Wang-Jaishankar Meeting - Scrutiny of Chinese Investments - G20 Special Focus - Wang-Blinken Meeting - Economic Contraction? - Taiwan Policy - Data Transfer Rules - Myanmar Visit - COVID Resurgence
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I. India-China Ties
by Megha Pardhi & Manoj Kewalramani
Let’s begin with reports that developments along the LAC, with reports suggesting that a Chinese jet potentially violated Indian airspace late in June. India Today’s Manjeet Negi reports that:
“a Chinese aircraft came very close to Indian positions right on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh in the last week of June. The Indian Air Force (IAF) reacted quickly and activated its assets to tackle any possible misadventure…The Chinese aircraft was picked up by an IAF radar deployed in the border area, the sources said. The incident took place at a time when the Chinese Air Force is holding a major exercise in areas controlled by it near eastern Ladakh, and has used air defence weapons in a major way during the drills. The matter was taken up by the Indian side, as per thtablished norms, with the Chinese and they were asked to prevent any such incident in future, the sources said. Since then, the Chinese have not done any such thing in the border areas with India.”
The Ladakh issue was one of the key points discussed as India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met China’s Foreign Minister and State Councilor Wang Yi on the sidelines of the G-20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Bali. The press release issued by India's Ministry of External Affairs says:
“EAM called for an early resolution of all the outstanding issues along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh. Recalling the disengagement achieved in some friction areas, EAM reiterated the need to sustain the momentum to complete disengagement from all the remaining areas to restore peace and tranquility in the border areas. He reaffirmed the importance of fully abiding by bilateral agreements and protocols, and the understandings reached between the two Ministers during their previous conversations. In this regard, both Ministers affirmed that the military and diplomatic officials of the two sides should continue maintaining regular contact and looked forward to the next round of Senior Commanders' meeting at an early date. EAM reiterated that India-China relationship is best served by observing the three mutuals – mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interests.”
There’s no clear date for the 16th round of commander-level meeting, however.
The Indian readout also says that “Foreign Minister H.E. Mr. Wang Yi appreciated India’s support during China’s BRICS Chairship this year and assured China’s support for India’s upcoming G20 and SCO Presidency.” This is useful to note amid the controversies around India reportedly considering hosting G-20 meetings in Ladakh.
The Chinese side, meanwhile, issued two readouts from the meeting; one of those focussed specifically on the India-China relationship. The other one was all about the Chinese view on Ukraine (this is covered later in the newsletter). In contrast, the MEA readout does not mention Ukraine by name at all.
The first Chinese readout of the meeting says that:
“China and India, Wang said, share common interests and similar legitimate claims. As the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, major countries like China and India will definitely not go with the flow, but are destined to uphold strategic determination, achieve their respective development and revitalization in accordance with the established goals, and make greater contributions to the future of mankind. Wang said the two countries should take practical actions to implement the important consensus of the leaders of the two countries that "the two countries are not each other's threats, but cooperation partners and development opportunities." He also said the two countries should push for the early return of the bilateral relations to the right track and light up the bright future of the relations together. Wang said China appreciates India's support for its hosting BRICS meetings and the High-level Dialogue on Global Development in June, and it will support India's work in 2023 as the next rotating chair of the G20 countries and of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Noting that both countries, as advocates of multilateralism, share views in areas ranging from safeguarding peace and security, boosting economic recovery, improving global governance, to jointly combating COVID-19, Wang said they should strengthen coordination and cooperation, and join efforts to make international relations more democratic, international order fairer, the developing countries' voices to be heard more and their legitimate interests better maintained.”
Moving on, the Dalai Lama turned 87 this week. July 6 is celebrated as “incarnation day” of the 14th Dalai Lama. Indian PM Narendra Modi wished him on the day. Several Indian Chief and Union ministers also extended their wishes. Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture Meenakashi Lekhi and Minister of State for Law SP Singh Baghel also attended an event organised by the Bureau of Dalai Lama in Delhi to celebrate his birthday.
When asked about During a press briefing on July 7, India's foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi termed PM's greeting as India's policy to treat His Holiness as an "honoured guest" in India.
"Prime Minister did speak to His Holiness last year also, it has been the consistent policy of the government to treat His Holiness the Dalai Lama as an honoured guest in India, a respected religious leader who enjoys a large following in India. And His Holiness is accorded due courtesies and freedom to conduct his religious and spiritual activities. His Holiness's birthday is celebrated by many of his followers in India and abroad. The birthday greetings by Honourable Prime Minister to His Holiness on his 87th birthday, yesterday, should be seen in this overall context."
China's Foreign Ministry’s Zhao Lijian hit out at Indian leaders and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken for their greetings.
“Tibet-related affairs are China’s internal affairs and brook no interference by any external forces. China firmly opposes all forms of contact between foreign officials and the 14th Dalai Lama…We urge the US side to fully understand the importance and highly sensitive nature of Tibet-related issues, seriously respect the core interests of China, understand the anti-China and separatist nature of the Dalai clique, abide by US commitments on Tibet-related issues, refrain from all forms of contact with Dalai and stop sending wrong signals to the world. The Indian side also needs to fully understand the anti-China and separatist nature of the 14th Dalai Lama. It needs to abide by its commitments to China on Tibet-related issues, act and speak with prudence and stop using Tibet-related issues to interfere in China’s internal affairs.
Next, another Chinese company found itself in the Indian Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) crosshairs this week.
The ED raided more than 40 places across India in a money-laundering investigation against Chinese smartphone manufacturer Vivo and its 23 associated companies. The ED took this action after the Delhi Police filed an FIR against a distributor of the Vivo based in Jammu and Kashmir. Some Chinese shareholders allegedly forged their identity documents.
ED said in a statement, “The allegations were found to be true as the investigation revealed that the addresses mentioned by the directors of GPICPL did not belong to them, but in fact it was a government building and house of a senior bureaucrat.”
The statement further says, “These companies are found to have transferred huge amount of funds to Vivo India. Further, out of the total sale proceeds of Rs. 1,25,185 crores, Vivo India remitted Rs. 62,476 crores. i.e, almost 50% of the turnover out of India, mainly to China. These remittances were made in order to disclose huge losses in Indian incorporated companies to avoid payment of taxes in India.”
