News that caught our eye / The week ending September 30
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.
Facebook deletes China-based network / September 27, 2022
Facebook’s parent company Meta disrupted a China-based network of accounts that was seeking to influence U.S. politics ahead of the 2022 midterms. Posing as Americans, the covert Chinese operation used accounts on Facebook and Instagram to post opinions about abortion, gun control and high-profile politicians such as President Biden and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). (Washington Post)
China’s currency continues its slide vs US dollar; China’s Bank says all is well / September 28, 2022
China’s currency, called the yuan or renminbi, continues to lose value compared to the US dollar. But the Bank of China claims the situation is under control (Bloomberg).
President Xi makes a public appearance / September 27, 2022
Last weekend the internet offered numerous rumors that President Xi had been overthrown in a coup. Evidence for the rumors included that he had not been seen since returning to China from an international conference in Central Asia, troop movements, and canceled flights. On September 27, Xi demonstrated he remains in power with a visit to an exhibition in Beijing (Reuters).
Chinese, Russian naval ships near Alaska / September 26, 2022
Two other Chinese naval ships and four Russian naval vessels, including a destroyer, were spotted in single formation by a US patrol boat on September 19. “While the formation has operated in accordance with international rules and norms, we will meet presence with presence to ensure there are no disruptions to U.S. interests in the maritime environment around Alaska,” Rear Adm. Nathan Moore, Seventeenth Coast Guard District commander said (ABC News).
China’s view of its ships in the Artic / September 26, 2022
China says its activities in the Artic sea are part of normal military cooperation between China and Russia. These exercises are aimed at jointly maintaining regional peace and stability. Stories about these exercises signaling hostile actions are propaganda (Global Times).
China is in danger of isolating itself / September 27, 2022
At the 20th Forbes Global CEO Conference in Singapore, Guatan Adani, the world's third-richest person, warned that global trends toward "increasing nationalism, supply chain risk mitigation, and technology restrictions" could put a stopper on China's growth (MSN).
China’s opposing opinion / September 28, 2022 (Global Times)
China offers non-response to Putin Ukraine threats / September 23, 2022
As Putin threatens more military action in Ukraine, including a nuclear response, Beijing has been silent. Joe Webster of The China Project suggests, “There are growing signs, including at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting in Samarkand last week, that the PRC and other countries are increasingly irritated with the war and its economic dislocations (The China Project).
A formula for China and the US to “get along in the new era / September 23, 2022
In a speech by State Councilor and Foreign Minister. Wang Yi offered three keys to improving relations between the US and China: mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation (China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
Secretary of State Blinken and Wang Yi meeting / September 24, 2022
This article provides a summary of topics that Secretary of State Blinken and Wang Yi discussed
Man sentenced for attack on four women / September 23, 2022
China sentenced a man to 24 years in prison for an attack on four women at a restaurant in Tangshan in June. The attack was caught on CCTV cameras. News of the attack stirred a national conversation on gender-based violence. For a report on the attack, tap here. Four others were also found guilty of crimes related to the attack (MSN).