Thailand’s confusing election was a win for China

The Pheu Thai Party lost the popular vote in Thailand’s May elections, but it is now running the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.

• Pheu Thai formed a coalition with military-backed parties to take power.
• Prime Minister Thavisin’s new government is expected to continue with projects and foreign policies established during the previous military-backed administration, including a controversial submarine deal with China.

Some critics argue that Thailand has become over reliant on China.

• In the first six months of 2023, China was the biggest foreign investor in Thailand, with projects worth 61.5 billion baht ($1.7 billion), according to the Thailand Board of Investment.
• A China-backed high-speed railway is being constructed to connect Bangkok and Kunming.
• China was also Thailand’s top source of tourism revenue in 2019, with a record 11 million visitors from the mainland that year. However, Chinese tourism is yet to recover after COVID: This year, however, only 2.1 million Chinese tourists visited Thailand between January and August.

The Pheu Thai-led government will likely maintain a close relationship with Beijing on various issues, including Myanmar, which may not align with the interests of the United States, reports Jitsiree Thongnoi from Bangkok.

Jitsiree Thongnoi

China has banned officials at central government agencies from using Apple’s iPhones and other foreign-branded devices for work or bringing them into the office, the Wall Street Journal reported today, citing people familiar with the matter.

Chinese Premier Lǐ Qiáng 李强 urged against a “new Cold War” and for countries to “appropriately handle differences and disputes” at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders’ summit, which began in Jakarta, Indonesia yesterday. It comes just a week after a number of ASEAN members launched strong protests against China’s new official map, which lays claim to most of the disputed South China Sea.

Neither Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 nor his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden are in attendance. But Li, Xi’s second-in-command, did briefly speak with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida today on the sidelines of the summit for their first in-person meeting since Li took up his current role in March. They spoke about Tokyo’s recent decision to begin releasing treated wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant, which has ignited fierce backlash from Beijing, as well as a rise in anti-Japanese sentiment in China.

More than 36,000 people have been evacuated in Fuzhou, the capital of east Fujian Province, while classes, trains, and buses have been suspended due to torrential rain brought on by Typhoon Haikui, Chinese state media reported today. The direct economic loss is estimated to be over 552 million yuan ($76.7 million).

Calls for the British Museum to return Chinese artifacts are growing on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok. A short-video series (available on YouTube, Douyin), titled “Escape from the British Museum,” has gone viral on the social media platform for its tale of a jade teapot, played by a woman, looking to return to China. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV has since reposted the series, heralding it for being “based in reality” and stating that “we hope that Chinese cultural relics lost overseas will come home as soon as possible.”

The British Museum, which holds the largest collection of Chinese antiquities in the West, has come under mounting pressure from people from China and other parts of the world to return cultural relics after it reported that 2,000 treasures were “missing, stolen, or damaged” last month.

China is considering cracking down on people wearing offensive clothing, after the nation’s Standing Committee released a recent draft of legal revisions that would allow for fines of up to 5,000 yuan ($680) and even up to 15 days in jail for those who engage in behavior that is “detrimental to the spirit of the Chinese people and hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.” Some Chinese social media users have expressed concern that the revisions would go too far.

Chinese listed companies’ profits slumped in the second quarter: The 5,000-plus firms trading on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges posted an average 9.6% year-on-year decline in profit for the three months ending in June.

Two people have been arrested for making a hole in the Great Wall: The two used an excavator to dig through the Wall in an apparent attempt to create a shortcut for construction work.

Chinese state media: The top headline of the Xinhua News Agency’s Chinese website today is “Grasp the pulse of the digital era and create a happy future together.” It’s a story about a congratulatory letter from Xi Jinping to the 2023 China International Smart Industry Expo about the “direction for the development of the digital economy.” The message: China will innovate, develop cutting edge tech, and integrate the digital economy with the real economy.

The People’s Daily today highlights yesterday’s meeting in Beijing between Xi Jinping and the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mirjana Spoljaric Egger; Xi sending a congratulatory letter to the 10th Meeting of Ministers of Justice of the Shanghai Cooperation member states; and Premier Li Qiang’s attendance of the ASEAN leaders’ summit in Jakarta.

