China news roundup / Nachrichten 2020-11-03
English news:
China halts Ant Group's giant IPO after dust up with billionaire Jack Ma
"postponed the company's listing, less than two days before its shares were due to begin trading, because of "major issues" that might cause it "not to meet the listing conditions or disclosure requirements.""
--- Major issues because of new rules suddenly introduced just days before the IPO (which BTW has been 'advertised' for several weeks by major Western media; you wonder why).
"Just over a week ago, Ma publicly criticized Chinese regulators for stifling innovation by being too risk averse"
--- But of course the sudden rule change is totally unrelated to this criticism, because as we all know the CCP is completely open to criticism.
"such a dramatic move so close to the listing date is surprising because it could damage Beijing's drive to develop its capital markets"
--- Not to worry: the greed at Wall Street & other places in the West is big enough to ignore commie arbitrariness.
China has annexed 150 hectares of Nepal
"Further annexations occurred in the Rasuwa, Sindhupalchowk and Sankhuwasabha districts after Chinese engineers in the Tibet Autonomous Region diverted the flow of rivers acting as a natural boundary and claimed the previously submerged Nepalese territory"
--- 'Totally coincidental, of course. Our engineers had no idea what they were doing. & then we have obviously follow the rules to keep the border in the rivers.'
Meanwhile, in India, China has found other reasons for a land grab: India loses 300 square km to China after bloody summer in Himalayas, officials say
China changes school curriculum to reflect Beijing's positive Covid narrative
"Students will learn about key figures and deeds which emerged during the epidemic prevention and control efforts. They will learn to foster public awareness and dedication"
--- We have to hammer it in how great the CCP response was. No memory of bungled responses & cover-ups can be allowed to exist. ... Er ... Not that anything like that happened in the first place.
"In Guangdong province, the health commission has released a list of 33 items for families to stock up on, from face masks and anti-bacterial swabs to first-aid material and emergency supplies like biscuits, water, escape rope ladders and whistles and and flashlights"
--- What helps better in case of 2nd Wuhan virus wave than rope ladders & whistles? Absolutely unrelated to alleged war preparations.
Propaganda made in China. Italy at a crossroads
"the use agencies like Ansa make of their Chinese counterparts
[...] the “news” provided by this agency on China is overwhelmingly made up of direct Xinhua feed"
--- No wonder then that Ansa is featured virtually never in this news roundup.
China-Australia relations: ban on US$400 million Australian wheat imports looms
"no formal document was issued nor were reasons provided"
--- No problem there. I'm sure they will come up with some kind of contamination in no time.
Canada makes plan to evacuate its citizens from Hong Kong
"We do have detailed plans in place and we have resources available and identified to cover a range of situations up to, and including, a situation where the urgent departure of a large number of Canadians would be necessary"
--- Not much Canada can do, if the CCP decides to simply not let them go, unless Canada would be prepared for an armed conflict. Which I doubt.
All the while, Hong Kong's mainlandisation continues:
Hong Kong police arrest producer of TV documentary about Yuen Long mob attacks
Hong Kong bus firm won’t help driver charged after honking during protest unless he pleads guilty
Video News:
--- China Unscripted: "Did China Interfere in South Korean Election?"
--- CNBC: "Hong Kong and Shanghai suspends Ant Group’s record $34.5 billion IPO"
--- BBC News (even though it looks more like children's TV): "Are China and the US entering a new Cold War?"
DW News: Ski parks in China ride on wave of Olympics
Deutsche Nachrichten:
Weltgrößter Börsengang gestoppt
"Nachdem der Alibaba-Gründer in einer Rede lokalen und globalen Regulierungsbehörden vorgeworfen hatte, Innovationen zu bremsen, wurde er zusammen mit zwei anderen Managern von der chinesischen Finanzaufsicht einbestellt."
--- Immerhin wurde Ma nicht verhaftet.
Schon lustig, wie sehr in westlichen Medien die Trommel für diesen IPO gerührt wurde. & dann werden von der KPCh einfach so mal schnell die Regeln geändert & der IPO ist erstmal vom Tisch.
Vgl.:
Peking pfeift Ant Financial zurück
"Damit können sich Alipay-Kunden innerhalb von 3 Sekunden beispielsweise 10.000 Yuan (1.280 Euro) leihen – zu Zinsen von 0,5 Prozent am Tag. Dies ergibt aufs Jahr gerechnet einen Zinssatz von 18 Prozent"
--- 18 Prozent? Sind bei der FAZ die Praktikanten jetzt auch schon für die kompletten Artikel zuständig? Selbst ohne Zinseszins summieren sich 0,5% pro Tag auf 182,5% im Jahr.
Sieben Oppositionspolitiker festgenommen
"Den sechs Männern und einer Frau werde unter anderem Missachtung des Parlaments vorgeworfen."
--- Natürlich nur Oppositionspolitikern, obwohl die Kommi-Lakaienda teils deutlich aggressiver waren.