Highlighted links for May 30, 2023

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

BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY:

Electric vehicles
The billionaire whose electrode empire powers China’s EV dominance / FT (paywall)
Bái Hòushàn 白厚善, a “self-made Chinese billionaire with a fascination for metallurgy is posing a fundamental challenge to a traditional auto industry already struggling to compete with China in the development of electric vehicles and batteries.”
China’s EV industry calls on regulators to curb the back-seat driving / Caixin (paywall)
“Auto experts and industry executives in China are calling on regulators to explore a market-based approach to governing electric-vehicle (EV) makers’ manufacturing qualifications, as the sector confronts an influx of inexperienced and ultimately unsuccessful firms amid the country’s push towards electrification.”
Battery supply chain: Semcorp set to open 1st factory beyond China / Nikkei Asia (paywall)
“China’s Semcorp, the world’s leading supplier of a key component in electric vehicle batteries, is poised to start production overseas with a goal of raising its global market share to 50% by 2025.”

Foreign carmakers in China
Toyota’s April global sales rise on stronger demand in Japan, China / Reuters
“Toyota Motor Corp’s global sales rose by nearly 5% in April from a year earlier, boosted by stronger demand for hybrids and gasoline-powered cars in Japan and China.”
Mitsubishi Motors to extend suspension of production in China -Yomiuri / Reuters
“Mitsubishi Motors Corp will extend a suspension of its production in China beyond May, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Tuesday, highlighting struggles the Japanese car maker faces in the world’s largest auto market.”
Opinion: China’s car market has become a Darwinian battleground / FT (paywall)
“Foreign makers have been caught out by speed of transition to electric vehicles and rapid rise of domestic rivals.”

China’s new passenger jet makes maiden commercial flight
China’s 1st domestically made passenger plane completes maiden commercial flight / AP
“China’s first domestically made passenger jet flew its maiden commercial flight on Sunday, as China looks to compete with industry giants such as Boeing and Airbus in the global aircraft market.”
Chinese jet: Airbus orders will divert to homegrown ‘patriot express’ / FT (paywall)
China’s C919 passenger jet completes first commercial flight from Shanghai to Beijing / SCMP (paywall)
China’s home-grown C919 completes first commercial flight / Nikkei Asia (paywall)
China’s C919 timeline 2008-23: first commercial flight 15 years in the making / SCMP (paywall)

Troubles at Cathay Pacific
Flight risk: first, Cathay Pacific’s rude cabin crew, now its pilots. Why are staff at Hong Kong’s flag carrier so unhappy? / SCMP (paywall)
“Until a few years ago, Cathay’s pilots were among the best paid in the industry and the envy of many peers while the airline’s brand bestowed prestige to staff based in the city. However, as the carrier’s fortunes plummeted during a turbulent three years of the coronavirus pandemic, staff’s standing and morale also suffered.”
Hong Kong lawmaker Regina Ip calls for public not to overreact to Cathay Pacific incident / Caixin (paywall)
“The public shouldn’t overreact to an incident on a Cathay Pacific flight last week that led to a discrimination complaint, said Hong Kong Executive Council Convenor Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee [葉劉淑儀 Yè Liúshūyí].”
Cathay Pacific fights to emerge from the long shadow of COVID / NYT (paywall)

Slowing economic recovery
Small investors are souring on China’s recovery / Reuters
“The last great hope for China’s faltering post-pandemic rally is fading as the nation’s legion of small-time investors turns bearish on equities to double down instead on safer assets amid a stuttering economic recovery.”
‘Confidence is a big problem’: China’s economic recovery loses steam / FT (paywall)
“Five years ago, China’s economy was growing fast enough that many graduates were able to snap up good jobs. Now, their prospects are less certain, as the country’s economic recovery is failing to pick up pace six months after authorities began to roll back President Xí Jìnpíng’s 习近平 tough COVID-zero regime.”

Local economies and debt
Wuhan publicly names hundreds of debtors amid financial woes / Caixin (paywall)
“Central China’s city of Wuhan publicly named hundreds of debtors in a local newspaper article demanding payment, a rare move underscoring the fiscal problems facing local governments.”

Exports
Opinion: Problems and opportunities emerge from shifts in China’s exports / Caixin (paywall)
“More and more, it is looking like China will no longer be able to chiefly depend on shipping the products that helped turn it into an export powerhouse to its traditional markets to maintain its status as a trade superstar.”

