China Articles - May 22, 2022
Friends,
This week’s issue starts with the Chinese Communist Party’s arrest of Catholic Cardinal Joseph Zen, the former Bishop of Hong Kong, for allegedly “colluding with foreign forces.”
For those of you who haven’t been following PRC-Vatican relations over the last four years, in 2018 after decades of tensions between the Catholic Church and the Chinese Communist Party, the Vatican signed an agreement with the CCP on the appointment of Catholic bishops in the PRC. The full details of the agreement were never made public, but it appeared that the Vatican caved to the Party’s long-standing demand that Beijing would have say in who could, or could not, be made a bishop by the Vatican.
At the time, there were many critics… but one of the loudest was Cardinal Joseph Zen. He accused Church leadership of being foolish and naïve. He felt that in their desire to “gain market access” in China, the Church was sacrificing those Catholics who had remained faithful and loyal to the Vatican over decades of persecution by the Party. By agreeing to the Party’s demands, the Church was turning its back on the 12 million Catholics in China and allowing the Party to insert itself into Church teachings (the same Party that has shown itself to be extremely hostile to religious faith that questions the infallibility of the Chinese Communist Party). To Cardinal Zen and others, the Church was entering into a Faustian bargain.
So perhaps, it should be of no surprise that the response of the Vatican to Cardinal Zen’s arrest and confiscation of his passport over a nebulous charge of “colluding with foreign forces,” was muted.
Thanks for reading!
Matt
Must Read
1. Hong Kong Police Arrest Cardinal in National Security Case
Austin Ramzy and Tiffany May, New York Times, May 11, 2022
With the clear approval of the Chinese Communist Party, Hong Kong’s national security police arrested Catholic Cardinal Joseph Zen, the former Bishop of Hong Kong, Margaret Ng, a lawyer and former opposition lawmaker, and Denise Ho, a singer and LGBTQ rights activist. All three are accused of colluding with foreign forces.
2. The arrest of a 90-year-old cardinal signals China’s crackdown — and its fear
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Washington Post, May 13, 2022
The U.S. Speaker of the House writes about “Beijing’s worsening crackdown as Hong Kong fights for its freedoms — and of Beijing’s growing desperation and fear that it is losing this fight.” The Speaker has personal experience with the CCP’s desperation and fear. In 1991, during a visit to Beijing, Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), along with Rep. Ben Jones (D-GA) and Rep. John Miller (R-WA) were roughed up and briefly detained by the PRC for honoring the victims of the Tiananmen Massacre.
3. What Is China Learning from Russia’s War in Ukraine?
David Sacks, Foreign Affairs, May 16, 2022
Xi and the leadership of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) are closely monitoring events in Ukraine, looking for lessons that might be usefully applied in the event of a conflict with Taiwan. Russia’s struggles will in no way shake China’s determination to bring Taiwan under its control. From Beijing’s perspective, Russia’s war in Ukraine is merely a realistic preview of the costs China would likely bear if it resorted to war. Chinese leaders will examine Russia’s failures and adapt their operational plans to avoid making similar mistakes. Taiwan and the United States, therefore, would be well advised to do the same, and to scrutinize each stage of the war in Ukraine from the perspective of a Chinese official.
4. Uyghur county in China has highest prison rate in the world
Associated Press, May 16, 2022
“Nearly one in 25 people in a county in the Uyghur heartland of China has been sentenced to prison on terrorism-related charges, in what is the highest known imprisonment rate in the world, an Associated Press review of leaked data shows.”
5. Uyghurs Have No Faith in Michelle Bachelet’s UN Visit to China
Omer Kanat, The Diplomat, May 11, 2022
The Executive Director of the U.S.-based Uyghur Human Rights Project explains how Uyghurs that he helps represent no longer have any faith in the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet. Bachelet, a former Chilean President, has failed to live up to her mandate to protect human rights as she has been silent about the PRC’s genocide of Uyghurs in Xinjiang that has been going on for nearly five years.
