Highlighted links for Monday, December 5, 2022

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

BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY:

Economists call for opening up, while investors stay hopeful on an exit to COVID zero
Six high-profile economists call for “opening up economic activities” / Pekingnology
Pekingnology’s Zichen Wang translates a joint article published by six high-profile Chinese economists calling for “opening up economic activities.”
China markets soar on zero-COVID exit hopes / Nikkei Asia (paywall)
Chinese stocks in U.S. resume rally as Beijing hastens COVID pivot / Bloomberg (paywall)

Services activity slumps again
China’s services slump extends into third month, Caixin PMI shows / Caixin (paywall)
“The index hit a six-month low as measures to curb COVID-19 outbreaks hurt business operations and consumer demand.”

Chinese carmakers are going above and beyond to deliver on overseas sales
China’s automakers flood Mexico’s markets thanks to ample chip supplies / Rest of World
“While manufacturers in Mexico struggle with production, sales of Chinese cars are booming.”
China carmakers are ordering their own ships to get export ready / Bloomberg (paywall)
“Two of China’s biggest automakers are so determined to ensure their cars make it from factories on the mainland to anyone who wants to drive them they’ve bought their own ships.”

Is China’s shining EV champion a Tesla killer?
China’s BYD to start selling EVs in Japan by early 2023 / Reuters
“BYD’s Japanese division said on Monday it would start selling its first battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in the country early next year, as the world’s largest EV maker further steps up its plan to either sell or make its cars available across major markets.”
BYD has Tesla in its sights after a year of runaway growth / Bloomberg (paywall)

Even Tesla is worried about falling EV sales despite its record-breaking month
Tesla set to cut Shanghai output in sign of sluggish demand / Bloomberg (paywall)
Tesla China shipments top 100,000 in November in record month / Bloomberg (paywall)
Evergrande’s EV unit suspends mass production due to lack of orders – sources / Reuters
Chinese EV makers see falling sales in November as demand slows / TechNode

No one is going to the movies in China
China’s box office dips to 11-year low amid COVID curbs / Sixth Tone
“November revenues dropped by 70% year-on-year, with more than 60% of theaters closed across China during lockdowns.”

Evergrande boss is very much alive, according to his voice message
Evergrande’s Hui sends voice message as rumors swirl / Bloomberg (paywall)
“China Evergrande Group’s billionaire founder Hui Ka Yan [Xǔ Jiāyìn 许家印] addressed executives in a voice message on Friday afternoon, according to people familiar with the matter, seemingly an attempt to quell social media rumors about him.”
Shared voice clip dispels rumour of Evergrande founder’s suicide / SCMP (paywall)
Reports of the death of Hui Ka Yan may have been greatly exaggerated / Caixin (paywall)

• Last year on The China Project: The fall of the Evergrande boss.

SCIENCE, HEALTH, AND ENVIRONMENT:

Chinese astronauts return to Earth after six months in space
3 Chinese astronauts return to Earth after six-month mission / AP
“Three Chinese astronauts landed in a northern desert on Sunday after six months working to complete construction of the Tiangong station, a symbol of the country’s ambitious space program, state TV reported.”
Chinese astronauts return to Earth after ‘successful’ six-month mission / Reuters
Chinese astronauts return to Earth after six-month mission / BBC

Wedding bells aren’t ringing in China
Chinese couples defer tying the knot amid zero-COVID slump / Nikkei Asia (paywall)
“China’s campaign to stamp out the coronavirus has contributed to a steep drop in marriage rates this year, government data suggests, as the impact of lockdowns leaves many young people uncertain about their economic futures.”
After falling births, China’s marriage rate sees new low — again / Sixth Tone

China’s vulnerable elderly brace for an exit from COVID zero
As officials ease COVID restrictions, China faces new pandemic risks / NYT (paywall)
“Huge swaths of the nation’s elderly remain vulnerable, scientists say, and a surge in deaths and hospitalizations may be inevitable.”
China reports 2 new COVID deaths as some restrictions eased / AP

Battling HIV in southwestern China
Looking back at China’s first major HIV outbreak / Sixth Tone

POLITICS AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS:

Xinjiang’s monthslong lockdown
How COVID-19 lockdowns in China’s Xinjiang region trapped millions for months on end / SCMP (paywall)
“Most of Xinjiang’s 25 million residents, along with many tourists and migrant workers, were subjected to partial lockdowns over the past two to four months.”

