China news roundup / Nachrichten 2024-04-01
--- Will be traveling the next few days. Interruption of the normal service may occur.
Caixin survey shows China’s March factory activity at its most robust in 13 months
"The Caixin/S&P Global China manufacturing purchasing managers’ index was 51.1 in March — its strongest since February 2023 — after coming in at 50.9 in February. Economists had expected the reading to hit 51, according to a Reuters poll. The 50-point mark separates expansion from contraction."
--- This privat PMI shows similar numbers to the official one. So, both showing more or less stagnation. But:
"Manufacturers increased purchases and raw material inventories amid continued improvement in business optimism. However, employment remained in contraction and a depressed price level worsened"
--- That prices are still falling is to me a sign that the recession is far from over.
China's new home prices rise at fastest pace in over 2-1/2 years, survey shows
"The average new home price across 100 cities rose 0.27% on month in March, the biggest rise since July 2021, showed data from real estate researcher China Index Academy. That compared with a 0.14% on-month gain in February.
[...] The number of cities with on-month price rises for new homes in March was 43, an increase of three from February.
Mega city Shanghai logged the highest price rise of 1.09%, whereas the northeastern city of Changchun experienced the steepest drop of 0.68%."
--- I smell bullshit. 43 cities? Out of a selection of 100. China officially has over 700 cities.
Well, anyway: official numbers.
"total sales by value among 100 real estate companies plunged 49.0% year-on-year in the first three months of the year"
--- Yeah, that really looks like prices are rising. Phhh...
Has China’s Xi succeeded in assuring US execs of economic prospects?
"China is not backing away from centralizing its economy, that it is not going to pursue pro-market reforms"
--- No, no, no! Emperor Xi promised opening-up & reforms. & emperor Xi would never lie!
"the rich in China are worried and selling Chinese assets on a large scale, including private jets and high-end properties. Because of the dangers of having money in China, they are moving it offshore"
--- To be fair, the rich have been doing this for a long time. But because of emperor Xi's 'reforms', capital outflow probably accelerated.
France expects 'clear messages' from China to Russia over Ukraine war
"Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne said Monday that Beijing "plays a key role in... the respect of international law, including on Ukraine's sovereignty, and therefore we are clearly expecting that China will send very clear messages to Russia"."
--- Morons. European politicians like Scholz, Macron, Rutte et al. seem unable to give up their naive stance towards powerful dictatorships. They should look at reality & learn: "The rise in China's exports to Russia is so big that it has single-handedly more than offset the fall in direct EU exports to Russia"
""It is not possible to decouple from China, and decoupling from China is the biggest risk," Wang said."
--- For China.
How can EU support Philippines in South China Sea dispute?
"The European Union also joined in to condemn China's actions in a strongly worded statement released on March 23.
"The succession of repeated dangerous maneuvers, blocking and water cannoning" by the Chinese coast guard and maritime militia against Philippine vessels "constituted a dangerous provocation against the Philippines vessels."
"These acts put human lives at risk, undermine regional stability and international norms, and threaten security in the region and beyond,""
--- Strongly worded. Yeah, right. China is shaking for fear of a EU response now.
"most analysts are skeptical about whether European navies would be able to assist the Southeast Asian country in the event of a conflict with China.
The EU "does not have enough military means to deter the use of force nor to weigh decisively on the course of events should a conflict erupt in the region,""
--- The EU is not even able to effectively support Ukraine in its war against Russia. Any conflict between the Philippines & China would at most bring about EU condemnation & perhaps some symbolic sanctions, but that's it.
"the EU does have some economic leverage over China and other Southeast Asian states"
--- Good one. There is only actual economic leverage, if you are prepared to endure the pain on your own economies. & many - particularly the biggest - European countries are not.
China court jails 'tortured' rights activist Xu Qin for four years
Taiwan ex-president in China to promote peace
Chinese leader Xi Jinping hails ties with Indonesia during meeting with president-elect Prabowo Subianto
--- China Uncensored: "Love China. Or Else"
--- CNBC: "'Positive story' of China's first quarter may not last: China Beige Book International"
Frankreich drängt China, Einfluss auf Russland auszuüben
"China mag zwar das Ohr Russlands haben, aber es ist unklar, welche Botschaft es übermittelt."
--- Quark. Die Botschaft ist ziemlich klar: 'Macht, was ihr wollt. Solange es uns nichts kostet & den Westen beschäftigt, ist alles in Ordnung.'
China: Preise chinesischer Wohnimmobilien steigen so stark wie seit 2021 nicht
"Der durchschnittliche Preis in 100 ausgewählten Städten stieg im Vergleich zum Vormonat um 0,27 Prozent, wie aus den am Montag veröffentlichten Daten des auf Immobilien spezialisierten Forschungsinstituts China Index Academy hervorgeht. Das ist das größte Plus von seit Juli 2021. Im Februar hatte der Anstieg noch bei 0,14 Prozent gelegen."
--- Toller Titel. & dann ein Plus von 0,27%. Aber selbst das ist nur Propaganda. Die Realität dürfte wesentlich negativer aussehen.
"Der Gesamtumsatz von 100 Immobilienunternehmen ist in den ersten drei Monaten des Jahres um 49 Prozent im Vergleich zum Vorjahreszeitraum eingebrochen"
--- Ja, das klingt wahrlich nach steigenden Preisen.
Spannungen mit Peking: Taiwans Ex-Präsident Ma reist erneut nach China
USA verschärfen Regeln für Chipexporte, China reagiert verärgert