Authoritarianism
6. Escape From Hong Kong
Timothy McLaughlin, The Atlantic, May 13, 2022
7. China tightens ban on 'non-essential' overseas travel as lockdown anger rises
Jessie Yeung, CNN, May 13, 2022
8. Students Protest Covid Lockdowns at Elite Beijing University
Paul Mozur, Joy Dong, Isabelle Qian, New York Times, May 16, 2022
9. Hong Kong police file complaints to lawyer groups over national security case
Reuters, May 12, 2022
10. Shanghai covid lockdown dilemma: Is it better to help your neighbors or let the government fail?
Jianan Qian, Grid News, May 13, 2022
11. G7 Foreign Ministers’ Statement on the Hong Kong Chief Executive Selection
U.S. Department of State, May 9, 2022
12. China is restricting citizens from ‘nonessential’ travel overseas to stop importing COVID
Eamon Barrett, Fortune, May 13, 2022
13. Ten years from boom to bust, Chinese football in a tailspin
Reuters, May 17, 2022
14. China builds a self-repressing society
The Economist, May 14, 2022
15. Harrow Beijing school loses its hallowed British branding
Bethan Staton, Financial Times, May 16, 2022
16. Leaving locked down Shanghai for a 'whole new world' outside China
David Culver, CNN, May 12, 2022
17. The Collateral Damage in China’s Covid War
Yanzhong Huang, Foreign Affairs, May 17, 2022
18. Beijing bans learning apps for toddlers as private tutoring crackdown continues
Coco Feng, South China Morning Post, May 11, 2022
19. Hongkongers with ties to US-backed group could risk censure, analysts warn
Tony Cheung, Chris Lau, South China Morning Post, May 12, 2022
20. Hong Kong: Prominent Democracy Advocates Arrested
Human Rights Watch, May 13, 2022
21. Arrest of Cardinal Zen sends chill through Hong Kong’s Catholic community
Sum Lok-kei, The Guardian, May 16, 2022
22. China to "strictly limit" unnecessary overseas travels by Chinese citizens to combat COVID
Reuters, May 12, 2022
23. China denies suspending passports, invalidating foreign residency cards
Reuters, May 13, 2022
24. China gives up 2023 Asian Cup hosting rights, Asian Football Confederation says
Michael Church, Reuters, May 14, 2022
25. Students protest, discontent grows over China's COVID policy
Associated Press, May 17, 2022
Environmental Harms
26. Climate, Shlimate: China's Daily Coal Output Up 11% From Last Year
Phil Hall, Benzinga, May 16, 2022
China is more focused on energy security at the moment, at the expense of climate concerns.