Tobacco
China’s tobacco monopoly is swept up in corruption probes / Caixin (paywall)
“China’s state tobacco monopoly, which supplies the world’s largest cigarette market and one in every three smokers on Earth, is engulfed in an anti-corruption sweep that has also snared regulators responsible for overseeing it.”

Investors
Opinion: No sign that it is safe yet to reinvest in Chinese tech companies / Nikkei Asia (paywall)
“Beijing has in no way abandoned its determination to shape these companies according to its own wishes and desires. The party does not prioritize the interest of investors in its actions, but it is a welcome surprise when the interests of the two sides come together.”
Goldman Sachs’s China dealmaker stops tapping U.S. investors / FT (paywall)
“The head of Goldman Sachs’s private equity business in Asia has said she has stopped trying to raise money in the U.S. because of geopolitical tensions between Washington and Beijing.”

Youth unemployment
As more Chinese graduates explore rural jobs, comparisons with Mao Zedong’s campaign fail to pass muster / SCMP (paywall)
“The authorities have intensified efforts to encourage young people to pursue careers in China’s rural areas amid mounting job pressure and President Xí Jìnpíng’s 习近平 calls to ‘revitalize the countryside’ to narrow the urban-rural development gap.”

Cryptocurrency
A China crypto pioneer warns Hong Kong may cool on digital assets longer term / Bloomberg (paywall)
“A crypto entrepreneur whose business in China was upended by a regulatory crackdown considers his experience to be a cautionary tale for companies attracted by Hong Kong’s push to create a digital-asset hub.”

U.S.-China tech war
Intel inside? Chinese firm Powerleader’s ‘home-grown’ chip suspected of being a rebadged microprocessor from U.S. giant, test results show / SCMP (paywall)
“A purported new ‘home-grown’ chip introduced by a Chinese computer hardware producer this month is suspected to be a rebadged integrated circuit (IC) from Intel Corp, according to a report by online tech news site Tom’s Hardware, based on the results of a central processing unit (CPU) benchmark testing via online cross-platform utility Geekbench.”
Don’t underrate China’s ability to catch up in chips: Nvidia CEO / SCMP (paywall)
“Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang has warned that China will cultivate its own chip companies in response to tensions with the U.S. and that existing chip players will have to work hard to stay competitive.”
U.S. ‘won’t tolerate’ China’s ban on Micron chips: commerce chief / Nikkei Asia (paywall)
“The United States ‘won’t tolerate’ China’s effective ban on purchases of Micron Technology memory chips and is working closely with allies to address such ‘economic coercion,’ U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said on Saturday.”

Mainland Chinese businesses move into Hong Kong
ByteDance and CNPC take over Hong Kong offices vacated by foreign companies / FT (paywall)
“Mainland Chinese companies have been moving into premium office areas in Hong Kong’s Central business district, taking over the prime locations left vacant by foreign groups in the wake of the pandemic.”

Banking
U.S. banks’ China ambitions wane as political tensions linger / Nikkei Asia (paywall)
“Several major U.S. banks have been hit by the harsh reality of tensions between the world’s two biggest economies, making expansion in China — once thought of as a ‘holy grail’ of opportunity — increasingly fraught with risk.”

Elon Musk
China foreign minister meets with Elon Musk in Beijing / Reuters
“China will create a better market-oriented business environment for enterprises from all countries, including Tesla, China’s foreign minister Qín Gāng 秦刚 said during a meeting with Tesla’s Elon Musk on Tuesday.”
Beijing says Musk opposes decoupling of U.S., China / WSJ (paywall)

SCIENCE, HEALTH, AND ENVIRONMENT:

Climate change
Top emitter China needs $38 trillion to hit climate goals early / Bloomberg (paywall)
“China, the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter, can beat its existing climate targets and hit net zero by 2050 if the nation lifts investment in decarbonization to about $38 trillion.”

Green energy
Europe’s green transition impossible without China, says Dutch minister / FT (paywall)
“Europe’s green transition will be impossible without China, the Dutch trade minister has warned, as the EU tries to untangle some of its economic dependence on the Asian powerhouse.”

