A Defense Agreement Likely to Deepen Chinese Rancor; Taiwan slams Chinese 'bully next door' amid military drills
Why is China so angry about Taiwan’s William Lai visiting the US?
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A Defense Agreement Likely to Deepen Chinese Rancor
NY Times
President Biden’s Camp David summit on Friday with the leaders of Japan and South Korea most likely reinforces Beijing’s perception. The talks saw Japan and South Korea put aside their historical animosities to forge a defense pact with the United States aimed at deterring Chinese and North Korean aggression. The Camp David agreement requires the United States, Japan and Korea to hold annual talks, expand joint military exercises, and establish a three-way hotline for crisis communications. In a statement, the countries also criticized China’s “dangerous and aggressive behavior” in the South China Sea and reaffirmed the “importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”
Taiwan slams Chinese 'bully next door' amid military drills
Deutsche Welle
China has conducted military exercises near Taiwan in response to the recent US stopover by Taiwan's Vice President, William Lai. The operation involved missile-armed boats and fighter jets simulating an encirclement of Taiwan. The Taiwanese Defense Ministry condemned the military drills, accusing China of having a "militaristic mentality." China sees Taiwan as its territory and has previously vowed to take control of it using force if necessary.
Why is China so angry about Taiwan’s William Lai visiting the US?
Al Jazeera
China has launched military drills near Taiwan as a warning to "separatist forces" on the island. The move comes after Taiwan's Vice President, William Lai, made two stopovers in the US as part of a trip to Paraguay. China sees Taiwan as a breakaway territory and views Lai as a troublemaker colluding with the US to promote separatism on the island.
U.K. 'committed' to nuclear power despite China funding concerns
Nikkei Asia
The UK government is fully committed to nuclear energy, despite concerns over Chinese investment in the sector, according to Andrew Bowie, the country's first-ever nuclear minister. He told Nikkei Asia that national security was paramount, but the UK was open to investment from overseas. The government has plans to build as many as eight new reactors to boost the country's nuclear capacity.
The secret trade routes helping Putin dodge Western sanctions
Telegraph
Germany's exports to Russia have fallen by 54% in H1 2022 compared to the same period last year, according to the Institute for International Finance. However, Russia has managed to bounce back from the initial impact of Western sanctions by turning to friendly nations such as Turkey, China, and India for imports. In addition, Russia has found a successful workaround by importing Western products via other nations to circumvent the sanctions. Germany's exports to Kyrgyzstan, a nation that is part of the Eurasian Economic Union and has a free trade agreement with Russia, increased by 2,000% in H1 2022. The IIF suggests that this increase in exports to Central Asian countries friendly with Russia is a sign that they are being used as backdoors into Russia. The increase in exports to these countries could be due to the fact that the goods are being re-exported to Russia without touching the ground in the Central Asian nations. These new trade routes are costly and have led to higher prices for goods in Russia. Western countries need to take action to crack down on trade diversion and restrict Russia's income, possibly by lowering the oil price cap.
Recreating a Bygone China, One Miniature Home at a Time
NY Times
A growing number of artists in China are creating miniature replicas of old homes that have been demolished or remodelled. The craft has become popular among people who want to remember houses that have been swept away by China’s rapid modernisation. The miniatures are said to offer a “spiritual enjoyment” in a society where people have become used to a high standard of living. A small community of artists has emerged, some of whom have turned the hobby into a full-time career. The artists take on projects based on personal connection, and the pieces vary by budget and geography. Many of the artists create the replicas from memory, as cameras were seen as a luxury until relatively recently.
Xi's apparatchiks will struggle to revive economy: China watcher
Nikkei Asia
China's economy is unlikely to recover anytime soon due to President Xi Jinping's lack of economic expertise and his focus on geopolitics and national security, according to China watcher Willy Lam. Lam argues that Xi's inner circle is filled with party apparatchiks rather than technocrats, who lack the knowledge and experience to revive sagging growth. The slowdown in China's economy has been marked by a crisis in the property sector, weak economic data, and soaring youth unemployment. Lam also highlights the impact of the trade war with the US and China's crackdown on tech companies as contributing factors to the economic slowdown.
Chinese military launches drills around Taiwan as 'warning' after top island official stopped in US
The Independent
The Chinese military has launched drills around Taiwan in what it calls a "stern warning" over collusion between "separatists and foreign forces." The drills come after Taiwanese Vice President William Lai's recent trip to Paraguay, which included stops in the United States. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and opposes any foreign relations conducted by the Taiwanese government. Taiwan's defense ministry strongly condemned the exercises and said it would deploy appropriate forces to respond. Taiwan and China split in 1949 and China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province.
Chinese NGO fixes eyes while helping state-owned companies build ties overseas
South China Morning Post
The GX Foundation, a Hong Kong-based humanitarian group, has performed over 3,600 eye operations in countries such as Cambodia, Laos, Mauritania, and Senegal, helping to clear the backlog of cataract patients. The organisation also conducts medical operations in Djibouti, where Chinese presence has increased substantially since 2016. The foundation does not receive funding from the Chinese government, but its board of directors includes officials from state-owned conglomerates and is backed by Beijing. The foundation aims to improve people-to-people exchanges between China and other countries, particularly those involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.
In Warning to Taiwan, China Announces Military Patrols
NY Times
China has announced that it will stage "joint combat readiness patrols" around Taiwan, following a visit to Paraguay by Taiwan presidential candidate and Vice President, Lai Ching-te. The patrols have been interpreted as a warning gesture against Taiwan, and the military exercises have caused concern among Taiwanese officials. China has been working to curtail international activities by Taiwan, which it claims as its own territory.
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