When asked about this development in the briefing this week, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi called it a “judicial or a matter that is not really pertaining to the foreign policy dimension.”
The Chinese foreign ministry, on the other hand, responded by calling on India to fair, provide a “just and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies investing and operating in India.” The Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in India, Wang Xiaojian, said, “The frequent investigations by the Indian side into Chinese enterprises not only disrupt the enterprises’ normal business activities and damage the goodwill of the enterprises, but also impedes the improvement of business environment in India and chills the confidence and willingness of market entities from other countries, including Chinese enterprises to invest and operate in India.”
But don’t expect tensions in this regard to ease anytime soon, if one considers the details in this Economic Times report from this week.
ET reported that the Indian government had approved 80 Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) proposals involving Chinese entities as on 29 June, according to data accessed through Right to Information (RTI). The government received 382 proposals from Chinese entities in all for consideration since India imposed restrictions on investments from countries that share land border with it, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) said in response to the RTI. It is not clear as to how many proposals have been rejected…Until mid-2021, the government did not give any approvals for such FDI. However, since then, it has started considering the applications on a case-to-case basis. Market participants said the government was adopting a cautious approach in evaluating such proposals therefore approvals are slower. Besides, the deals getting government’s nod are generally ones involving acquisition of minority stakes that doesn’t result in change of control. Capital-intensive sectors, such a manufacturing, are getting preference over the sought-after sectors for FDI such as e-commerce and financial services.
The report says that the government is scrutinising proposals while also considering the profile of the investor; the focus is on keeping out “politically exposed persons (PEPs) in China or Hong Kong.” In addition, the report informs that last month, “the ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) brought out a slew of measures to check Chinese influence in the corporate sector. Now, if a company wants to appoint a Chinese national as a director on its board, it will need a security clearance from the central government. Similar approvals have become mandatory even for schemes like mergers and demergers where a Chinese entity is involved. On the other hand, MCA is also probing several Indian companies with a China link. Registrar of Companies (ROC) is said to have removed many Chinese companies from the company rolls. These companies are suspected to be shell entities being used to bring money into the country.”
Finally, PTI reports that the share of Chinese imports in India’s total inbound shipments has declined to 15.4% in 2021-22 from 16.5 per cent in 2020-21. The major items imported from China into India were connected to the telecom and power. Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients are another key import, along with IT products and medical and scientific instruments linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.
II. Wang’s East Asia Diplomatic Blitz
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was on a whirlwind tour of countries in the region over the past week, ending with the G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting and what appears to have been a very animated discussion with Secretary Blinken in Bali.
Let’s begin with Wang’s visit to Myanmar for the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation group’s foreign ministers’ meeting. This was the first visit by the Chinese foreign minister to Myanmar since the coup in the country last year.
First, Wang Yi talked about China’s position on the issue during his meeting with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn. Cambodia is the current ASEAN chair. Wang “appreciated Cambodia's active mediation on the Myanmar issue since it took over the rotating presidency of ASEAN” and said:
The Chinese side expects joint efforts by China and ASEAN to push Myanmar in pursuit of political reconciliation within the framework of the constitution and laws, encourages all political parties in the country to prioritize the big picture and the interests of the people to take rational and pragmatic efforts to stabilize the situation and realize peace at an early date.
China hopes to work together with ASEAN to push Myanmar in restarting the democratic transition process and exploring a path of political development with Myanmar’s own characteristics that also suits its national conditions.
China expects ASEAN to stick to ‘the ASEAN way’, uphold the basic principles and traditions of non-interference in others' internal affairs and coordination, stay focused and remove distractions, engage in patient coordination, constructively implement the five-point consensus reached by ASEAN leaders, and safeguard ASEAN's overall unity and its leading role.
On the discussion on bilateral ties between China and Cambodia and the role of ASEAN, Xinhua reports: “Sokhonn said Cambodia speaks highly of the China-proposed Global Development Initiative (GDI) and Global Security Initiative (GSI), believing they will make significant contribution to global peace and development.
In addition, “Wang said China fully supports the important role of Cambodia as the 2022 ASEAN Chair and is ready to work with ASEAN to adhere to the following ‘three upholdings’:
Upholding ASEAN centrality to preserve strategic independence, maintain multilateralism and take hold of the leading power over regional security.
Upholding the orientation of win-win cooperation to fully implement the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and launch the building of Version 3.0 China-ASEAN Free Trade Area at an early date, so as to add more certainty and positive energy to regional peace, stability and development.
Upholding the principle of properly handling sensitive issues to maintain the key note of mutually beneficial cooperation, oppose initiating antagonism of camps and division in this region, and resist any attempt to turn the East Asia cooperation platform into a ‘wrestling ground’ for major-country rivals.
Sokhonn said Cambodia opposes any external forces compelling regional countries to take sides and pushing for zero-sum mentality and geopolitical rivalry.”
Wang also met with Myanmar’s Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin on the sidelines of the LMC meeting. Myanmar’s Forieign Minister told Wang that his country cherishes the Myanmar-China ‘Paukphaw’ friendship (with China), which features mutual respect and equal treatment.
“China will work together with the Myanmar side to further consolidate the four pillars of mutual political trust, mutually beneficial cooperation, people to people bonds, and personnel and cultural exchanges, so as to push for the building of the China-Myanmar community with a shared future to a new high, Wang said. China supports the Myanmar people in exploring the development path that suits Myanmar's own national conditions, and supports Myanmar in safeguarding its legitimate interests and national dignity in the international arena, he added. Both sides agreed to speed up the construction of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC), implement well the cross-border power grids agreement, guarantee the operation of China-Myanmar oil and gas pipelines, explore the "CMEC plus" cooperation at a proper time, and elevate the level of bilateral trade and commercial cooperation. China is ready to import more quality agricultural products from Myanmar, expand bilateral financial cooperation, and launch poverty reduction demonstration projects in Myanmar, Wang said…Wang said that as Myanmar's largest neighboring country, China expects Myanmar to achieve political and social stability, improvement of people's livelihood and national development and revitalization. China also hopes Myanmar could realize political reconciliation and lasting peace and stability through consultations within the constitutional and legal framework, he added.”
