Russia-China energy cooperation in focus as Putin visits Xi; Israel-Hamas war tests China’s Middle East ambitions
China-owned EV battery maker says U.S. plants are on track; Taliban official to attend China’s Belt and Road Forum, spokesman confirms
Welcome to this issue of The China Brief. Today is October 15, 2023. Here at The China Brief, we bring you the latest news on China's politics, economy, and society from global media sources, along with exclusive expert analysis. If you find our content helpful, please subscribe to our newsletter.
Russia-China energy cooperation in focus as Putin visits Xi
Reuters
China and Russia have deepened their economic ties, particularly in the energy sector, despite international criticism of their partnership due to Russia's conflict in Ukraine. China's exports and imports with Russia reached $21.18 billion in September, the highest since February 2022. Russia exports around 2 million barrels of oil per day to China, accounting for over a third of its total crude oil exports. Additionally, Russia's pipeline gas exports to China are expected to exceed its exports to the European Union for the first time this year.
Israel-Hamas war tests China’s Middle East ambitions
Financial Times
The current crisis in the Middle East, triggered by Hamas's attack on Israel, is seen as a test of China's ambitions to build influence in a region traditionally dominated by the US. China's economic role in the region has grown rapidly in recent years, and it now trades more than the US with most regional countries. Beijing is also on good terms with almost all of them, including Iran, the backer of Hamas and Lebanon's Hizbollah, which has prompted hopes that it can use this influence to prevent a regional conflagration. However, China's neutral stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict has angered many Israelis and Western countries, and analysts question whether China's nascent ambitions in the region will weather the instability brought by the crisis. While China has been a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause, it has also built up friendly economic ties with Israel since the 1980s. China's support for the Palestinians could boost its standing in the Arab world and strengthen its position in the region, but it risks undermining its relationship with Israel and the US, which remains the strongest military power in the Middle East.
Taliban official to attend China’s Belt and Road Forum, spokesman confirms
South China Morning Post
The Taliban will attend China’s Belt and Road Forum this week, a spokesman for the Islamic group ruling Afghanistan said. The move underscores Beijing’s growing official ties with the Afghan administration, despite its lack of formal recognition by any government. Taliban officials and ministers have at times travelled to regional meetings, mostly those focused on Afghanistan, but the Belt and Road Forum is among the highest-profile multilateral summits the group has been invited to attend. The two-day forum starting on Tuesday marks the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping’s ambitious global infrastructure and energy initiative, billed as recreating the ancient Silk Road to boost global trade.
China says Israel acting 'beyond scope of self-defense'
Japan Times
China's Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, has criticized Israel's actions in Gaza, stating that they have gone beyond the scope of self-defense. He called on the Israeli government to cease its collective punishment of the people of Gaza. Wang made these remarks during a call with his Saudi Arabian counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan. Israel is currently considering a ground offensive against Hamas militants in Gaza.
China-owned EV battery maker says U.S. plants are on track
Nikkei Asia
AESC Group, a Japan-based electric vehicle (EV) battery maker, remains confident in its plans to build two new plants in the US, despite increasing scrutiny from Washington over the sector's ties to China. AESC, which was acquired by China's Envision Group in 2019, also aims to be eligible for US government tax credits that aim to keep China out of the EV supply chain. The company's $2bn factory in Kentucky is due to come online by 2025, while an $810m facility in South Carolina is set to be operational the following year. AESC is preparing to meet the criteria for US tax credits, although the rules have not yet been determined.
Putin to visit China to deepen 'no limits' partnership with Xi
Reuters
Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to China this week to attend the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing. The visit marks Putin's first trip outside the former Soviet Union since the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for him in March over the deportation of children from Ukraine. The meeting between Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping comes as the US views China as its biggest competitor and Russia as its biggest nation-state threat. The two countries have declared a "no limits" partnership and share a similar world view that sees the West in decline and challenging US supremacy.
Ticket resale prices for Yo-Yo Ma concert in Hong Kong hit altissimo range
South China Morning Post
Demand for tickets to a performance by cellist Yo-Yo Ma in Hong Kong next month has become so intense they are selling for HK$17,000 (US$2,170) each on the secondary market. However, less well-off fans still have a chance to hear the virtuoso play at another concert when tickets go on sale later this week.
Why Hong Kong emigrants are worried about arrests over early MPF withdrawals
South China Morning Post
A total of 20 individuals, including an insurance agent, have been arrested by Hong Kong's anti-corruption agency for allegedly withdrawing their pensions early by using forged documents to claim they were leaving the city permanently. The insurance agent is believed to be the mastermind behind a syndicate that accepted bribes to help Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) members withdraw their money by fabricating evidence of employment and residence in mainland China. The arrests have raised concerns among Hong Kong emigrants in the UK who may now face prosecution if they return to Hong Kong to visit.
Powerful Earthquakes Hit Afghanistan for the Fourth Time in Just Over a Week
NY Times
Two earthquakes, measuring 6.3 and 5.4 on the Richter scale, struck northwest Afghanistan on 12 October. The earthquakes, which hit Herat Province, resulted in at least two deaths and 125 injuries. The region has been hit by three major earthquakes in the past eight days, resulting in over 1,000 deaths.
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