Space
China launches Shenzhou-16 mission to Chinese space station / Reuters
“China sent three astronauts to its now fully operational space station as part of crew rotation on Tuesday in the fifth manned mission to the Chinese space outpost since 2021, state media reported.”
China launches Shenzhou-16 mission to space station: state media / Nikkei Asia (paywall)
China sends first civilian into orbit as Xi pursues ‘eternal dream’ / FT (paywall)
China launches three astronauts, including first civilian, into orbit / WSJ (paywall)
China launches new crew for space station, with eye to putting astronauts on moon before 2030 / AP
China announces plan to land astronauts on moon by 2030 / NYT (paywall)
China plans to land astronauts on moon before 2030, expand space station, bring on foreign partners / AP
China sends first crew into orbit since space station’s completion / Caixin (paywall)
Xi charm offensive turns to space as ‘divine craft’ launches / Bloomberg (paywall)
Glasses on, China’s first civilian astronaut takes a giant leap / Sixth Tone

Obesity drug
Ozempic frenzy hitting China has residents turning to scalpers / Bloomberg (paywall)
“Halfway across the world, image conscious Chinese are turning to scalpers and fake prescriptions to get their hands on the drugs, leaving a shortage for the type-2 diabetics who rely on the medications to control their blood sugar.”

COVID
China, once pioneer of COVID, shrugs off looming wave / WSJ (paywall)
“Beijing and the rest of China are gearing up for a new COVID-19 wave that a top Chinese medical expert says could infect 65 million people a week by late June. Office workers are already calling in sick, many of them catching the virus for the second time in six months.”
COVID is coming back in China; lockdowns are not / NYT (paywall)

POLITICS AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS:

Focus on national security continues
China’s Xi says necessary to speed up modernization of national security system / Reuters
“China President Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 said it was necessary for the country to speed up the modernization of its national security system and capabilities, state media reported on Tuesday, amid a renewed focus on internal security risks and threats.”

New Zealand losing enthusiasm for China
Opinion: A China tightrope reaching beyond the horizon / Newsroom
“The golden days of the China-NZ relationship are well and truly over – and Kiwis need to get used to awkward conversations about our ties with the world superpower, writes Newsroom journalist and The China Tightrope author Sam Sachdeva.”

Infrastructure
China’s massive new canal aims for closer ASEAN connectivity / Nikkei Asia (paywall)
“The 72.7 billion yuan ($10.3 billion) Pinglu Canal will stretch over 134 kilometers from the Xijin Reservoir, near Guangxi’s capital city of Nanning, to the port of Qinzhou in the south, complementing existing highways and railways to move goods.”
Building Shanghai’s deepest station / Sixth Tone
“From combustible gas to land subsidence, the construction of Shanghai’s deepest metro station was rife with difficulties largely unknown to the public — until now.”

Yunnan mosque clashes
Crowd in China clashes with police over plans to demolish mosque / AP
“China’s government is calling on protesters to turn themselves in after a crowd clashed with police over plans to demolish a mosque in the country’s southwest as President Xí Jìnpíng’s 习近平 government tightens control over religion and society.”

Hong Kong
Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai loses bid to terminate national security trial / Reuters
“A Hong Kong Court on Monday rejected an application to terminate a landmark national security trial against media tycoon Jimmy Lai [黎智英 Lí Zhìyīng], a case that could see him spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted.”
Hong Kong court rejects publisher Jimmy Lai’s bid to terminate his national security trial / AP
Seven plead guilty at start of Hong Kong legislature storming trial / Reuters
“A closely watched trial involving 13 people who stormed Hong Kong’s legislature during pro-democracy protests in 2019 began on Monday with seven people pleading guilty to a rioting charge.”
Hong Kong’s 2nd largest pro-democracy party disbands amid political crackdown / AP
“One of the few remaining pro-democracy parties in Hong Kong voted to dissolve itself on Saturday, joining a growing list of organizations that have disbanded as authorities crack down on dissent.”
9,500 Hong Kong drivers sign up for scheme to drive in mainland China, nearly 7 times quota limit / SCMP (paywall)
“About 9,500 Hong Kong drivers signed up for an expanded scheme to drive to mainland China via a mega bridge when registration opened on Monday, nearly seven times the quota set for the first week of its launch in July.”