The report also has Wang saying that “it is necessary to synergize the LMC with the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Security Initiative (GSI) proposed by China. U Wunna Maung Lwin said the GDI and the GSI will play a significant role in safeguarding world peace, upholding multilateralism and promoting common development. Myanmar spoke highly of the initiatives and is willing to actively participate in them.”
Finally, Wang also met with Lao Vice Premier and Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith, and with Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son. Xinhua reports that during the meeting with his Vietnamese counterpart, “the two foreign ministers also exchanged views on the South China Sea issue, agreeing to take the opportunity of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea this year to move forward the process of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, adhere to the consensus reached between the leaderships, handle differences properly and boost maritime cooperation.”
If you are interested in the outcomes of the LMC meeting, I’ve done a detailed breakdown of those in my daily People’s Daily tracker here.
Wang then headed to Thailand. Xinhua reports:
“While meeting with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said his country attaches great importance to the China-proposed Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative and admires China's great achievements in eliminating extreme poverty. Thailand expects to learn from China's development experience, grasp the trend of the times, seize the historical opportunity and push for Thailand-China cooperation in all fields, the Thai prime minister said.
Xinhua further reported that at a joint press conference with Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai, Wang said that the two sides had in-depth strategic communication and reached consensus in four aspects:
Firstly, both sides agreed to jointly build a community with a shared future between the two countries, and make it the goal and vision for the development of bilateral ties.
Secondly, both sides agreed to work towards the early opening of the China-Laos-Thailand railway, and foster the development of logistics, economy and trade, and industries. They will launch more cold-chain freight train services, tourism and durian express, and facilitate all-around cooperation in regions along the route, delivering more tangible benefits to the people of the three countries.
Thirdly, both sides agreed to jointly safeguard cyber security. An MoU has been signed on this.
Fourth, they will both work for positive results at the APEC meeting later this year.
Next, Wang was in the Philippines where he met with President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos. Xinhua reports that Marcos said:
“China is the Philippines’ largest trading partner and most important development partner, and both sides have initiated fruitful cooperation in all fields. After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, China was the first to supply vaccines and protective materials to the Philippines, said Marcos, adding that China has actively supported the "Build Build Build" program and greatly helped the Philippines in improving its basic infrastructure. The Philippines hopes to continue pushing forward bilateral cooperation with China in politics, economy and trade, education, culture and other areas, so as to enrich the connotation of their comprehensive strategic cooperation, Marcos said. He said the Philippines pursues an independent foreign policy of peace, and always adheres to the one-China policy. The South China Sea issue is not the mainstream of the Philippines-China relationship and should not become an obstacle to bilateral cooperation. The Philippines is willing to carry out candid communication with the Chinese side to find a friendly solution to the issue, which is the right way for the two countries to get along, Marcos said.”
On Wang’s comments, the report says that:
“China-Philippines relations are at a new starting point and China is ready to work with the Philippine side to keep the general direction of friendship and cooperation between the two countries. Both sides remain committed to becoming good neighbors that help each other, good relatives that share mutual understanding and close bonds, and good partners that pursue cooperation and win-win results, so as to push for the upgrading of their cooperation and usher in a ‘golden age’ in bilateral relations, Wang said. While expressing China’s firm support for the new Philippine government, Wang said China is willing to engage with the Philippines to conduct cooperation in the four key areas of agriculture, infrastructure, energy, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, help the Philippines accelerate its development and revitalization, and bring about greater benefits to the Philippine people. Wang stressed that cooperation between China and the Philippines far outweighs their maritime differences, and any difference between the two countries cannot define their relations, nor will it hinder their cooperation. China and the Philippines should enhance dialogue and communication and properly handle sensitive issues so as to let maritime cooperation be the main tone of their discussion and handling of maritime affairs, he said. Wang said the two countries should make the building of good neighbors, good friends and good partners as the new consensus between the two peoples.”
Wang also met with Philippine Foreign Secretary Luis Enrique Manalo. Xinhua reports that Manalo said that the Philippines believes that the problem involving islands and reefs in the South China Sea should be settled through diplomatic means and peaceful consultations with a view to jointly safeguarding peace and stability there…Wang said the two sides should always properly handle the maritime issues from a strategic and overarching perspective, giving the issues a proper position in bilateral relations. The two sides should also work to steadily advance joint development in the South China Sea, accelerate consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, expand maritime cooperation to increase mutual benefit and win-win results…”
Following this, Wang traveled to Bali, Indonesia.
III. The G20 Meetings in Bali
We’ve already covered the meeting between Wang Yi and Jaishankar in Bali, focussing on bilateral ties. But as mentioned above, the Chinese side also issued a readout from the meeting, with Wang Yi talking about China’s concerns around the Ukraine war.
Xinhua reports: “Wang expounded on China's three concerns about the current situation in Ukraine.
First, Wang said, China opposes the act of taking the opportunity to incite Cold War thinking, hyping up bloc confrontation, and creating a ‘new Cold War.’ He said that in the face of complex and severe challenges, the world values unity rather than division, and what is needed is dialogue rather than confrontation. Wang stressed that China will continue to unswervingly stand on the right side of history and on the side of promoting peace talks.
Second, China opposes the practice of double standards that undermine China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, he said. Some countries emphasize the principle of sovereignty on the Ukraine issue, but keep challenging China’s sovereignty and the one-China principle on the Taiwan question, and even deliberately create tensions in the Taiwan Strait, which is obviously a blatant double standard, he added. Wang said China rejects any attempt to equate the Ukraine crisis with the Taiwan question, noting that China will firmly defend its core interests.
Third, he said China opposes any act to undermine other countries' legitimate right to development. Some countries have used the Ukraine crisis as an excuse to abuse unilateral sanctions on China and other countries, which is neither justified nor legal, Wang said, adding that such actions undermine normal state-to-state exchanges, violate the prevailing rules of international trade, and lead to further complication and escalation of the Ukraine crisis. Wang said all parties should jointly resist those actions and strive to build an open, fair and non-discriminatory international cooperation environment.”
