE:

Can contemporary art in China survive COVID zero?
Were Art021 and West Bund Shanghai ‘sanitized to death’? / Ocula
“The two strongest contemporary art fairs in Mainland China had to close prematurely after just one person tested positive for COVID.”

The job market is only going to get tougher for young graduates
China’s record graduates to pressure youth jobs market in 2023 / Bloomberg (paywall)
“China’s youth unemployment, already near an all-time high, faces more pressure next year as a record number of graduates enter the labor market.”
China vows new graduate support as youth unemployment woes linger / SCMP (paywall)

Lonely Planet shutters Chinese-language magazine
‘End of an era’ as Lonely Planet folds its Chinese magazine / Sixth Tone
“Lonely Planet, one of the biggest names in travel guidebooks, said Monday that it will no longer offer its Chinese-language magazine at a time when the paperback industry has seen plummeting sales and is pivoting to digital.”

Retired Paralympic athletes face grim prospects
For China’s Paralympic stars, retirement brings a harsh new reality / Sixth Tone
“China holds up its world-beating Paralympic team as national heroes. Yet some of its greatest stars are falling into unemployment and depression after retiring.”

Animal shelters in Beijing
After rescuing animals half my life, i can’t help them anymore / World of Chinese
“‘I’ve never regretted it’: How a Beijing animal shelter tried to make a difference — and what happens when they no longer can.”