Missing Uyghur scholar?
Rights group says Uyghur student reported to be missing in Hong Kong did not travel to city / AP
“Amnesty International said Tuesday that a Uyghur student who it had said was missing in Hong Kong after being interrogated did not travel to the city, easing concerns over his safety but raising questions over how the allegations first emerged.”
‘Missing’ Uygur student safe in Seoul, professor says after Amnesty International demanded Hong Kong government reveal his whereabouts / SCMP (paywall)
Rights group backtracks on report of missing Uyghur scholar / WSJ (paywall)

Taiwan
Taiwan says Chinese warships pass through Taiwan Strait as Beijing keeps up pressure on island / AP
“Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said Saturday that it detected three Chinese warships, including the Shandong aircraft carrier, passing through the Taiwan Strait, as Beijing keeps up pressure on the self-ruled island it claims as its own.”
U.S. experts joined review of Taiwan’s latest war games simulating PLA attack / SCMP (paywall)
“Taiwan’s defense ministry has disclosed that U.S. experts observing simulated war games on the island also joined a review panel that assessed responses to a potential attack by the People’s Liberation Army.”
Taiwan’s Lai wants to tell Xi Jinping to ‘chill out’ over dinner / Bloomberg (paywall)
“Dinner with strangers can often be a little awkward, especially when your guest has threatened you with invasion. Still, that hasn’t deterred Taiwan’s Vice President Lai Ching-te (賴清德 Loā Chheng-tek) from naming Chinese President Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 as the head of state he’d most like to have dinner with.”
Taiwan rushes to prevent China from cutting internet, phones / Bloomberg (paywall)
“Buffeted by earthquakes and the potential of conflict with China, Taiwan’s leaders want to accelerate plans to make the island more resilient to communications breakdowns and direct attacks on its digital infrastructure.”

U.S.-China competition and tensions
China declines US request for a meeting between defense chiefs / Reuters
“China has declined a request from the United States for a meeting between their defense chiefs at an annual security forum in Singapore this weekend, media reported on Monday, a new sign of strain between the powers.”
Beijing says no meeting between US, Chinese defense chiefs at Singapore gathering / AP
U.S. says China refused meeting of defense chief Li Shangfu and Pentagon head Lloyd Austin / SCMP (paywall)
China turns down US invitation for defense chiefs’ meeting in Singapore / FT (paywall)
China turns down U.S. invitation for defense chiefs meeting / Nikkei sia (paywall)
US: Chinese agents paid bribes in plot to disrupt anti-communist Falun Gong movement / AP
“U.S. authorities have arrested two suspected Chinese government agents in connection with an alleged plot by Beijing to disrupt and ultimately topple the exiled anti-communist Falun Gong spiritual movement.”
Dismissed U.S. case shows divide within Tibetan diaspora – and the thin line Beijing makes it walk / SCMP (paywall)
“When the US Justice Department first accused New York police officer Baimadajie Angwang of collecting information on fellow Tibetans for the Chinese government in September 2020, the Tibetan diaspora was rocked – but also comforted.”
U.S. and China hold more trade talks despite strained ties / FT (paywall)
“Joe Biden’s top trade official and China’s commerce minister have held talks over economic and trade disputes, in the latest signs of tentative efforts to stabilize ties between the two superpowers.”
Opinion: De-risking trade with China is a risky business / FT (paywall)
“This D-word has moved from obscurity to ubiquity in less than two months. It was the centerpiece of a speech about China made in late March by Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president. De-risking was then seized upon by the Biden administration. Then, last week, it was endorsed by a G7 summit.”

World Bank
World Bank chief makes final appeal to China on developing nation debt / Nikkei Asia (paywall)
“World Bank President David Malpass has one last request for China as he prepares to step down in June: provide relief to countries that are suffering from mounting debt.”

Henry Kissinger
At 100, Henry Kissinger still seen as influential ‘old friend’ in China despite ‘complicated’ legacy in U.S. / SCMP (paywall)
“Henry Kissinger remains fixated on China more than 50 years after his secret, groundbreaking trip to Beijing in 1971.”
Kissinger scores a century / China Heritage

Japan
China urges Japan to halt export restrictions on chips / Reuters
“Chinese Commerce Minister Wáng Wéntāo 王文涛 urged Japan to halt semiconductor export controls, calling it a ‘wrongdoing’ that ‘seriously violated’ international economic and trade rules, a statement from his ministry said on Monday.”

Malaysia
Malaysia detains Chinese barge on suspicion of looting WWII British warship wrecks / AP
“Malaysia’s maritime agency said Monday it found a cannon shell believed to be from World War II on a Chinese-registered vessel and was investigating if the barge carrier was involved in the looting of two British warship wrecks in the South China Sea.”
Malaysia detains Chinese vessel for looting WWII shipwrecks / Nikkei Asia (paywall)

Africa
How China is expanding its law enforcement activities across Africa / SCMP (paywall)
“China’s influence in Africa has expanded to law enforcement as it seeks to protect its nationals abroad or arrest those wanted for alleged crimes.”