Also on the sidelines of the G20, Wang met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Xinhua reported that Wang said that both sides had shown “strong resilience and strategic determination in bilateral ties.” The report added:
“For his part, Lavrov said Russia and China have played an important role in safeguarding the United Nations Charter and international law, promoting a fairer international order and pushing for more democratic international relations by upholding responsible stances and maintaining strategic collaboration, which is recognized and supported by developing countries. The Russia-China relations, Lavrov said, are not subject to external interference and the practical cooperation between the two countries is advancing smoothly, with a great potential for further development. He added that Russia is ready to expand the area and scale of cooperation between the two countries, so as to better benefit the two peoples. Russia supports the important concepts put forward by China including the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, and will strengthen coordination and cooperation with China, Lavrov said. Wang said it is the shared aspiration of developing countries to oppose hegemony, bullying and unilateralism. Facing the realities of the current international politics, will countries choose to pursue power politics and hegemony or promote the process toward a multi-polar world? Will they truly uphold international order with the United Nations at its core or follow rules made by a handful of countries according to their own standards? ‘As time goes by, more and more countries will have a clearer view of this and make the right choice,’ Wang said. China stands ready to work with all sides to implement the Global Security Initiative proposed by the Chinese leader and practice the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, Wang said. The two sides exchanged views on the Ukraine situation. Lavrov introduced the Russia-Ukraine situation and Russia's stance on and proposal for the issue. Wang said China will continue holding an objective and just position, focusing on de-escalating the situation and promoting peace talks, and supporting all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis.”
And then there was the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting. As this NYT report informs, there were several issues weighing heavy on the gathered diplomats - from the Ukraine war, Boris Johnson’s exit in the UK to the tragic assassination of former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe. The meeting concluded without a traditional joint communiqué.
Wang Yi’s speech at the G20 meeting, called for “mutual respect and consultation on equal footing.” He spoke about the need for “openness, inclusiveness, and connectivity”, strengthening “coordination on macro-economic policies to push for inclusive recovery and growth of the global economy”, maintaining “stable international supply chains to ease the global inflationary pressure” and “boosting the multilateral trading system to foster an open, transparent and non-discriminatory international trade environment.” Wang also said that “China will continue to urge peace talks and promote dialogue on the Ukraine issue, and always stands on the side of peace.”
There were also a bunch of key meetings that Wang held on the sidelines of the Foreign Ministers’ meeting:
In the meeting with his Australian counterpart Penny Wong, Wang said “the Chinese side is willing to re-examine and re-calibrate bilateral relationship, based on mutual respect, and make efforts to bring it back on the right track.” But he added: the “root cause of the difficulties in bilateral relations over the past few years was the former Australian government’s insisting on regarding China as a rival or even a threat, allowing its words and deeds being irresponsible against China. He expressed hope that the Australian side would seize the current opportunity and take actions to improve bilateral relations.” As per Xinhua, Penny Wong said: “her country will, by respecting each other and adopting a rational and pragmatic attitude, maintain constructive contacts and exchanges between the two sides, increase mutual trust, expand cooperation on the basis of equality, and work to remove existing barriers in bilateral relations.” The Australian readout says: “We spoke frankly and listened carefully to each other’s priorities and concerns…We have our differences, but it is in both our countries’ interests for the relationship to be stabilised. The Australian Government will always seek to resolve issues calmly and consistently under our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and in accordance with our national interests.”
In the meeting with French Foreign Affairs Minister Catherine Colonna, Wang said: “China cherishes the mutual trust and friendship between the two sides, and highly appreciates and firmly supports France for upholding strategic autonomy…Wang said that as two major forces with global influence, China and the EU should stick to the keynote of win-win cooperation and stay committed to the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership. China expects France to continue to play a constructive role in China-EU relations...”
In the meeting with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, Xinhua’s reporting tells us that the issues of Ukraine and human rights were among the key focus areas. “Germany hopes to have dialogues with China on the rule of law, democracy and human rights, and enhance cooperation and exchanges on climate change, green development and emission reduction, the German foreign minister said. Wang said it is only natural that China and Germany have different views on the human rights issue, as the two countries differ in social systems, development stages, and historical and cultural backgrounds…China will make consistent efforts to promote the development of its human rights cause, and is willing to continue friendly exchanges with other countries on the issue based on mutual respect.”
Wang’s meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin appears to have been a testy affair. Xinhua reports that Wang said bilateral relations are facing important opportunities for development as well as some practical challenges. It is in the common interests of both sides to see their relations well maintained and developed, otherwise they will both suffer, Wang said…As close neighbors and inseparable partners with closely-related security environment and an industrial cycle of converging interests, China and South Korea should uphold the already reached consensus and understanding, and maintain the stability and continuity of their policies towards each other, Wang noted..Wang stressed that in the face of rampant unilateral acts and bullying, the international community should uphold the universal values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom, advocate and practice true multilateralism, and safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on the international law. At present, it is particularly important to prevent return of the Cold War mentality in the region and avoid major power confrontation and bloc politics.”
The meeting with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud was much more cordial, it appears. Xinhua reports: “China firmly supports Saudi Arabia in safeguarding national sovereignty, security and stability, and opposes any foreign interference in its internal affairs, Wang said, adding that China will continue to support Saudi Arabia in playing its important and unique role in international and regional affairs. China is willing to work with Saudi Arabia to jointly promote the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership to achieve new developments, Wang said. For his part, Faisal said Saudi Arabia remains firmly committed to the one-China policy and has always stood against any foreign interference in China's internal affairs, adding that Saudi Arabia is ready to deepen the all-dimensional cooperation with China. Both sides agreed to elevate the cooperation between China and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to a higher level, and speed up the negotiation on the China-GCC free trade agreement.”
