Highlighted Links for Thursday, November 17, 2022

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

BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY:

• BYD sells 3 million electric vehicles
  BYD hits production landmark of 3 million EVs, plans new brand / TechNode
  “BYD said on Wednesday it had reached the notable milestone of 3 million electric vehicles produced, a number comparable to Tesla’s 3.2 million cars as of October. BYD is the first Chinese automaker to cross the 3 million mark.”

• Taiwan turns to tax breaks to maintain chip dominance
  Taiwan approves tax breaks in fight for more chip investment / Bloomberg (paywall)
  “Taiwan expanded tax breaks for companies that invest in technology research and production in an attempt to strengthen the island’s semiconductor industry and help maintain its leading position in the global chip supply chain.”

• It hasn’t been so simple for TuSimple
  TuSimple co-founder takes control of self-driving trucking company / WSJ (paywall)
  “TuSimple co-founder Mo Chen has taken control of the self-driving trucking company as federal authorities continue to investigate TuSimple’s relationship with Mr. Chen’s other startup, a Chinese hydrogen-trucking company.”

• Hong Kong unemployment eases, corporate paychecks set to bump up in 2023
  Hong Kong’s August-October unemployment eases to 3.8%, improving for 6th straight period / Reuters
  Hong Kong salaries to rise 3.8% in 2023 with best upside in banking / SCMP (paywall)

• Ride-hailing wars
  Rival ride-hailing apps challenge Didi in world’s biggest market / Caixin (paywall)
  “Upstarts have eaten away at the struggling company’s dominant position in China, but like the market leader, not one has turned a profit.”

SCIENCE, HEALTH, AND ENVIRONMENT:

• Convenient COVID testing, if you have money
  Zhengzhou COVID testing point launches nucleic acid VIP service / What’s on Weibo (paywall)
  “The launch of this local ‘VIP service’ comes at a time when some cities and regions in China are ending free COVID-19 tests, although frequent Covid testing and mandatory negative PCR test results are central to China’s anti-epidemic strategy.”

• Confusion over China’s pandemic policy
  China vows to build more hospitals to brace for COVID surge / Bloomberg (paywall)
  China COVID easing prompts warning from emigration group / Bloomberg (paywall)
  Chinese city of Guangzhou struggles to rein in record COVID outbreak / FT (paywall)
  Hong Kong’s bananas-only rule shows struggle to exit COVID curbs / WSJ (paywall)
  What videos show about the extremes of China’s ‘zero COVID’ policy / NYT (paywall)

• Australia’s Rudd thinks Beijing is gradually exiting COVID zero
  China is slowly moving away from COVID zero, Kevin Rudd says / Bloomberg (paywall)
  China will be ‘on its way’ out of zero-COVID by mid-2023, predicts Kevin Rudd / SCMP (paywall)

POLITICS AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS:

• Russia is looking increasingly isolated
  Xi looks away from Putin toward West in world stage return / Bloomberg (paywall)
  “With speeches and gestures in recent weeks, Xi has taken his most significant steps to create space between Beijing and Moscow since Putin invaded Ukraine almost nine months ago.”
  Today on the China Project: Xi and Li condemn Putin’s nuclear threats

• The tense moment that everyone’s talking about at G20
  China says state of relations with Canada is Ottawa’s responsibility / Reuters
  China’s Xi Jinping chides Justin Trudeau at G20, video shows / WSJ (paywall)
  Chinese president confronts Trudeau at the G-20 / AP
  China’s Xi confronts Trudeau at G-20 over meeting leak / Bloomberg (paywall)
  Xi calls out Canada’s Trudeau on G20 sidelines over ‘media leaks’ / SCMP (paywall)
  Xi rebukes Canada’s Trudeau over ‘leaked’ discussions / Nikkei Asia (paywall)
  Yesterday on The China Project: Xi and Sunak meeting canceled over Poland missile strike, and tension with Trudeau.

• More on Xi’s diplomatic dating at G20
  Italy and China agree at G20 summit on need for diplomatic solutions for Ukraine / Reuters
  China’s Xi invites Dutch PM for visit, says don’t politicize trade / Reuters

• An ease to U.S.-China trade wars?
  China to adopt consensus reached in talks with United States, ministry says / Reuters
  “China will adopt key consensus measures decided in talks between President [Xí Jìnpíng 习近平] and U.S. counterpart Joe Biden, the Asian nation’s commerce ministry said on Thursday.”

• Shenzhen University wants more Pony Mas
  ‘10 like Pony Ma’: Shenzhen University’s call comes as start-ups face pressure / SCMP (paywall)
  “Shenzhen University wants to cultivate more ‘outstanding entrepreneurs’ like Tencent founder Pony Ma [马化腾 Mǎ Huàténg], but the call comes as private entrepreneurship in China is on the decline.”

SOCIETY AND CULTURE:

• Picturing four decades of China
  China adagio: A photographer’s 40-year visual journey / Sixth Tone
  “Photojournalist Andrew Wong has been documenting China’s rise since the early 1980s. His work offers a unique perspective on the country’s transformation.”

• When testing positive for COVID gets you in
  China’s hottest art show is in the middle of nowhere. Literally. / Sixth Tone
  “After being quarantined in a ‘fangcang’ hospital, artist Meng Lichao and two friends decided to put on a show. Don’t bother trying to get a ticket though — you have to know someone with COVID.”