News that caught our eye / The week ending November 4
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.
A call for a closer relationship between China and Germany / November 4, 2022
On November 4, Xi Jinping met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Xi said, “As two major countries with great influence, China and Germany should work together in times of change and instability and contribute more to global peace and development (China’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs).
Germany’s Scholz and Xi talk about peace in Ukraine / November 4, 2022 (AP)
China updates the law protecting women / November 2, 2022
Chinese lawmakers have updated the Women's Rights and Interests Protection Law with the promise that it will guarantee women’s safety, honor their personal rights, and empower them. However, there is much wiggle room in the new law.
Zero-Covid policy is still in place and still causing disruption / November 2, 2022
China’s zero-Covid policy is struggling to deal with new variants. Outbreaks have been reported across the country. Cases remain incredibly low, but even small numbers of positive tests can trigger wide-reaching lockdowns. China has shown little sign of relenting on its stringent restrictions, even though such a shift would undoubtedly help its slowing economy (Semafor - story#5).
Opinion: US must develop sound economic relationship with China / October 30, 2022
China's economy will maintain sustained and stable growth. The US should not misjudge China's economic situation and make wrong policies in its cooperation with China…. The US is actually pushing an economic decoupling, which is fully responsible for the current bilateral economic and trade tensions. The US side should stop the decoupling approach as soon as possible and promote the bilateral economic relationship back on the right track (Global Times).
Opinion: Xi’s priorities are Taiwan, missiles, and spying / October 28, 2022
Secretary Xi’s choices for his top leaders “reflect a focus on developing advanced military and technological capabilities so that Beijing can withstand any pressure from the United States and its allies, particularly when it comes to enforcing territorial claims over Taiwan, the self-governing island democracy of 23 million” (Washington Post).
China and Russia reaffirm close relations / October 29, 2022
“Chinese observers said that China-Russia relations, which set a very prominent and positive example for establishing mutually beneficial cooperation between major countries, drive the world toward a more just, effective and multipolar global order, and the deepened cooperation between the two countries also contributes to the decline of US hegemony” (Global Times).
Mao’s China invoked by Xi / October 29, 2022
Freshly after his third 5-year appointment as the head of China’s Communist Party, Chairman Xi visited Chairman Mao's former residence. It was there, in 1945, that Mao was confirmed as CCP chairman. "Among the signals Xi appears to be sending ... is prepare for difficult times ahead, and prepare for struggle," analyst Bill Bishop wrote in his Sinocism newsletter (CNA).
Rent in Shanghai drops 20% as citizens flee / October 31, 2022
Rental charges are falling in Shanghai. Some landlords are offering discounts of up to 20 percent. The reason: expatriate residents and high-income salaried workers are leaving the city in reaction to lingering zero-Covid controls (MSN).
Climate Change Drying Up China’s Three Gorges Dam / October 25th, 2022
Drought in the US and Europe is also impacting China. Hydroelectric power generation at the massive Three Gorges Dam is severely limited. This has necessitated widespread power cuts (Bloomberg). Note that in August 2020 the fear was that the dam was holding back too much water (The Guardian).
Chinese college students talk about marriage / October 27, 2022
China’s marriage rate has plummeted in recent years. Sixth Tone visited several college campuses around Shanghai to ask students why that is (Sixth Tone).