News that caught our eye / July 15
NOTE: The news reports below are not in chronological order. There is often a time lag in their reaching the US and in gaining our attention. These reports reflect the opinions of a variety of news sources.
President Xi visits Xinjiang for the first time in 8 years / July 15, 2022
Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited Xinjiang in the country’s northwest this week amid concerns over China’s detention of a million or more members of primarily Muslim ethnic minorities in the remote border region. Xi stressed the full and faithful implementation of his ruling Communist Party’s policies in the region and highlighted social stability and lasting security as the overarching goals.
China to US: Stay out of South China Sea / July 14, 2022
China criticized the United States on Wednesday as being "extremely irresponsible" in using the South China Sea issue to stir up trouble and sow discord among countries in the region. The statement came in response to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's call that China complies with the arbitral award on the so-called South China Sea arbitration case in 2016. That case denied China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea.
How China Wants to Replace the U.S. Order /July 13, 2022
Beijing and Washington have been engaged in a trade war and a tech war. It has become an ideas war as both sides are fighting for their own principles of world order.
China to add 100,662 miles of highway by 2035 / July 14, 2022
China plans to expand its national road network by 100662 miles, to around 286,500 miles, by 2035. This includes 18,641 miles of new expressways and the renovation of about 36,039 miles of roads.
Much of China is baking / July 11, 2022
Many Chinese cities have had high temperatures of 104 °F. Lingshou County, Hebei Province has exceeded 111°F. Since July 6, a total of 18 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) have experienced high-temperature weather above 95°F.
Malaysia and China to cooperate on the Belt and Road Initiative / July 12, 2022
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Malaysia's King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and separately with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakobin Kuala Lumpur on July 12. Both sides agreed to expedite practical cooperation and advance key Belt and Road projects.
China begins construction on world's most far-reaching radar system / July 11, 2022
China has begun constructing a new high-definition deep-space active observation facility in the country's Southwest Chongqing municipality. Its goal is to boost its defense capability against near-earth asteroids and its sensing capability for the Earth-Moon system. The facility will provide high-definition observation of asteroids within 93 million miles of earth.
China’s charging stations for electric vehicles increases 101.2% / July 11, 2022
In the first half of 2022, China is rapidly building out its charging stations for electric vehicles. Public charging stations (piles) increased by 228.4% year-on-year. Private charging piles increased 511.3% year-on-year. As of June 2022, the cumulative number of charging infrastructure nationwide was 3.918 million units, a year-on-year increase of 101.2%.
China uses students as spies / July 10, 2022
A video report from the Hindustan Times claims China uses broad-scale networks of students to spy on other countries.
Spain agrees to bolster ties with China / July 9, 2022
At the Group of 20 (G20) foreign ministers' meeting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares agreed to further develop relations between their two countries.
Why China’s tech giants fell from grace / July 10, 2022
Over the last years, China's fintech giants Ant Group and Tencent achieved enormous valuations. But then Beijing launched a series of regulatory assaults against them. This two-minute vblog explains.
Chinese bank depositors face police in angry protest / July 10, 2022
A Chinese bank has refused to allow patrons to withdraw their money. In response, hundreds have protested. On July 10, a large crowd of angry Chinese bank depositors faced off with police. When they were dispersed, some reportedly were injured as they were roughly taken away.
US tells China its support for Russia complicates relations / July 9, 2022
China’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine is complicating U.S.-Chinese relations at a time when they are already beset by rifts and enmity over numerous other issues, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his Chinese counterpart on Saturday. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi blamed the U.S. for the downturn in relations and said that American policy has been derailed by what he called a misperception of China as a threat. “Many people believe that the United States is suffering from a China-phobia,” he said, according to a Chinese statement. “If such threat-expansion is allowed to grow, U.S. policy toward China will be a dead end with no way out.”
China's Xi offers condolences to Japan PM Kishida over Abe's death / July 9, 2022
Chinese President Xi Jinping has offered condolences to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the death of former Japanese political leader Shinzo Abe. Xi was quoted by the official Xinhua News Agency as telling Kishida, "I have reached important consensus" with Abe to build China-Japan ties that "meet the requirements of the new era."
China stresses true multilateralism at G20 meeting; US attempts to split bloc over Russia-Ukraine conflict / July 8, 2022
China’s Global Times reports that China stressed the significance of true multilateralism, openness, and inclusiveness within the framework of G20 at the G20 foreign ministers' meeting on July 8. Chinese observers said China's stance reflected the voices of developing countries and emerging economies in seeking equal and joint efforts in tackling acute global challenges. US attempted to split the G20 by inciting confrontation between camps over the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
US officials arrested for harassing ex-pat Chinese / July 7, 2022
US prosecutors announced charges on July 7 against a government agent and private investigator in a widening probe of an alleged scheme to stalk and harass Chinese dissidents in the United States. Craig Miller, a 15-year employee of the Department of Homeland Security, and Derrick Taylor, a former DHS worker, were named in an indictment filed in federal court in Brooklyn. Prosecutors allege the pair obstructed justice by plotting to obtain information from a restricted federal law enforcement database.
China’s economy is shrinking / July 6, 2022
Signs are mounting that China’s economy shrank in the second quarter for the first time since 2020. High-frequency data for June and losses in the previous two months suggest the economy contracted over the second quarter due to the lingering effects of lockdowns in dozens of cities.
China rolls out AI capable of mindreading / July 5, 2022
Researchers in China recently claimed they have developed software that can acutely analyze facial expressions and brain waves to monitor if people were attentive to "thought and political education."
Russia uncovers a Chinese spy ring / July 4, 2022
Russia claims to have uncovered two Chinese spies in the past week: physicist Dmitry Kolker, who reportedly worked on lasers, and Anatoly Maslov, a chief scientist who reportedly worked on hypersonics.
FBI and MI5 warn about Chinese spying / July 6, 2022
The heads of the FBI and Britain’s domestic security service issued sharply worded warnings to business leaders about the threats posed by Chinese espionage, especially spying aimed at stealing Western technology companies’ intellectual property.
China slams false accusations /July 8, 2022
The composition of China’s Communist Party / July 7, 2022
China’s Communist Party of China (CCP) has over 96 million members (up from 78 million in 2010). The graphics in this post shows the various demographics that make up the CCP.
NATO’s revamped Strategic Concept document and China / July 7, 2022
For the first time, NATO has refreshed its Strategic Concept document. It now highlights the “systemic challenges” that the People's Republic of China poses. It also holds out an olive branch for “constructive engagement.” The new language is tough, referring to Beijing’s “coercive policies” that challenge NATO’s “interests, security, and values,” as well as the PRC’s “malicious hybrid and cyber operations.”
China intercepts a Russian ship in waters claimed by China and Japan / July 5, 2022
A Russian ship sailed close to an island claimed by both China and Japan. China says it sent a frigate to intercept the Russian vessel and warn it of straying into its waters. Japan officially complained to China that the Russian and Chinese ships had illegally entered its territorial waters. A Chinese spokesman said the two country’s ships “had nothing to do” with China-Russia cooperation. “The People’s Liberation Army didn’t send any warships to form a joint flotilla with any Russian warships this time…. The Russian warship was a foreign vessel intruding into Diaoyu waters, so the Chinese frigate needed to intercept it and keep watch. The PLA Navy takes the same approach in dealing with all foreign vessels.”