Finally, let’s get to the meeting with Blinken. The Chinese readout (English version) said that the two sides had a “comprehensive, in-depth and candid conversation over China-U.S. relations, as well as international and regional issues of common concern for long hours. Both sides agree that the dialogue was substantive and constructive, which is helpful for enhancing mutual understanding, reducing misunderstanding and miscalculation and paving the way for future high-level exchanges between the two countries. At present, bilateral ties are still stuck in the predicament created by the previous U.S. administration and are even encountering more and more challenges”
“The historical narrative of China-U.S. relations has been distorted, the reality has been kidnapped by the so-called ‘political correctness,’ and the development direction is in danger of being further led astray, Wang said, noting that the fundamental reason is that there is a problem with the United States’ perception of China, and its China policy based on such perception has naturally deviated from the right track. Noting that there are some self-contradictions and inconsistencies between words and deeds in the U.S. policy towards China, Wang said those have reflected, on a deep level, the serious deviation in the U.S. perspectives of the world and China, in the China-U.S. history, interests and competition. This has led many to believe that the United States is suffering from a growing ‘Chinaphobia,’ and if this ‘threat inflation’ is left unchecked, the U.S. policy towards China will face a dead end, Wang said. Wang said that the fundamental guidance for lifting China-U.S. relations out of the mire is to earnestly implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state.
Wang then put out four demands:
“Wang stressed that since the U.S. side has pledged not to seek to change China's system, it should respect the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics chosen by the Chinese people and stop smearing and attacking China's political system as well as domestic and foreign policies.
Since the U.S. side has pledged not to seek a new Cold War, it should abandon the Cold War mentality and zero-sum game, and stop forming cliques, Wang said.
Since the U.S. side has pledged not to support ‘Taiwan independence,’ it should stop hollowing out and distorting the one-China policy, playing ‘salami-slicing’ tactics on the Taiwan question, and using the ‘Taiwan card’ to obstruct China's peaceful reunification, he said.
Since the U.S. side has pledged that it has no intention to seek a conflict with China, it should respect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, stop interfering in China's internal affairs, and refrain from undermining China's legitimate interests under the pretext of human rights and democracy, Wang said, adding that the United States should also remove additional tariffs on China as soon as possible, and end unilateral sanctions against Chinese companies.”
He also seemed to dismiss the idea of guardrails being established, saying that the three communiques are the guardrails that are needed. If these are not adhered to,“no amount of ‘guardrails’ will work.”
Anyway, Wang then gave four lists that the US should take seriously. These are:
List of U.S. Wrongdoings that Must Stop
List of Key Individual Cases that China Has Concerns
List of Key China-related Legal Cases that China Has Concerns
List of China-U.S. Cooperation in Eight Areas.
In addition, he demanded that “the U.S. side must be cautious in its words and deeds, must not send any wrong signals to the "Taiwan independence" forces, must not underestimate the firm determination of the Chinese people to safeguard territorial sovereignty, and must not make subversive mistakes that may ruin the peace across the Taiwan Strait.”
Finally, Xinhua adds:
“The two sides reached consensus on pushing for more results from the consultations of the China-U.S. joint working group on the basis of reciprocity and mutual benefit, agreed to create better conditions for diplomatic and consular personnel of the two sides to perform their duty, and restart consultations on cultural and people-to-people exchanges. Both sides also agreed to strengthen cooperation in such fields as climate change and public health, among others. The Chinese side also put forward the vision of sound interaction between China and the United States in the Asia-Pacific region.”
The US side’s view on the meeting was shared by Secretary Blinken in press interaction. Among the many things he said, he dismissed the PRC’s argument that it was being neutral in the Ukraine war:
“It supported Russia in the UN; it continues to do so. It amplified Russian propaganda. Going back even as Russia was massing its forces, President Xi chose to announce the “no limits partnership” with President Putin. Fast-forward to just a few weeks ago, June 13th. In his call with President Putin, President Xi made clear that he stands by that decision. More than four months now into this brutal invasion, the PRC is still standing by Russia.”
IV. Yang Jiechi’s Four-Nation Visit Summary
This week, the People’s Daily published a long interview by Xinhua with Yang Jiechi, offering a round-up of his visit to Pakistan, UAE, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The first question is about what was achieved during the visit.
On the Pakistan visit, Yang talked about the two sides’ “all-weather strategic cooperation” and “rock-solid” friendship. He added that “China and Pakistan agreed to continue to firmly support each other in safeguarding national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity.” 中巴双方同意继续坚定支持彼此维护国家主权安全和领土完整.
And then he said that, “the Chinese side is willing to expand the import of Pakistani competitive products and smooth the industrial and supply chains of the two countries. The Pakistani side will work with the Chinese side to accelerate the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, expand cooperation in investment, industry, agriculture, science and technology and other fields, so as to better benefit the two countries and peoples. Pakistan will comprehensively strengthen security measures. Both China and Pakistan stressed that they will fight against all forms of terrorism.” 中方愿扩大进口巴优势产品，畅通两国产业链供应链。巴方将同中方协力，加速推进中巴经济走廊建设，拓展投资、产业、农业、科技等领域合作，更好惠及两国和两国人民。巴方将全面加强安保措施。中巴双方强调将重拳打击一切形式的恐怖主义.
On the UAE visit, he highlighted talks seeking an early free trade deal with GCC countries and the focus on strengthening communication and coordination with regard to international and regional affairs.
On ties with Zimbabwe, Yang highlighted efforts to strengthen exchange of experiences in governance and administration, promoting exchanges and cooperation in policy consultation, agriculture, mining, science and technology, anti-epidemic work, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and BRI cooperation. He also said that China welcomes the export of more high-quality agricultural products from Zimbabwe to China, and will continue to implement agricultural technical assistance to Zimbabwe to seek more outcomes to benefit people’s livelihood. “Zimbabwe welcomes Chinese enterprises to expand investment in Zimbabwe, opposes any rumours and smears against Chinese enterprises, and will continue to provide a good business environment for Chinese enterprises in Zimbabwe.” 津方欢迎中国企业扩大对津投资，反对任何针对中国企业的造谣抹黑，将继续为中国在津企业提供良好营商环境.
