China news roundup / Nachrichten 2026-04-16/17

@bossel 74

6 days ago

china

China's economy grows faster than expected despite Iran war

"Gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 5% in the period, compared to a year earlier, according to official data."

--- And the BBC, of course, takes official data for granted.

"China also faces an energy crunch due to the Iran war and global trade tensions"

--- Bullshit.

"The surge in the value of imports is likely to be to due a rise in costs globally as a result of the Iran war"

--- At least something that's close to reality in this text.

China economic growth accelerates to 5% in first quarter — but Iran war clouds outlook

"Real estate downturn persisted, with investment falling 11.2% this year as of March, steepening from a 9.9% drop during the same period last year.
[...] For the first quarter, industrial production jumped 6.1% year on year, outpacing retail sales’ quarterly growth of 2.4%, underscoring manufacturing’s continued dominance as the economy’s primary growth engine even as consumption lags. "

--- And that's also according to official numbers, so way more positive than reality.

s.a.: China's new home prices extend decline despite improvement in major cities

Fears of a Further Crackdown on Netizens Illegally Accessing Foreign Sites

"A VPN sets up an encrypted tunnel to a server outside the country, while an “airport” is a black-market service that offers access to these tunnels in an easy-to-use format.
Many Chinese users use them to watch international entertainment services, but their true importance goes beyond that. Without these tools, it becomes impossible to read uncensored news, access foreign academic resources, or visit websites blocked by the Great Firewall, including “Bitter Winter.” VPNs and airports are the only ladders people can use to see beyond the “official” Internet.
Recently, a series of internal notices shared online and collected by “China Digital Times” has raised concerns that these ladders might soon be forcibly removed. One document from a regional content-delivery provider shares instructions from its upstream telecom partner requiring that all international connections be terminated for business clients. The wording is broad: every IP address under their control must block traffic to any location outside mainland China. The same notice directs customers to remove any signs of VPNs, proxies, or other tools used to bypass restrictions. Those who do not comply will face immediate disconnection, data loss, and no refunds.
The memo seems to be part of a broader trend, not just an isolated overreaction by one company. Other providers have reported issuing similar warnings."

--- Emperor Xi steering China further in the direction of North Korea.

Pressure on Catholics Escalates

"On April 7, 2026, Human Rights Watch sent a summary of its findings seeking comment from the Chinese government and the Holy See. Neither has responded."

--- The last pope was quite a commie friend. And it seems that under the new pope not much has changed in the Catholic Church.

"Catholic clergy released from detention continue to face harassment. One person said in January that a priest he knew was barred from having bank accounts, sim cards, and a passport, and thus has “no means of survival and can barely make ends meet for even a day or two.”"

--- This happens to almost all dissidents who get released from jail.

China’s Definition of an ‘Evil Cult’ Is Expanding Beyond Religious Groups

"While “Create Abundance” has been accused of defrauding members and operating like a pyramid scheme, that’s not what the Chinese authorities are concerned about. The legal cases against the group make that clear.
In 2025, a court in Liaoning Province convicted eight individuals associated with the network of “using superstition to undermine the implementation of the law,” sentencing them to prison terms and imposing heavy fines. Authorities shut down more than 1,000 affiliated venues across over 500 cities, confiscated massive assets and placed dozens of individuals on wanted lists.
The evidence presented in court reveals the true nature of the prosecution – and its profound arbitrariness. The central “proof” against the defendants was an expert report commissioned from a state-affiliated think tank, which concluded that the group’s books promoted “idealism,” “superstition,” and “distorted worldviews” inconsistent with Marxist materialism. In other words, the crime was not fraud, violence, or coercion. It was the expression of ideas."

--- Idealism is, of course, the epitome of evil. No wonder that Emperor Xi comes down hard on this cult.

Chinese carmaker patents voice-controlled 'in-vehicle toilet'

Chinese regulator fines, confiscates $527 million from food delivery platforms

--- China Uncensored featured the usual weekend news variety again:

--- China Uncensored: "CHINA, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

--- America Uncovered: Trump Has China Cornered

Chinas Konjunkturmotor läuft - noch

"Die Einzelhandelsumsätze stiegen im März nur um 1,7 Prozent und damit schwächer als erwartet. Hao spricht von einer "tiefen strukturellen Kluft zwischen Fabrikhallen und Einkaufszentren". Die Fabriken seien der Hauptwachstumsmotor, während der Konsum "weiterhin stottert"."

--- Also hat sich im Endeffekt nichts verändert. Die ganzen Wachstumszahlen sind reine Illusion.