News that caught our eye / The week ending January 24, 2025
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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.
Curated by James Getka.
TikTokers say goodbye to their 'Chinese spy' and move to RedNote / January 17,2025
Influencers on TikTok—one even in tears—lament the anticipated ban on the popular website as they transfer their platforms to RedNote. Seemingly disregarding the US government’s concern about TikTok’s potential spying tactics, the influencers dubbed TikTok as their “Chinese Spy” as they said goodbye to the lifeline they believed Tiktok was for them (BBC).
TikTok refugees are pouring to Xiaohongshu. What to know about the RedNote app / January 17, 2025
To protest the possible end of TikTok, millions of TikTok users moved over to Xiahongshu, called “RedNote” in English, but a translation of the Chinese name is “Little Red Book.” In a rare occurrence, Chinese and Western users found themselves on the same app, even flooding the Chinese language app with a heavy dose of English communicators. The Chinese host users were welcoming and frien/dly (ABC News).
Trump wants to visit China again after he takes office / January 18, 2025
Then President-elect Donald Trump announced that he hopes to visit China again within the first 100 days of his presidency. He spoke with President Xi Jinping on Friday last week, stating that the conversation was good, and that he was hopeful that both he and Xi would make the world “peaceful and safe” (Fox News).
Fareed Zakaria weighs in on Donal Trump’s relationship with China / January 17, 2025
Fareed Zakaria claims that Donald Trump has the ability to change his mind about foreign policy at will, unlike most other presidents and politicians, using Trump’s past and present approaches to TikTock as an example. He cites Elon Musk’s seemingly ever-present advisory position with Trump as the possible source for Trump’s turnabout on China (CNN World).
Xi and Putin discuss relations with Trump, Ukraine and Taiwan / January 21, 2025
Presidents Xi and Putin held a ninety-minute video call on Tuesday to discuss global matters, including how to build ties with the newly inaugurated President Trump in their vision of a multi-polar world (VOA).
US-China Relations in the Trump 2.0 Era: A Timeline / January 22, 2025
China Briefing created a timeline of events surrounding the new Trump Presidency and its relationship with China, but the “timeline” covers only three days, marking the speed at which these events occurred. Trump threatened tariffs in order to quell the fentanyl crisis, but halted a Biden administration law to ban TikTok; Trump threatened to regain control of the Panama Canal, and Elon Musk met with Chinese VP Han Zheng to discuss US-China business relations (China Briefing).
Trump says China controls the Panama Canal — but here's how it really works / January 23, 2025
President Trump’s comments about the Panama Canal are being met with criticism as China’s operations at the Canal involve two ports on each side of the canal, not the operating control of the canal itself, which Panama controls. However, should a military conflict occur between the US and China, those ports operated by a Chinese company could threaten the “neutral” stance the canal boasts about, threatening to cut off US navy ships and cargo from using the canal (NBC News).
China calls for 'win-win' solution to trade tensions / January 21, 2025
Ding Xuexiang, China’s Vice Premier, spoke at the World Economic Forum this week, criticizing potential trade wars and calling for “win-win” solutions for global trade. This comes as President Trump took office again with threats of tariffs among his policy plans (BBC).
Made in China 2025 'hugely successful' despite US efforts to thwart plan / January 21, 2025
In 2015, China began an economic campaign dubbed “Made in China” to improve the quality and complexity of its manufacturing industries. Ten years later, BYD, one of China’s largest automakers, outpaced Tesla as the world’s biggest EV auto manufacturers. China now leads the world or is the runner-up in many advanced technologies, despite the West’s efforts to impede China’s innovation (ABC News—Australia).
China executes 2 it says killed at least 43 in car rampage, stabbing / January 20, 2025
China executed two men convicted of multiple murders on Monday. Fan Weiqu drove his vehicle into a crowd outside a stadium, killing thirty-five, and Xu Jiajin stabbed twenty-five people outside of his vocational school, killing eight. China is believed to execute more convicted felons than the rest of the world combined (CBS News).
'Hell on earth': China deportation looms for Uyghurs held in Thailand / January 20, 2025
Uyghur detainees in Thailand are enduring horrible conditions—unsanitary living quarters, overcrowding, dirty drinking water and poor medical care—as they continue to wait for Thailand to allow them safe passage to Turkey, but pressure from China is keeping them in Thailand under the constant threat of being deported back to China (BBC News).
A Joint Statement from Chinese Christians: Against Persecution on Charges of Fraud / January 16, 2025
Since 2018, when China’s government approved “new religious regulations,” persecution against Christians has increased. About a dozen house churches have been scrutinized for the offerings its members give, as the government sees this as “fraud” under the new regulations. But a Reformed church issued a statement in defense of unregistered house churches based on biblical principles, historical tradition and even Chinese domestic law to justify the practice of giving offerings (China Partnership).