On ties with Mozambique, Yang said that the country has “expressed that it will take its 2023-2024 term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council as an opportunity to strengthen coordination with China on a series of major international and regional issues, so as to effectively safeguard the common interests of the vast number of developing countries. The two sides agreed to continue to maintain the momentum of all-round exchanges, make good use of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the ‘Belt and Road’ platform, and push China-Mozambique relations to a new level.” 莫方表示将以担任2023至2024年度联合国安理会非常任理事国为契机，在一系列重大国际和地区问题上同中方加强协调，有效维护广大发展中国家共同利益。双方同意继续保持全方位交往势头，用好中非合作论坛和共建“一带一路”平台，推进中莫关系不断迈上新台阶.
The second question is about how these countries perceive China’s development and its future prospects. This response is for the boss and the domestic audience in particular. Yang said:
The four countries offered high praise for China’s development path and hope to learn from China's development experience. “The leaders of the four countries spoke highly of President Xi Jinping’s outstanding leadership and the great development achievements of the Chinese Communist Party in uniting and leading the Chinese people.” 四国表示，中国的巨大发展成就和经验具有重大意义，激励和鼓舞了广大发展中国家。相信在习近平主席和中国共产党的领导下，伟大的中国和中国人民必将实现更大发展.
“The leaders of the four countries appreciated that China’s economy had overcome difficulties and made steady progress. It had performed prominently among the world’s major economies, provided broad opportunities for the development of various countries, and provided strong momentum for the world economy. They were generally full of confidence when it came to China’s development prospects.” 四国领导人赞赏中国经济攻坚克难、稳中有进，在世界主要经济体中表现突出，为各国发展提供广阔机会、为世界经济提供强大动能，普遍对中国发展前景充满信心.
“The four countries appreciated the Chinese leadership and government's insistence on putting people first and life first, bringing the pandemic under control in the shortest possible time, ensuring people’s health and normal production and living order to the greatest extent, and ensuring the sustainable, healthy and stable economic and social development with good prevention and control results…The four countries said that China's anti-epidemic achievements are exemplary...” and that they will “never forget the valuable support and great help China has provided during the fight against the pandemic.” 四国赞赏中国领导人和政府坚持人民至上、生命至上，在最短的时间内控制住疫情，最大程度保障人民生命健康和正常生产生活秩序，以良好的防控成效保障经济社会持续健康稳定发展...四国表示，中方的抗疫成果在全球堪称典范.
The third question talks about China’s cooperation with development countries, in the context of the high-level development dialogue that was recently held. Yang said that “China is willing to strengthen strategic communication, coordination and cooperation with other developing countries, jointly promote the realisation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, firmly safeguard the common interests of developing countries, and promote the construction of a more just and rational international political and economic order.”
He added that the leaders of the four countries supported Xi’s Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative. The paragraph on GSI is useful. It calls GSI as offering a “new security path, featuring dialogue rather than confrontation, partnership rather than alliance, and win-win rather than zero-sum” engagement. It adds that: at present, a number of hot issues in some regions are leading to a series of negative spillover effects. “The world is facing challenges from food and energy crises, and the economic recovery and social stability of developing countries are affected. Developing countries should not be victims of international crises, nor should they be the ones who pay the cost of conflicts and turmoil. China is willing to work with other developing countries to promote the implementation of the GSI as soon as possible, and actively promote the building of a global security community, so that the sunshine of peace will illuminate the world…” “...走一条对话而不对抗、结伴而不结盟、共赢而非零和的新型安全之路。当前，部分地区热点问题不断发酵产生系列负面外溢效应，世界面临粮食危机、能源危机的挑战，广大发展中国家经济复苏和社会稳定受到冲击。发展中国家不应成为国际危机的受害者，更不应成为冲突动荡的埋单方。中方愿同其他发展中国家一道，推动全球安全倡议尽快落地，积极推动构建全球安全共同体，让和平的阳光照亮世界、安全的雨露润泽四方，实现各国共谋安全、共促安全、共享安全.
Later, Yang also says that “developing countries are unanimously opposed to hegemonism, power politics, interference in internal affairs and racial discrimination; they resolutely resist the replacement of the generally accepted basic norms of international relations by unilaterally-defined rules by a few countries, and call for increasing the representation and voice of developing countries in global governance, and to ensure equal rights, equal rules, and equal opportunities for all countries. China firmly supports developing countries in playing a larger and more active role in international affairs…” 发展中国家一致反对霸权主义、强权政治、干涉内政和种族歧视，坚决抵制少数国家以“家法帮规”取代普遍接受的国际关系基本准则，呼吁增加发展中国家在全球治理中的代表性和发言权，确保各国权利平等、规则平等、机会平等。中方坚定支持发展中国家在国际事务中发挥更大、更积极作用，愿同有关国家一道，维护和践行真正的多边主义，就重大国际和地区事务加强沟通协作，推动国际治理体系向更加公正合理的方向发展.
He also pushes back against the idea of decoupling, creating walls and disrupting supply chains.
The final question is about BRI, with next year being the 10th anniversary of the initiative being first announced. Yang talked about the benefits of BRI to Pakistan, UAE and African countries, before again lashing out at the US.
“China has always called on the international community to increase its attention towards and investment in developing countries, carry out truly equal and mutually beneficial cooperation, and improve the well-being of people in developing countries. However, at the critical juncture of the fight against the pandemic and maintaining the global economic recovery, a few countries have clung to ideological prejudices and engaged in geopolitical machinations in the name of democracy and aid. They have done everything possible to suppress countries that adhere to the path of independent development. This is obviously contrary to the trend of the times and the will of the countries and people in the region to seek peace and promote development, and will inevitably fail.” 中方一贯呼吁国际社会加大对发展中国家的关注和投入，开展真正平等互利的合作，改善发展中国家人民福祉。然而，在全球抗疫和经济复苏的关键时刻，少数国家固守意识形态偏见，打着民主和援助旗号搞地缘政治算计，千方百计打压坚持独立自主发展道路的国家。这显然同时代潮流背道而驰，同地区国家和人民谋和平促发展的意愿背道而驰，必将遭到失败.