The 78th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly convened yesterday.

• Despite the UN being dedicated to reaffirming “the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small,” citizens of Taiwan and their elected representatives are excluded from the General Assembly and from participation in the UN’s specialized agencies, including the World Health Organization (WHO), World Health Assembly (WHA), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and UNESCO, among others.

The WHO and WHA have emerged as key battlegrounds for China’s suppression of Taiwan at the United Nations.

• In 2005, China signed an MOU with the WHO Secretariat that strictly managed how Taiwan-related issues would be handled.
• Taiwan’s election of the China-friendly KMT president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九 Mǎ Yīngjiǔ) in 2008 was rewarded by Beijing, which dropped its objection to Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Assembly — limited to observer status. But the election of Tsai Ing-wen 蔡英文 (Cài Yīngwén) in 2016 as Taiwanese president changed all that.

“Is China running the UN?” asked a French journalist at a UN press conference earlier this year. The answer is no — but Beijing is dictating the UN’s Taiwan policy, argues Chris Horton from Taipei. And he has the faxes to prove it.

Chris Horton

Jolin Tsai’s recent concert in Shenzhen was filled with queer visuals, including rainbow flags and banners. The Mandopop icon, whose Chinese name is Cài Yīlín 蔡依林, has consistently given representation to LGBTQ people in her concerts and promotions.

• But as Chinese officials tighten censorship over LGBTQ-related expressions, her recent mainland tours weren’t as gloriously gay as many hoped they would be.
• After Tsai’s first stop in Guangzhou, the iconic lighting arrangement of her tour, which bathes the whole stadium in rainbow lights during the performance of the song “Womxnly,” was canceled with no explanation.

The inconsistency of China’s restrictions on the LGBTQ community, which differ from city to city, and the resilience of queer voices in an increasingly hostile political environment, can be seen in the prominence of rainbow symbols in Tsai’s Shenzhen concert, reports Forrest Song in the latest installment of Queer China.

• A Shanghai bookseller gets kidnapped — and spurs copyright awareness. In the early 20th century, Chessboard Street in Shanghai was the heart of the Chinese publishing industry. This is where James Carter’s This Week in China’s History begins: When Lǐ Dífán 李迪凡, a salesman for a small Shanghai bookseller, found himself in an opium den and approached by men claiming to represent a nearby province seeking textbooks…

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

BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY:

Gaming industry
China’s mobile gaming revenue surged 51.09% y-o-y in July / TechNode
“The Chinese game market reached revenue of RMB 28.61 billion ($3.92 billion) in July, an increase of 37.49% year-on-year, as reported by the Chinese research institute Gamma Data.”

Economic gloom or boom
China’s economic pain is a test of Xi’s fixation with control / NYT (paywall)
“The slowdown is posing perhaps the most sustained challenge to President Xí Jìnpíng’s 习近平agenda in over a decade in power. He now faces a tangle of difficult choices.”

iPhone banned for Chinese government workers
China bans govt officials from using iPhones for work / Reuters
“China has ordered officials at central government agencies to not use Apple’s iPhones and other foreign-branded devices for work or bring them into the office, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.”
China orders government workers to stop using iPhones amid heightened tensions with US / SCMP (paywall)
“A handful of Chinese ministries have told employees to stop using Apple’s iPhones at work, citing national security risks amid heightened geopolitical tensions with the United States, according to several people familiar with the matter.”
China bans iPhone use for government officials at work / WSJ (paywall)

