Protests disrupt China’s copper mine in Peru, warnings over Taiwan, and border tensions with India

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

A China-owned copper mine in Peru will likely halt production due to local protests that have blocked the flow of goods and created a shortage of “critical supplies,” in yet another blow to its operations. MMG, which runs one of Peru’s biggest copper mines in Las Bambas, has suffered frequent disruptions from indigenous populations in the past year, who claim that the Chinese company has not honored its commitments. MMG’s problems have only gotten worse since Peru’s former president was ousted last month, sparking nationwide anti-government protests that have put about 30% of the nation’s copper output at risk.

China has warned top U.S. and Czech officials against building ties with Taiwan: The Chinese Foreign Ministry urged U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy not to visit Taiwan, after a surprise trip by his predecessor, Nancy Pelosi, drove bilateral tensions to new highs last August. Meanwhile, Beijing is “seeking verification” with Prague on the One-China policy (or “principle” in Beijing’s preferred formulation), after Czech President-Elect Petr Pavel scheduled a call with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文 Cài Yīngwén), in a move that will likely strain diplomatic ties.

Clashes between Indian and Chinese troops are expected to increase due to Beijing’s military buildups on its side of the contested border, according to a new assessment by local police in Ladakh. Tensions have been increasing since a skirmish between Chinese and Indian soldiers broke last December, marking the first incident since the deadly border clashes in 2020. Despite rounds of diplomatic talks, both sides are now scaling up their defenses, stoking concerns about potential escalation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Fiji’s new prime minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, said he would end a cooperation agreement between Chinese and Fijian police that was signed in 2011. “Our system of democracy and justice systems are different so we will go back to those that have similar systems with us,” said Rabuka, specifying that similar arrangements with “countries like Australia and New Zealand” could continue.

Electric car giant BYD today announced a staggering revenue estimate for 2022 of more than 420 billion yuan ($61.89 billion) and a net profit of up to 17 billion yuan, an increase of 458% year-on-year. The company sold 1.86 million cars last year, an increase of 208%.