V. COVID, Taiwan & Data Rules
a. COVID Resurgence
There’s a COVID-19 resurgence in parts of China. The mainland recorded 101 confirmed COVID-19 cases on Saturday, with 65 attributed to local transmissions and 36 from overseas. A total of 319 asymptomatic cases were also recorded on Saturday.
This week, we saw a lockdown in Xi’an, where officials said on Tuesday that businesses, schools and restaurants in Xi’an will be closed for one week. In Shanghai too, there is a fresh cluster linked to a karaoke bar, and the total number of cases have been on a rise, hitting 59 on Friday. The Shanghai municipal government added 40 mid-risk areas and two high-risk areas on Saturday, up from four mid-risk and one high-risk area at the start of the week.
In Macau, almost all business premises including casinos are being shut down for a week from Monday. Essential business operations including supermarkets and pharmacies will remain open, however. The measure, which follows multiple rounds of mass testing, comes as the region announced 71 new cases on Saturday, bringing the total number of infections in the latest outbreak starting June 18 to 1,374.
Beijing introduced a vaccine mandate for public places - such as libraries, museums, cinemas, art galleries, sports and fitness venues, entertainment venues or any crowded places, except restaurants and the public transport. This was to be effective from July 11, but it was later withdrawn. HT reported that: “The city government withdrew that rule late on Thursday night. No explanation was offered. ‘Beijing residents can enter the public spaces as long as they provide negative nucleic acid test results taken within 72 hours, have their temperature checked and scan their health codes for Covid-19 prevention and control,’ a city government official was quoted as saying on Thursday night by the state-run China Daily newspaper.” The report added that ‘Hu Xijin, former editor-in-chief of Global Times, a state-backed tabloid, said, according to the China Daily, that the “…government rescinding the vaccination requirement shows the power of the public opinion’. The vaccine mandate had triggered discussion threads on China’s Twitter-equivalent, Weibo, where many expressed their unease about it.”
I think this by the EIU makes a lot of sense in terms of the possible direction of China’s zero-COVID policy. It’s not going away, but there are tweaks being made.
b. Liu Jieyi on Taiwan Policy
There was a log article in the People’s Daily this week by Taiwan Affairs Office Director Liu Jieyi detailing the Party’s overall strategy on Taiwan. I summarised the piece in detail in my PD tracker. Some of the key points are:
“No individual or force can stop the historical trend of building a strong country, national rejuvenation, and cross-strait reunification. Time, momentum, and justice when it comes to addressing the Taiwan issue have always been on the side of the forces that advocate reunification. Resolving the Taiwan issue and realising the reunification of the motherland is an inevitable requirement for realising the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation in the new era. We must properly manage the overall situation, focus on preventing and resolving major risks and hidden dangers in the Taiwan Strait, firmly push forward the resolution of the Taiwan issue, and create a favourable environment in the Taiwan Strait for national rejuvenation. Our growing comprehensive strength and remarkable systemic advantages have enhanced the efficiency when it comes to Taiwan-related work, pushing forward the process of reunification of the motherland. 国家强大、民族复兴、两岸统一的历史大势，任何人、任何势力都无法阻挡。解决台湾问题的时、势、义始终在主张统一的力量这一边。解决台湾问题、实现祖国统一，是新时代实现中华民族伟大复兴的必然要求。我们妥善运筹大局大势，着力防范化解台海重大风险隐患，坚定推进解决台湾问题，为实现民族复兴营造有利台海环境。我们日益增长的综合实力、显著的制度优势持续转化为对台工作效能，推动祖国统一进程向前迈进.
“‘Peaceful reunification and one country, two systems’ is the basic policy for resolving the Taiwan issue and the best way to achieve national reunification.” “和平统一、一国两制”是解决台湾问题的基本方针，也是实现国家统一的最佳方式. We are willing to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification with the utmost sincerity and best efforts and actively explore the ‘two systems’ plan for Taiwan, so as to create a broad space for peaceful reunification. We, however, do not promise to renounce the use of force and reserve the option of taking all necessary measures, with the aim of safeguarding the prospect of peaceful reunification of the motherland and the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation, including Taiwan Province compatriots. 我们愿意以最大诚意、尽最大努力争取和平统一前景，积极探索“两制”台湾方案，为和平统一创造广阔空间。我们不承诺放弃使用武力，保留采取一切必要措施的选项，目的是维护祖国和平统一的前景，维护包括台湾同胞在内的中华民族根本利益.
“The ‘1992 Consensus’, which embodies the one-China principle, clearly defines the fundamental nature of cross-strait relations. Its core is that both sides across the Taiwan Strait belong to one China and work together to seek national reunification. This is the key to ensuring the peaceful development of cross-strait relations and the basis and condition for our exchanges with political parties in Taiwan. We resolutely oppose any words and deeds that distort, deny and slander the ‘1992 Consensus’ and its core essence, and on the political basis of adhering to the ‘1992 Consensus’ and opposing ‘Taiwan independence,’ we urge all sectors of society on both sides of the strait to jointly discuss cross-strait relations and the future of the nation.” 体现一个中国原则的“九二共识”明确界定了两岸关系的根本性质，核心是海峡两岸同属一个中国、共同努力谋求国家统一，这是确保两岸关系和平发展的关键，是我们同台湾各政党开展交往的基础和条件。我们坚决反对任何曲解、否定和污蔑“九二共识”及其核心要义的言行，并在坚持“九二共识”、反对“台独”的政治基础上，推动两岸各界共同探讨两岸关系和民族未来.
The next point talks about sharing development opportunities with folks across the strait. “Deepening cross-strait integration and development is an important way to build a cross-strait community with a shared future and consolidate the foundation for peaceful reunification.”