Ripples from China’s COVID-zero protests continue around the world…
At Shanghai vigil, bold shout for change preceded crackdown / AP
Chinese students protest over Wuhan university’s COVID rules / Bloomberg (paywall)
Protesters near White House demand ‘Free China!’ / AP
Tibetans in India support ‘zero COVID’ protesters in China / AP
Hong Kong divided over China’s COVID-19 protests / AP
China protesters wrestle with how far to push: ‘We don’t want COVID tests, we want freedom’ / WSJ (paywall)

…While Beijing keeps a lid on unrest at home
China stems wave of protest, but ripples of resistance remain / NYT (paywall)
How China’s police used phones and faces to track protesters / NYT (paywall)
China turns to well-worn playbook to keep protesters off streets / WSJ (paywall)
China accused of flooding social media with spam to crowd out protest news / Guardian

Chinese protesters skirt state surveillance from talking to Twitter
Graffiti, flyers, word of mouth: China’s protesters embrace low-tech organizing to escape surveillance / Rest of World
How one Chinese Twitter user exposed COVID protests to the world / Al Jazeera

Xi’s protest challenge at home
A more pragmatic Xi Jinping launches a global charm offensive for China / Washington Post (paywall)
The Chinese dream, denied / NYT (paywall)
The humbling of Xi Jinping / FT (paywall)

Xi heads to Saudi Arabia this week
China steps on Washington’s toes as Xi heads to Saudi Arabia / FT (paywall)
“President [Xí Jìnpíng 习近平] will this week pay his first visit to Saudi Arabia in six years as part of efforts to boost China’s relations with the Gulf region, five months after the U.S. warned Beijing that it would not cede the Middle East to it or anyone else.”
Is Xi Jinping’s trip to Saudi Arabia another step in the SCO’s Mideast expansion? / SCMP (paywall)

U.K. and Canada eye more military support for Taiwan
U.K. parliament defense chair says to look at more military help for Taiwan / Reuters
Canada to send more warships through Taiwan Strait in signal to China / FT (paywall)

U.S. raises flag over religious freedom in Iran and China
U.S. designates Iran, China as countries of concern over religious freedom / Reuters
“The United States on Friday designated China, Iran and Russia, among others, as countries of particular concern under the Religious Freedom Act over severe violations, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.”

A trial without a jury in Hong Kong
National security case against Hong Kong Tiananmen vigil group to be tried without jury, Chow Hang-tung says / HKFP
Chow Hang-tung (鄒幸彤 Zōu Xìngtóng), “the former vice chair of the group that organized Hong Kong’s annual Tiananmen vigils, said in a Facebook post on Sunday evening that the justice secretary had ‘demanded’ the case be tried without a jury.”
3 members of Hong Kong June 4 vigil group to face trial without jury / SCMP (paywall)

Court ruling shines light on male victims in domestic abuse cases
Court grants rare domestic violence restraining order to male victim / Sixth Tone
“For the first time, a city in central China has handed a personal safety protection order to a male victim of domestic violence, shedding light on the underacknowledged group amid growing public awareness about the issue.”

SOCIETY AND CULTURE:

Buying your way into Ivy Leagues
Buying ‘guaranteed acceptance’ to elite U.S. universities: The risks and rewards for Chinese students / SCMP (paywall)
“Chinese students are paying education ‘consultants’ to get them into top U.S. universities by falsifying grades, academic transcripts and personal statements.”

Qatari soccer fan is China’s latest social media star
Qatari young royal goes viral on Chinese social media / TechNode
“A teenager, believed to be a prince of the Qatari royal family, has become hugely popular on Chinese social media platforms after he waved his arms and shouted in anger over the host country’s loss to Ecuador in the group stages of the 2022 World Cup.”

Musical expression for autistic youth
“Music is their language”: School gives autistic Chinese youth a voice / Reuters
Music has become a “saving grace” for some of the 14 million people in China who have autism spectrum disorder.