27. Climate goes missing in action in Russia’s war
Karl Mathiesen, Zack Colman, Zia Weise, Politico, May 11, 2022
28. Chinese President Xi Jinping's tall climate pledges fall flat
ANI, May 18, 2022
29. How climate change may have doomed a historic Tibetan kingdom
Echo Xie, South China Morning Post, May 15, 2022
30. Climate Change Threatens China with Yet Another Deadly Flood Season
Bloomberg, May 16, 2022
31. US climate envoy John Kerry warns world against turning back to coal
Leslie Hook, Financial Times, May 12, 2022
32. Tuvalu, sinking in the Pacific, fears becoming a superpower 'pawn'
Kirsty Needham, Reuters, May 13, 2022
Foreign Interference and Coercion
33. WHO chief censored on China's internet after calling zero-Covid unsustainable
Nectar Gan, CNN, May 11, 2022
34. Marcos as Philippine president a boon for China, awkward for U.S.
Tom Allard, Reuters, May 11, 2022
35. China berates WHO chief for 'irresponsible' remarks on its zero-COVID policy
Reuters, May 11, 2022
36. Justice Department Sues to Compel a U.S. Businessperson to Register Under the Foreign Agents Registration Act
Office of Public Affairs, U.S. Department of Justice, May 17, 2022
37. U.S. Accuses Steve Wynn of Lobbying Trump on Behalf of China
Niraj Chokshi, New York Times, May 17, 2022
38. Chinese Spies Violate U.S. Sovereignty and Americans’ Rights
Michael Cunningham, Wall Street Journal, May 06, 2022
Human Rights and Religious Persecution
39. China says confidence in UN rights body hit by vote to investigate alleged Russian abuses in Ukraine
Reuters, May 13, 2022
40. Trade Group Driving Solar Controversy Includes Slave-Labor Companies
David Dayen, The American Prospect, May 12, 2022
41. Embedding Human Rights in European and US China Policy
Malin Oud, German Marshall Fund, May 4, 2022
42. Arrest of ‘Stubborn About Justice’ Cardinal Zen Divides Hong Kong’s Catholics
Elaine Yu, Selina Cheng, Wall Street Journal, May 15, 2022
43. Taiwanese Activist Says China Subjected Him to Mental Torture During Five-Year Prison Sentence
Joyu Wang, Wall Street Journal, May 10, 2022
44. Cardinal Joseph Zen Is Arrested by Hong Kong’s National Security Police
Elaine Yu, Selina Cheng, Francis X. Rocca, Wall Street Journal, May 11, 2022
45. Analysis: China's harsh lockdowns could exacerbate population crisis
Nectar Gan, CNN, May 16, 2022
46. World’s highest jailing rate found in Uyghur county of China, data leak suggests
The Guardian, May 17, 2022
Industrial Policies and Economic Espionage
47. U.S. Business Leaders Not Ready for the Next U.S.-China Crisis
Michael J. Green, Scott Kennedy, CSIS, May 16, 2022
Alice Huang, Dorothy Ma, Fortune, May 11, 2022
49. VIDEO – Covid has hit China's economy harder than expected
Laura He, CNN, May 16, 2022
50. The U.S. Weighs a Broader Crackdown on Chinese Chipmakers
Stephen Nellis, The Information, May 9, 2022
51. China April property sales post steepest drop since 2006
Liangping Gao, Clare Jim, Reuters, May 16, 2022
52. AFL-CIO says lawmakers should remove 'pro-China' provisions from chips bill
David Shepardson, Reuters, May 17, 2022
53. China asked 3 property developers to issue bonds this week - sources
Reuters, May 15, 2022
54. Solar projects are on hold as U.S. investigates whether China is skirting trade rules
Eric McDaniel, National Public Radio, May 11, 2022
55. Shanghai targets June COVID lockdown exit as China economy slumps
Brenda Goh, Kevin Yao, Reuters, May 16, 2022
56. US Deepens China Solar Tariff Probe with Scrutiny of 8 Firms
Bloomberg, May 15, 2022
57. China’s Economic Distress Deepens as Lockdowns Drag On
Stella Yifan Xie, Wall Street Journal, May 16, 2022
58. China’s Economic Activity Collapses Under Xi’s Covid Zero Policy
Bloomberg, May 15, 2022
59. PH.D. Chemist Sentenced To 168 Months For Conspiracy To Steal Traded Secrets, Economic Espionage, Theft Of Trade Secrets, And Wire Fraud
U.S. Department of Justice, May 9, 2022
