China news roundup / Nachrichten 2020-08-01/02
English news:
China uses Hong Kong security law against US and UK-based activists
"Chu, who has lived in the US as an American citizen since 1996, said the charges amounted to China “targeting a US citizen for lobbying my own government”"
--- Much of the world needs to wake up now. This clearly shows that the CCP is really bent on going after anyone anywhere who is critical of China & Chinese policies.
Beijing repression forces Hong Kong opposition into new tactics
"The government says the law won’t harm freedom of expression, but police have already arrested people for carrying a HK independence flag, protest movement slogans have been banned, and a senior academic fired over his pro-democracy activism."
--- Well, you are still free to praise emperor Xi. The only freedom that counts.
TikTok: Microsoft pauses talks on buying US arm - reports
"A 100% sale to an American company would have been considered a radical solution two week ago and, eventually, mitigates any reasonable data protection concerns. If the White House kills this we know this isn't about national security."
--- Looks a bit strange at least. But perhaps the US government is just trying to prevent Bytedance to make a profit in selling TikTok. Definitely no reason to go all naive on TikTok:
""Banning an app that millions of Americans use to communicate with each other is a danger to free expression and is technologically impractical," said the ACLU's surveillance and cybersecurity counsel"
--- So, the ACLU would be happier with Chinese access to US user data & Chinese influence on "free" expression in the US (like shadow banning)?
Women in Xinjiang shine a light on a campaign of abuse and control by Beijing
"she was fined 18,400 yuan ($2,600) in 2018 for having three children, one more than she was allowed to under Chinese rule
[...] she was told she'd also need to have a mandatory "birth control procedure.""
--- Actually, this case on its own doesn't really say much. Many Han women suffered the same fate. Enforcement of the one-child policy varied widely from region to region. This one particular case is special because:
"It's part of a wider pattern of human rights violations by the Chinese Communist Party in Xinjiang"
--- The last few years marked a sea change in family planning policies. While they relaxed pretty much everywhere else, in Xinjiang rules tightened & enforcement became stricter seemingly with the exception of Han Chinese living there.
"Just like any genocide, women are always the number one target"
--- Yeah, right, just ask all those Jewish men spared by the nazis.
How to Stop China From Imposing Its Values
"they need a means of taking collective action when Beijing attempts to use economic power as a tool of political coercion. No country should face such threats alone"
--- As long as it's not a paper tiger like the EU.
"Use of its tools would have to be narrow: It should act only in cases where economic warfare is used as a means of political coercion."
--- There is a problem: China often does not openly sanction countries. Usually, the CCP restricts imports for "health risks", "quality problems" or "dumping".
Not to mention that many nation probably would be afraid of joining such an alliance for fear of Chinese countermeasures.
Chinese Ambassador to Somalia Visits Somaliland
"This is the third visit by Mr. Qin Jian to Somaliland. The Ambassador’s visits were centered around dissuading Somaliland from establishing bilateral ties with Taiwan."
--- Offering bribes or threats, so that Somaliland severs ties to Taiwan, probably.
"China and Somalia recently reached an agreement for joint patrols of Somaliland’s territorial waters."
--- Well, obviously no threats, because China would never do that.
Sowing doubt: people around world receive mystery seed parcels
"That big Triffid thing – it could be one of those, couldn’t it?"
--- Good novel, 'The Day of the Triffids'. Well, for what I remember, at least. Read it in the 80's.
US, China both lag badly in industrial robot race
"Japan and Europe overtook America in the cutting-edge field long ago and they, not China, are currently the world’s leading suppliers of industrial automation equipment"
--- Tell that to the German doomsayers who keep complaining about the imminent apocalypse. But, of course, there is reason for concern:
"ABB, Kuka and other European companies contribute close to 30%. In terms of the value of shipments, Fanuc, Yaskawa, ABB and Kuka have an estimated 70% or more of the global market."
--- Eg. Kuka is a German company, but was taken over by a Chinese one. Only a matter of time until all their IP ends up in China. & there are other companies who are essentially sawing off the branch on which they are sitting. Some companies seem to be waking up, at least: Samsung Electronics to halt production at its last computer factory in China
Video News:
--- China Uncensored: "China Floods Villagers’ Homes to Save Cities"
--- DW News: "Why does Trump want to ban China's TikTok app in the US?"
--- UK Panel & TV Shows: "Panorama, China's Coronavirus Cover-Up"
--- BBC documentary recommended by @livinguktaiwan a few days ago. Not sure about the Youtube channel it is on, so better watch soon in case it gets deleted.
Deutsche Nachrichten:
TikTok: "Chinesisches Recht berührt uns nicht, Daten sind sicher"
"Während Hashtags wie #boycottchina und #boycottchinaproduct über hunderttausend Videoabrufe zählten, waren #tiananmenmassacre, #xinjinpingismydaddy, #ladakhchinaborder, #chinaladakh und #chinainladakh zwar existent, hatten aber jeweils null Zugriffe."
--- Natürlich nur, weil sich keiner dafür interessierte. Hatte bestimmt nichts mit chinesischer Einflußnahme zu tun. Ganz bestimmt.
""Die Chinesen haben überhaupt kein Problem damit, ihre eigenen Regeln und Versprechen zu brechen""
--- Aber nur, wenn sie sich davon einen Vorteil versprechen. Also gar nicht so schlimm.
""Wenn China weiterhin westliche Plattformen verbietet während es die Internationalisierung seiner eigenen vorantreibt, hat es die Chance, globale Vorherrschaft zu erringen."
--- Vielleicht sollten Twitter et al. all jenen Regierungen, die den Zugriff darauf verbieten, die Nutzung ihrer Plattform verweigern?
China wirft Deutschland Rechtsbruch vor
""ernster Verstoß gegen internationales Recht""
--- Internationales chinesisches Recht ist damit natürlich gemeint, so wie das neue Staatssicherheitsgesetz für Hongkong.
vgl.: Was steckt hinter dem Angriff auf Tiktok?
Die Angst vor einer Immobilienblase in China kehrt zurück
"Haushalte, die ohnehin schon Eigentum besitzen, und Familien mit mehreren Immobilien seien derzeit sogar eher bereit, in Wohnraum zu investieren"
--- Scheint für die Reichen schwieriger geworden zu sein, ihr Geld ins Ausland zu verschieben. Also wird wieder mehr Geld in Immobilien angelegt.