Electric vehicles
Mercedes-Benz CEO: own charging network in China to launch in Chengdu / Reuters
“Mercedes-Benz (MBGn.DE) CEO Ola Kaellenius said the first of Mercedes-Benz’s own charging stations in China will launch in Chengdu this October, followed by further stations in cities including Beijing and Shenzhen.”
German automakers in ‘darkest moment’ speed up EV transition – Chinese executive / Reuters
“German automakers under heavy pressure from Chinese competition are speeding up their transition to electric vehicles, enabling partnerships with the likes of EV startup Xpeng (9868.HK), its president Brian Gu (Gù Hóngdì 顾宏地) said in an interview on Wednesday.”
BMW CEO calls on China to expand hydrogen network / Reuters
“BMW Chief Executive Oliver Zipse, in a speech on Wednesday, called on China to expand its hydrogen network in urban areas and clarify public charging standards to encourage customer uptake of electric cars.”
China’s ‘father of EVs’ urges cooperation on EV scaleup / Reuters
“China’s industrial policy adviser and ‘father of EVs’ Wán Gāng 万钢 said efficient batteries, better EV architectures, and intelligent driving systems were key to scaling up EVs, calling for international collaboration on research and standards.”
Xiaomi has begun EV trial production, with run rate of 50 prototypes per week, report says / CNEV
“Xiaomi’s first EV model is now in the trial production phase, which has been underway for almost a month, according to local media.”

Durian sales
China’s durian demand lifts global sales by 400%, Southeast Asian exporters seek to reap rewards from RCEP trade deal / SCMP (paywall)
“China’s appetite for durian has increased global demand for the uniquely pungent tropical fruit by 400%, with Southeast Asian exporters looking to a regional trade deal for help to sell even more, according to investment bank HSBC.”

AI
China approves AI chatbot releases but will it unleash innovation? / Nikkei Asia (paywall)
“The race to deliver China’s answer to ChatGPT is entering its next stage: the application war. But regulatory constraints and other structural hurdles threaten to hold back progress even as technology players in the West surge ahead.”

China’s luxury market
China’s appetite for luxury is back / Caixin (paywall)
“Despite a sluggish increase in China’s overall retail sales in the first half of the year, Chinese consumers have been a major driving force behind growth in the global luxury goods market.”

Huawei
U.S. to check on chips used in Huawei’s ‘Made in China’ smartphone / FT (paywall)
“The White House is seeking detailed information on Huawei’s latest flagship smartphone, which analysts have described as an important milestone for the Chinese tech group four years after U.S. restrictions crippled its handset business.”

Alibaba
Alibaba’s Amap, supported by China’s GPS rival Beidou, expands global coverage to boost Belt and Road plan / SCMP (paywall)
“Amap, a maps app operated by Chinese ecommerce giant Alibaba Group Holding, has expanded its coverage to overseas territories using China’s home-grown Beidou satellite navigation system, touting its service as ‘a world atlas for Chinese people.’”

SCIENCE, HEALTH, AND ENVIRONMENT:

China’s growing obesity population
Gain and pain: The problem of China’s expanding waistline / Sixth Tone
“Almost half of the country’s population is now overweight or obese, according to a comprehensive study that factors in gender, geography, and GDP.”

China’s shipbuilders are going green
Low-carbon transition has China’s shipbuilders seeing green / Caixin (paywall)
“The global shipping industry’s shift toward decarbonization has brought enormous opportunities to Chinese shipbuilders as operators worldwide seek greener fleets.”

POLITICS AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS:

The Party is above science
China’s top academics told to toe party line with public statements / Caixin (paywall)
“China’s top science academy has updated its code of conduct with new rules that require members ensure their public statements are ‘in line with the general policy of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China’ and prohibit openly expressing academic views unrelated to their field of expertise.”

G20 and Xi’s no-show
For foreign envoys in China, Xi’s G20 absence confirms worrying trend / Reuters
“For several foreign diplomats based in China, the news that President Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 will not attend the G20 summit in India this week has confirmed a worrying trend: Beijing is shutting off to the West and its allies.”
Xi Jinping’s absence from G20 frustrates European leaders eager for time with China’s decision maker / SCMP (paywall)
China’s demand dilemma could spell trouble for the world / FT (paywall)
“The G20 is supposed to be the premier forum for management of the global economy and the biggest economic issue in the world right now is a chronic lack of demand in China.”