60. Foxconn Faces Covid Logistics Disarray in China
Yang Jie, Wall Street Journal, May 12, 2022
61. China Stops Reporting Bond Trades by Foreigners After Selloff
Bloomberg, May 17, 2022
62. China's currency just had its worst month ever. It's still dropping
Laura He, CNN Business, May 13, 2022
63. US, European Firms Rethink China Investment After Lockdowns
Bloomberg, May 16, 2022
64. Yellen warns Europeans about working with China, urges unity
Associated Press, May 17, 2022
65. Economic Stimulus Has Become Inevitable for China
He Jun, The Diplomat, May 12, 2022
66. China's EV investment drive risks veering into overcapacity
Shunsuke Tabeta, Nikkei Asia, May 11, 2022
Cyber & Information Technology
67. Despite ban, Bitcoin mining continues in China
Chris Morris, Fortune, May 17, 2022
68. China has been quietly building a blockchain platform. Here's what we know
Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, May 16, 2022
69. COSCO: China's shipping giant expands its global influence
Nikkei Asia, May 13, 2022
70. China Tech’s Grip Persists in US Long After Orders to Rip It Out
Bloomberg, May 11, 2022
71. China’s internet platforms are revealing user location—and embarrassing nationalist bloggers
Jane Li, Quartz, May 12, 2022
Military and Security Threats
72. Paradise lost? China, the Solomons and the battle for the Pacific
Nikkei Asia, May 17, 2022
73. Chinese Perceptions of America’s Indo-Pacific Strategy
Rosemary Foot, Ivan Kanapathy, Christopher Preble, Lily McElwee, CSIS, May 12, 2022
74. Biden’s China strategy cannot work with weapons alone
Edward Luce, Financial Times, May 17, 2022
75. Japan and U.S. preparing statement promising to 'deter' China, Nikkei reports
Reuters, May 17, 2022
76. China voices discontent with EU-Japan position on Senkaku islands
Reuters, May 13, 2022
77. Analysis: Alarmed by Solomon Islands-China pact, NZ finds its voice on security
Lucy Craymer, Reuters, May 17, 2022
78. EU seeks bigger role in Asia's 'theatre of tensions', warns on China
Elaine Lies, Reuters, May 12, 2022
79. Australia says Chinese spy ship did not breach law of the sea
Reuters, May 14, 2022
80. China has gained nothing from Ukraine war, says leading scholar
Teddy Ng, South China Morning Post, May 12, 2022
81. U.S., Japan weigh pledge to jointly deter China at Tokyo summit
Nikkei Asia, May 17, 2022
82. Japan pursues greater Five Eyes intel-sharing amid China concerns
Hiroyuki Akiyama, Nikkei Asia, May 12, 2022
83. Germany's Scholz visits ally Japan, not China, on first Asian trip
Andreas Rinke, Ju-min Park, Reuters, April 28, 2022
84. France navigates tricky China challenges
Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian, Axios, May 17, 2022
85. EU and Japan to forge united front against China and Russia at summit
Finbarr Bermingham, South China Morning Post, May 9, 2022
86. Biden seeks to keep China in focus by welcoming ASEAN leaders
David Brunnstrom, Simon Lewis, Michael Martina, Reuters, May 11, 2022
87. Blacklisted Chinese Tech Found Inside Top Secret UK Lab
Alberto Nardelli, Kitty Donaldson, Ryan Gallagher, Bloomberg, May 13, 2022
One Belt, One Road Strategy
88. COSCO plants its flag in South America with $3bn Peruvian port
Lucien Chauvin, Nikkei Asia, May 16, 2022
Tom Hussain, South China Morning Post, May 18, 2022
Opinion Pieces
90. The government must stop Arm’s ‘pass the parcel’ treatment and invest
Tom Tugendhat, Financial Times, May 16, 2022
91. Xi Jinping Scrambles as China’s Economy Stumbles
Kevin Rudd, Wall Street Journal, May 10, 2022
92. Engagement With China Was Always a Long Shot
Aaron L. Friedberg, Foreign Policy, May 17, 2022
93. What happened when Biden met Uyghur Americans persecuted by China
Josh Rogin, The Washington Post, May 12, 2022
94. Why is China Afraid of a 90-year-old Catholic Bishop?
Mark Simon, The Washington Post, May 11, 2022
95. Why China Is Paranoid About the Quad
C. Raja Mohan, Foreign Policy, May 17, 2022