China news roundup / Nachrichten 2024-05-06
Ukraine, brandy and EVs top the agenda on Xi's charm offensive
"The Chinese leader wrote an opinion column for the French newspaper Le Figaro and said he was coming to France with three messages: that Beijing was committed to opening up “new vistas” in its relationship with France; opening up “ever wider” to the world and to upholding world peace and stability."
"Mr Macron has proved he will be no pushover. Last week, as he was preparing to roll out the carpet for President Xi’s visit, he met Sikyong Penpa Tsering, the leader of the Tibetan government-in-exile, in Paris."
--- Imagine German chancellor Scholz doing the same...
& yet, Macron is still way too naive in his dealings with China.
"In his Le Figaro opinion column he wrote that China “understands the repercussions of the Ukraine crisis on the people of Europe” and emphasised that Beijing is not “a party to or a participant in it”, adding that “China has been playing a constructive role in striving for peaceful settlement of the crisis”."
Macron and Xi discuss Russia, Ukraine and trade
"Speaking at a press conference after the talks, Macron said he welcomed Chinese "commitments to refrain from selling any arms" or providing "any aide" to Russia in support of Moscow's war in Ukraine."
--- & if Macron trusts in Chinese commitments, he's a moron.
"He said France and Europe "respect the ancient links which unite China and Russia""
--- Huh? What? Which history books has Macron read? If he refers to the Mongolian empire, that's similar to saying France & Germany are united by having been part of the Nazi Reich.
"As history has repeatedly shown, conflicts can only be resolved by negotiations."
--- ... says emperor Xi. You have to wonder then, why China threatens Taiwan with war.
EU restates readiness to launch trade war with China over cheap imports
"He added that coordination with China over “major crises” including Ukraine and the Middle East was “absolutely decisive”."
--- Yeah, right, China has played such a great constructive role in both Ukraine & Gaza war.
"There was no mention of human rights issues that Beijing critics hoped Macron would raise."
--- Must have been really tough talks then.
French lawmakers targeted by Chinese cyberattack demand sanctions, amid Xi visit
"Unlike the U.S., the U.K. and New Zealand, who formally accused China, the French authorities have shied away from pointing the finger at Beijing."
--- Why, you wonder?
Why are so many migrant workers leaving China's major cities?
"Huang Yiran had made it in life in every respect. Although she comes from the smaller city of Langfang south of Beijing, she was able to study English at the country’s top universities thanks to her hard work and talent for languages. Immediately after completing her master's degree, she landed a job as an editor at a prestigious national newspaper in the heart of the capital city.
[...] «Langfang has zero attractions,» says the 31-year-old Huang, discussing her hometown in a video interview. And yet she was drawn back there again after only a few years. A university had offered her a job in the semester abroad office. The pay was lower than at the newspaper. In fact, she was overqualified. But Huang agreed.
In recent years, many young migrant workers in China have taken the step back toward their original homes."
--- But Huang is not a migrant worker. For what I know, if she actually graduated from a top university in Beijing & got a proper job there, she has the right to get a Beijing hukou. Migrant workers don't have that right.
"China divides its population into rural and city dwellers. People who come to the big cities from elsewhere are not entitled to the same social benefits as people born in the cities, and sometimes have to send their children to inferior schools for migrant workers, or even leave them behind with their grandparents."
--- Sometimes? That's the norm.
"China's media conceal the ugly, bitterly poor, hard side of rural life, partly to protect the dignity of the people who share a single outhouse per village."
--- Partly, maybe, but mostly to save emperor Xi's face. After all, he 'eradicated all poverty'.
China recruits Mandarin-speaking teachers to move to Inner Mongolia (Han colonialism continues.)
China-Bangladesh Military Exercises Signal Shifting Geopolitical Landscape
--- China Uncensored: "Why Are Chinese Students Abroad Kidnapping Themselves?"
--- 9 News (AUS): "Chinese warplane fires flares in front of Australian helicopter"
--- DW News: France, China talks focus on trade tensions, Gaza and Ukraine
--- BBC News: China's President Xi visits Europe for first time in five years
--- DW News: China's Xi in Europe: What's his agenda?
'CCP members expelled for lack of belief'
Kurzer Besuch mit heiklen Themen
"In einem Zeitungsinterview am Sonntag versicherte der französische Präsident, dass er die heikle Frage der Menschenrechtslage in China ansprechen werde."
--- Tja, nach dem Gespräch war davon nicht mehr die Rede, wie's scheint.
EU droht China wegen Wettbewerbsverzerrung
"Weiteres Thema des Dreiertreffens war die Angriffskrieg Russlands auf die Ukraine. Die Kommissionschefin forderte Xi auf, seinen Einfluss auf Russland zu nutzen. Er habe eine wichtige Rolle gespielt, "Russlands unverantwortliche Atomdrohungen zu deeskalieren", sagte von der Leyen. "Ich bin zuversichtlich, dass Präsident Xi dies weiterhin tun wird, vor dem Hintergrund der anhaltenden Atomdrohungen""
--- Anhaltende Atomdrohungen, aber deeskaliert?
"Von der Leyen sagte auch: "Wir zählen darauf, dass China all seinen Einfluss auf Russland nutzt, um Russlands Angriffskrieg gegen die Ukraine zu beenden.""
--- Naiver Schwachsinn.
China-Kampfjet schoss „Flares“ Richtung Helikopter