ASEAN
China’s premier is on a charm offensive as ASEAN summit protests Beijing’s aggression at sea / AP
“In talks with Southeast Asian leaders Wednesday in the Indonesian capital, Chinese Premier Lǐ Qiáng 李强 underscored his country’s importance as the world’s second-biggest economy and as the top trading partner of the region.”
China’s Li Qiang urges Asean, Japan and South Korea to oppose ‘new cold war’ amid growing U.S. rivalry / SCMP (paywall)
“Facing heightened tensions with its neighbors, China urged Tokyo, Seoul, and Asean to ‘oppose a new cold war’ and manage their differences with Beijing.”

Japan
Japan PM, China premier trade barbs over Fukushima water release / Nikkei Asia (paywall)
“Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida traded barbs on Wednesday over wastewater released from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean.”

Indonesia
China premier completes trial run of Indonesia’s first high-speed rail / Reuters
“China’s Premier Li Qiang traveled aboard a bullet train in a trial run of a Beijing-funded $7.3 billion railway project in Indonesia on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the company behind the project told Reuters.”
Chinese Premier Li Qiang takes a test ride on Indonesia’s new high-speed railway / AP
“Chinese Premier Li Qiang took a test ride Wednesday on Southeast Asia’s first high-speed railway, which connects two Indonesian cities as part of China’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.”

Saudi Arabia
Shanghai Stock Exchange signs agreement with Saudi Arabian bourse to explore cross-listings, data sharing as ties between Beijing and Riyadh warm up / SCMP (paywall)
“The Shanghai Stock Exchange has signed an agreement with the operator of the Saudi Arabian bourse to foster closer ties, in a sign that a recent flurry of cooperation between China and the Gulf nation has extended into the financial area.”

Vietnam
China boosts ‘political trust’ with Vietnam ahead of Biden visit / Reuters
“China sent a senior official to Vietnam to enhance ‘political trust’ between the two countries, ahead of a scheduled visit by U.S. President Joe Biden designed to boost diplomatic ties between Washington and Hanoi.”

Russian gas
Russia finalizing Power of Siberia-2 gas pipeline route to China — Novak / Reuters
“Russia is finalizing the route of the China-bound Power of Siberia-2 gas pipeline, which is intended to traverse Mongolia, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak wrote in the energy ministry’s in-house magazine, published on Wednesday.”

Hong Kong man in custody after ‘seditious’ kids books
Hong Kong clerk remanded in custody pending trial after national security police accuse him of importing seditious children’s books / SCMP (paywall)
“A 38-year-old clerk has been remanded in custody pending a trial for alleged sedition after Hong Kong national security police accused him of importing children’s books they say can instigate hatred towards authorities.”

SOCIETY AND CULTURE:

Hong Kong’s infrastructure
Hong Kong’s old buildings are crumbling, but flat owners balk at repair fees, prompting calls for government action on ‘ticking time bombs’ / SCMP (paywall)
“Spike of recent incidents when pieces of concrete fell off buildings signals urgency for checks, repairs.”

Great Wall damaged
China authorities arrest 2 for smashing shortcut through Great Wall with excavator / AP
“China’s Great Wall has been pierced by Genghis Khan, the Manchus, and now, allegedly, a couple of construction workers named Zheng and Wang who wanted a shortcut.”
Workers plow through Great Wall of China, leaving a hole / NYT (paywall)

Catholicism
Pope insists Vatican-China relations are on track but says more work is needed / AP
“Pope Francis insisted Monday that the Vatican’s relations with China were going well but said work must still be done to show Beijing that the Catholic Church isn’t beholden to a foreign power.”

Burnout for China’s youth
Young Chinese are signaling burnout — with quirky profile photos / Sixth Tone
“Using memes and anime, profile photos have become the new canvas for Chinese youth, serving as both an outlet for their frustrations and subtle resistance against the pressures of work culture.”

Vocational teachers
China’s vocational teachers need career development opportunities / Sixth Tone
“An official survey of vocational teachers in China has found that many face challenges in career and academic development, which may affect the stability of the vocational teaching workforce.”