China news roundup / Nachrichten 2023-01-24
US Confronts China Over Companies’ Ties to Russia War Effort
"The Biden administration has confronted China’s government with evidence that suggests some Chinese state-owned companies may be providing assistance for Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, as it tries to ascertain if Beijing is aware of those activities"
--- Those are SOE's. You can bet that the CCP knows what's going on.
"non-lethal military and economic assistance that stops short of wholesale evasion of the sanctions regime the US
[...] The people familiar with the administration’s thinking characterized the state-owned enterprises’ activities as knowingly assisting Russia in its war effort."
--- Yeah, but if it's not quite evasion of sanctions, what can you do?
China wants a more efficient workforce but analysts say that will be tough
"China’s population decline means fewer people need to support more economic weight. Fewer people working the same jobs as before will not cut it"
--- Better productivity could help a bit. But that's exactly one sector which the CCP has largely ignored.
China Is the World’s Biggest Face Recognition Dealer
"The report finds that Chinese companies lead the world in exporting face recognition, accounting for 201 export deals involving the technology, followed by US firms with 128 deals. China also has a lead in AI generally, with 250 out of a total of 1,636 export deals involving some form of AI to 136 importing countries.
[...] The report argues that these exports may enable other governments to perform more surveillance, potentially harming citizens’ human rights."
--- Before all, you are harming national security, because you give the CCP access to a whole load of data it shouldn't have access to.
Report offers fresh examples of destruction of religious sites in eastern Tibet
"Among the religious sites and objects destroyed in Drago county were three colossal Buddha statues, a Buddhist school, a building housing with 45 giant prayer wheels, the home of a revered spiritual leader and Drago Monastery’s prayer flags, which were removed and burned"
--- 'Hey, what do they need a cultural identity for? It's enough if they smile & dance in traditional costumes for the cameras of China shills & tourists.'
"“As with other areas in Tibet, the main reason for increasing Chinese repression in Kham [County] Drago is first to eradicate Tibetan identity and Tibetan culture,” the report quotes a county monk now living in exile as saying in January 2021.
“Secondly, to eliminate those influential Tibetans who are conscious of freedom and rights of Tibetan people and thirdly, to abolish Tibetan language and education centers,”"
--- That's how it is.
China pulls plug on social media accounts of people who just got out of jail
"China has shut down the social media accounts of hundreds of people recently released from prison in a bid to deny an online platform to "illegal and unethical" people, the country’s audiovisual regulator said.
The move targets "illegal content" produced by people who "fail to correct their political stances" after completing a prison term
[...] Dissident Xu Wanping, who has served a total of 20 years in prison, said many recently released prisoners have been sharing their experiences, or simply selling stuff online as a way to make a living on their release"
--- 'Make a living? After you criticised the CCP or - gasp! - emperor Xi? That's not allowed!'
US to increase pressure on China to stop importing Iranian oil, Iran envoy says
Philippines ‘vigilantly’ monitoring alleged harassment by China in disputed waters
Stronger chip alliance needed to bolster Korea-US ties
Nanjing massacre: Guardian cables censored by Japanese officials – archive, 1938
--- DW News: "Japan boosts military to counter China"
--- Complete Intelligence: "The Great(ish) China Reopening: Unveiling the Timing of the Next Breakout"
--- WION: Gravitas: Wuhan Virus: China's nightmare gets worse
--- Atlantic Council: China's Vision for a New World Order
A whole lot of security in China
Großteil der Seltenen Erden kommt aus China
"65,9 Prozent der begehrten Metalle - also rund zwei Drittel - stammten dabei aus China. Bei einigen der Seltenen Erden lag der Anteil der Importe aus Fernost demnach sogar noch höher.
So wurden die Metalle Scandium und Yttrium zu 94,4 Prozent aus China importiert. Verbindungen von Lanthan, Neodym, Praseodym und Samarium - die mengenmäßig einen großen Anteil an den importierten Seltenen Erden ausmachen - stammten zu 75,4 Prozent aus der Volksrepublik."
--- Gestern haben wir ja gesehen, daß die Abhängigkeit von China zum großen Teil eher psychologischer Natur ist. Bei Seltenen Erden sieht das anders aus. Die machen zwar nur einen relativ kleinen Teil der Importe aus China aus, können aber im Falle eines Falles zu großen wirtschaftlichen Schäden führen.
Sie kommen wieder
"Eine Stadt, die besonders von der neuen chinesischen Reiselust profitiert, ist Frankfurt am Main. Für die Zeit zwischen Mitte Januar und Mitte Februar hätten sich "mindestens" zwölf Delegationen aus zehn Provinzen angekündigt, erklärt Veronique Dunai, Leiterin des China Competence Center der örtlichen Industrie- und Handelskammer (IHK). Bemerkenswert sei, dass die Reisetätigkeit mitten in die Zeit des chinesischen Neujahrsfestes zwischen dem 21. Januar und dem 5. Februar falle, das mit unserem Weihnachtsfest vergleichbar sei."
--- Keine große Überraschung, denn die meisten dieser Reisen sind nur angeblich geschäftlich. Es geht oft eher um Urlaub. Man besucht 1 oder 2 Vorträge oder schließt hier & da einen Vertrag ab, aber die meiste Zeit wird auf Tourismus gemacht.
Kein WoW und Diablo mehr in China: Blizzard-Spiele sind womöglich für immer offline
