China news roundup / Nachrichten 2020-08-14

English news:

Google to reject direct data requests from Hong Kong gov’t, treat city same as China

"The tech giant’s move means that user data requests from Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s administration will be subject to the same process as requests from Beijing, effectively treating the semi-autonomous city in the same way as mainland China."

--- This is an outrage! Only because we said that Hong Kong is China, doesn't mean you should treat it as such. This is clearly a violation of all international norms, rules, laws, regulations & whatever else there might be.

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China’s Soft-Power Grab

"China pays its bills on time and in full"

--- Not quite, they were a bit late: "Subsequent to the end of the 30 day due period (1 February 2020), 74 additional Member States have paid their 2020 regular budget assessment in full
53 China"

"In 2018, more Chinese nationals, 612, took up internships at the U.N. than any other country [...] The United States, which hosts the world body’s Manhattan headquarters, had only 460"

--- Nothing to worry about. The Chinese are only there privately & only to learn. Absolutely nothing nefarious going on.

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The new state capitalism Xi Jinping is trying to remake the Chinese economy

"“Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era” is, on the basis of these companies’ annual reports, quite the business-practice panacea"

--- But, of course. He's an omniscient demigod, after all. If you just believe in him, your business will prosper. No doubt about that.

"He has brought reforms that liberalised the economy to a halt and has smothered market forces"

--- Because he of course knows that only he can lead China's economy.

"The idea is for state-owned companies to get more market discipline and private enterprises to get more party discipline, the better to achieve China’s great collective mission."

--- To be the Middle Kingdom, ruler of the world, mandated by heaven. Pax sinica!

"Foreign plaintiffs won 89% of all patent infringement cases"

--- That is perhaps a function of mainly major foreign companies suing & only in clear-cut cases. Most non-Chinese probably don't really dare to sue Chinese competitors.

"there really are strong market forces at play in the economy, and that they are being channelled more effectively than in the past"

--- Not necessarily. I suspect this is residue from past reforms which can only be felt now. Just like it will take some years for emperor Xi's interventions to really take effect.

"All companies, whoever owns them, exist for the glory of China"

--- So true! All praise emperor Xi!
(Overall, this article seems overly positive about Xi's influence & doesn't take into account the progressing focus of all Chinese developments on Xi's will. One-man dictatorships may work for a while, but invariably they lead to major economic (& usually social) trouble. It may take a few years - if we are unlucky, decades - but it's probably just a matter of time.)

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China economy loses steam amid weak demand, coronavirus and floods, analysts say

"China’s economic recovery lost its head of steam in July.
[...] retail sales remain suppressed, shrinking by 1.1 per cent in July compared to a year earlier, meaning sales have yet to expand in any of the seven months of 2020"

--- Not really a good sign. & if there is a 2nd wave of the Wuhan virus, it may get much worse. But, hey, emperor Xi will get it right. Right?

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For China's landlords, rent-to-riches dreams fade in red flag for fragile economy

"Analysts say there’s little prospect of widespread mortgage defaults for now, and property prices continue to grow, albeit more slowly"

--- For now.

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'China's Netflix' is being investigated by the SEC for alleged fraud

"It alleged that the company had vastly inflated its revenue and user numbers, by margins of up to 44% and 60% respectively."

--- Just another Chinese company.

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China's billion dollar pig plan met with loathing by Argentinians

"Chinese and Argentinian officials are hammering out a framework to turn Argentina into a pork powerhouse with the installation of 25 hog farms of about 12,500 sows each to supply China’s growing appetite for pork
[...] This would practically double Argentina’s current 350,000 sows"

--- & would make Argentina dependent on China actually taking the pigs. What if they find the Wuhan virus on exported pork. Or African Swine Fever? Imports would be halted immediately. Not to mention the danger of a potential political "insult" leading to import stops.

"You could almost say China is outsourcing the risk of a repetition of such outbreaks"

--- That too.

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China aims to double high-speed rail network by 2035

"China will construct about 200,000 kilometres of railways by 2035That will mean a 41% increase in rail lines criss-crossing the country, up from the 141,400km today, including about 70,000km of high-speed tracks"

--- Actually, a good idea. Particularly, if they would finally start to connect suburban centres via train.

"some of the high-speed railway lines, including the one connecting Beijing and Shanghai, have already started seeing operating profits"

--- Some? Already? Doesn't actually sound too good.

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'End of the Rainbow': Shanghai Pride shuts down amid shrinking space for China's LGBTQ community

""With things becoming harder and riskier, laying low may let you survive for now," he added. "But the purpose of our job is to raise visibility and educate the public -- that's the dilemma.""

--- But, but, but, isn't everything getting better?

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India seeks to counter China influence in Maldives with bridge project

"Previously, the Maldives borrowed heavily from Beijing and contracted Chinese firms for infrastructure projects under former President Abdulla Yameen"

--- That's how you do it. You play these giants against each other. Played well, smaller nations can profit greatly from major power competition.

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Is China’s Fishing Fleet a Growing Security Threat?

"many Chinese vessels conduct “illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU)” fishing activities that threaten the sovereignty of other nations and endanger the global food security chain"

--- Just innocent small-time fishermen trying to make a living. Surely.

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Video News:

--- China Uncensored features the weekend variety:

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--- WION: "Gravitas: China steps up naval presence in Arabian Sea"

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Deutsche Nachrichten:

Kampfansage gegen digitale Wunderwaffe

"Ich verbringe viel Zeit mit WeChat, fast die Hälfte meiner Zeit."

--- Umpf. Ist aber leider Realität in China. Man sieht kaum Leute, die nicht bei jeder sich bietenden Gelegenheit ihren Kopf aufs Handy senken.
Wenn man sich mit Leuten zum Essen trifft, sind sie auch die meiste Zeit mit ihren Smartphones beschäftigt(, was mir ganz recht ist, da ich beim Essen nicht gerne rede).

"dass ausländische Produkte nicht das geliefert hätten, was die Chinesen wollten
[...] Chinas Internetfirmen hätten nie so groß, mächtig und innovativ werden können, wenn US-amerikanische Produkte auch den chinesischen Markt beherrscht hätten"

--- Muß chinesische Logik sein. Ausländische Firmen hätten den Markt beherrscht, obwohl sie nicht das lieferten, was die Leute wollten?

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Alle Städte ab 200.000 Einwohner bekommen Bahnanschluss

"Davon sollen etwa 70.000 Kilometer Hochgeschwindigkeitsstrecken sein."

--- Die immer mit ihren Hochgeschwindigkeitszügen... Sollten lieber S-Bahnen bauen. Daran mangelt's wirklich.

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Tue das Nichts-Tun

"Tue das Nichtstun und nichts bleibt ungetan"

--- Hmm, probiere ich seit Monaten. Trotzdem bleibt fast alles ungetan. Bin einfach zu dumm...

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