The next point says that the issue of Taiwan is “China’s internal affair, and no external interference is allowed. We will resolutely defend national sovereignty, security and development interests, and will never allow any individual, organisation, or political party to separate any piece of Chinese territory from China at any time and in any form. We will resolutely crack down on Taiwan independence separatist acts and severely punish Taiwan independence diehards, according to law. We resolutely counter external forces playing the ‘Taiwan card’ and resolutely oppose any external interference. Provocations by the Taiwan independence separatist forces or the interference by external forces will simply end in complete failure. No one should underestimate the strength of our determination, our firm will and the strength of our ability to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”台湾问题是中国的内政，不容任何外来干涉。我们坚决捍卫国家主权、安全、发展利益，绝不允许任何人、任何组织、任何政党、在任何时候、以任何形式、把任何一块中国领土从中国分裂出去。我们坚决打击“台独”分裂行径，依法严惩“台独”顽固分子。我们坚决反制外部势力打“台湾牌”，坚决反对任何外来干涉。无论“台独”分裂势力挑衅还是外部势力干涉，都只能以彻底失败告终。任何人都不要低估我们捍卫国家主权和领土完整的坚强决心、坚定意志、强大能力。
c. Cross-border Data Transfer Rules
WSJ reported this week that “many businesses in China will have to seek approvals from Chinese authorities before transferring data abroad, according to rules released this week, part of a growing suite of regulations Beijing has introduced to tighten control over data in the country. The rules on cross-border data transfer—published by China’s internet regulator on Thursday and effective on Sept. 1—will likely increase compliance costs for businesses and push more multinationals to store data in the country, legal experts say. They follow a draft released in October, and clarify procedures for data generated in China to be shipped to or accessed from overseas.
“‘Critical information infrastructure operators’—companies processing data for key industries such as telecommunications, defense, energy and finance—must pass a security review by the Cyberspace Administration of China before they can transfer personal data abroad, according to the rules. Parties dealing with data of one million people or more must go through such reviews before cross-border transfers of personal data, the rules said. Similar reviews are also required for those who have been transferring personal data abroad of at least 100,000 people or sensitive personal information of 10,000 people or more from the beginning of the previous year, the rules showed.”
VI. Action Plan for Digitalization to Help the Consumer Goods Industry
by Megha Pardhi
On 2nd July, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) released Action Plan for Digitalization to Help the Consumer Goods Industry "Three Products (2022-2025)" [数字化助力消费品工业 "三品" 行动方案（2022－2025年）] (PDF of the plan in Chinese). The strategy has some safety measures too. For example, the strategy includes strengthening organization and implementation, strengthening policy support, promoting standardization, cultivating talent, etc.
Highlights stated in the main objectives of this strategy:
Significantly enhanced innovation capability (创新能力显著增强 )
Deepen integration and development of the new generation of digital technology and the consumer goods industry, and consolidate technical foundation.
The penetration rate of digital enterprise management, the penetration rate of digital R&D and design tools, and the proportion of enterprises applying e-commerce should exceed 80%.
Enhanced integrated innovation and integrated application capabilities of crucial links such as intelligent design, flexible manufacturing, and supply chain collaboration
Accelerated digital transformation of the consumer goods industry.
Improve level of supply (供给水平明显提高 )
Improve technological innovation system with enterprises as the main body.
Manufacturing demonstration factories, building 200 well-known brands with a scale of 10 billion, and continuous improvement of product service quality and customer satisfaction.
Optimization of development ecology (发展生态持续优化 )
Promote the point-to-face, demonstration-led improvement and create 50 "three-product" strategic demonstration cities.
Develop public service capabilities such as platform-based design, personalized customization, networked collaboration, and service-based extension, cultivate 50 digital service platforms, and promote 300 typical cases of application scenarios with strong demonstration and driving effects.
Key tasks highlighted in the strategy:
"Increase varieties" using digitalization (数字化助力 "增品种").
Promote digital R&D and design to promote iterative product updates (推广数字化研发设计促进产品迭代更新).
Promote personalized customization and flexible production, reshape product development and production mode (推进个性化定制和柔性生产重塑产品开发生产模式).
Promote digital greening and synergize to expand the supply of green consumer goods (推动数字化绿色化协同扩大绿色消费品供给)
"Improve quality" using digitalization (数字化助力 "提品质")
Increase digital transformation and empower enterprises to improve quality and efficiency (加大数字化改造力度赋能企业提质增效).
Strengthening the construction of traceability system to help boost consumer confidence (加强追溯体系建设助力提振消费信心).
Deepen smart supply chain management and improve industrial chain collaboration efficiency (加深智慧供应链管理提升产业链协同效率).
"Creating a brand" using digitalization (数字化助力 "创品牌")
Leveraging digital technology to build a well-known brand (借力数字技术打造知名品牌).
Taking advantage of digital transformation to nurture cutting-edge products (借势数字变革培育新锐精品).
Using digital services to create new advantages for regional brands (借助数字服务塑造区域品牌新优势).
The strategy also mentions some projects.
Innovation capability improvement project (创新能力提升工程)
Digital Design Capability Improvement Project (数字化设计能力提升工程)
Digital Green Collaborative Ability Improvement Project (数字化绿色化协同能力提升工程)
Quality control capability improvement project (质量管控能力提升工程)
Smart Supply Chain Management Capability Improvement Project (智慧供应链管理能力提升工程)
Other Stories:
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China Considers $220 Billion Stimulus With Unprecedented Bond Sales
China said to plan $75-bn infrastructure fund to revive economy
China’s former police vice-minister Sun Lijun pleads guilty to bribery, stocks fraud
China stresses rectifying problems in central budget execution, fiscal revenues and expenditures
FBI, MI5 chiefs warn of ‘immense’ China threat at rare joint address
Yellen raises concerns of China's 'unfair' economic practices in call with Liu/ China calls virtual talks with Yellen 'constructive' - That’s not the only other China-US conversation that happened this week. General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also spoke to China’s Chief of the Joint Staff Department, General Li Zuocheng.
U.S. pushes Canada, Mexico to stop imports of Chinese goods produced by Uyghur slave labor
Economic Watch: China's infrastructure investment accelerates amid policy support
China embarks on state-led search for ‘disruptive’ innovations as it seeks to take the lead on tech
China Accuses US of ‘Technological Terrorism’ as Chip Curbs Grow - Do Read
PLA naval activities around Japan intensify amid Tokyo provocation, ‘to become routine’
China’s internet expresses glee at Abe’s assassination/ Xi extends condolences over passing of former Japanese PM Abe