Zimbabwe
China, Zimbabwe seek to strengthen ties as Harare prepares for elections / SCMP (paywall)
“China has promised to help Zimbabwe oppose “external interference and sanctions” while building its own path to development, as the southern African country gears up for a general election this summer.”

Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia in talks to join China-based ‘Brics bank’ / FT (paywall)
“The New Development Bank, the Shanghai-based lender better known as the ‘Brics bank,’ is in talks with Saudi Arabia on admitting the country as its ninth member, a move that would strengthen its funding options as founding shareholder Russia struggles under the impact of sanctions.”

Europe
EU, U.S. to weigh China, AI, trade strains at high-level Sweden talks / Reuters
“Top U.S. and European Union officials meet in Sweden on Tuesday to weigh how best to deal with China and cooperate on artificial intelligence and other future technology as well as EU complaints about Trump-era tariffs and U.S. green subsidies.”
‘China is not Europe’: EU move to tie Chinese relations to Ukraine war is unfair, Fu Cong says / SCMP (paywall)
“It is ‘unfair’ and ‘not sensible’ for European lawmakers to link the war in Ukraine with China-EU relations, China’s ambassador to the European Union said, warning of retaliation if the bloc targeted Chinese companies in new Russia sanctions.”
EU balks at calling out China in joint trade strategy with U.S. / Bloomberg (paywall)

Serbia
China expresses support for Serbia in renewed Kosovo clashes involving NATO troops / AP
“China on Tuesday expressed its support for Serbia’s efforts to ‘safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity’ following renewed violence between ethnic Serbs and NATO peacekeeping troops in Kosovo.”

SOCIETY AND CULTURE:

Education
Xi Jinping targets education in China’s drive for tech self-reliance / SCMP (paywall)
“China needs to upgrade its education system to support the country’s drive for technological self-reliance, as well as attract more international students.”

Street vendors
Hawkers back on China’s streets as economic recovery teeters / Reuters
“As life in China returns to normal after the pandemic, hawkers are hitting the streets. They look to at least supplement their income amid an uneven economic recovery in which jobs and wage growth has been sluggish.”

Books
Hong Kong’s vanishing books: as public libraries clear shelves of sensitive titles, can readers turn to shops or are they also becoming wary? / SCMP (paywall)
“Hong Kong bookstores have become the center of attention since the city’s public libraries ramped up efforts to clear shelves of titles that posed potential national security risks.”

Demographic crisis
Life in China’s oldest county exposes challenges of demographic crisis / FT (paywall)
“In the late 1960s, the county of Rudong, in China’s prosperous eastern Jiangsu province, was so populous that it was chosen to pilot the one-child policy. Nearly 60 years later, it is the country’s oldest county — nearly 39 per cent of its population is aged over 60, more than double the national figure of 18.7 percent.”

Sports
One small step for Zhang, one giant leap for Chinese men’s game / Reuters
“China has long been the sleeping giant of men’s tennis but on Monday the giant stirred as Shanghai trailblazer Zhāng Zhīzhēn 张之臻 advanced to the second round of the French Open.”

Gaming
‘Genshin Impact’ maker aims for Tencent’s China gaming crown / FT (paywall)
“Since launching in September 2020, Genshin Impact, which is an anime role-playing game set in an open-world environment, has raked in $4.8bn in revenues on mobile, making it one of the top three money-spinning mobile titles, according to data analytics group Sensor Tower.”

Travel
The new rules for business travel to China / WSJ (paywall)
“China is open for business, but the rules have changed for executives planning to travel to the country.”

Art
The mystery of the disappearing van Gogh / NYT (paywall)
“After a painting by the Dutch artist sold at auction, a movie producer claimed to be the owner. It later vanished from sight, with a trail leading to Caribbean tax havens and a jailed Chinese billionaire.”

Tourism
Russia hoped for a Chinese tourist boom in 2023. It’s still waiting. / Sixth Tone
“In Russia, many believed that China’s exit from ‘zero-COVID’ restrictions would provide a shot in the arm to the country’s flatlining inbound tourism sector. Those hopes are now fading.”

Influencers
Are China’s vloggers on strike? / Sixth Tone
“Organizing a strike is hard. Getting independent content creators to see themselves as workers, rather than entrepreneurs, may be even harder.”