Irish journalist in Brussels. Europe Correspondent,
@SCMPnews
. Covering Europe's relationship with China. Fermanagh man.
Own views, likes = bookmarks.
Feels like a pretty seismic week in EU-China relations. I get the feeling that we're not in Kansas anymore
Here is a summary of the major events that have happened, let me know if I missed any, bearing in mind it's still only lunchtime on Friday...
The Polish Consulate General in Hong Kong finding a novel way to commemorate the
#TiananmenSquareMassacre
today - and troll the local government - on its Facebook page (via a friend)
NEW: Xi Jinping told Charles Michel that people in China were protesting because they were frustrated after three years of Covid, per senior EU officials
Xi told them that Omicron is less deadly than Delta, which they sensed "opens the way for more openness of the restrictions"
“This is the time to stop being naive, also when it comes to China,” says Sanna Marin
Finnish leader warns democratic countries against being ‘naive’ on China - via
@FT
BREAKING!
Landslide vote in the European Parliament to put the EU's investment deal with China in the freezer.
Motion on stopping discussions on CAI passes by a margin of 599 to 30, with 58 abstensions
🚨BREAKING: The UN report is finally out, just before midnight
It says that actions of the Chinese government in Xinjiang, "may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity"
BREAKING!
"China recalled its Ambassador to Lithuania and demanded the Lithuanian Government recall its Ambassador to China."
This is over Vilnius' "decision to allow the Taiwan authorities to open a "representative office" under the name of Taiwan"
Tough words from EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell in European Parliament tonight on last week's EU-China Summit, re Ukraine.
"This was not exactly a dialogue, maybe a dialogue of the deaf... we could not talk about Ukraine a lot, and we did not agree on anything else."
Landslide: UN vote condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine passes:
141 in favour
5 against
35 abstentions
China abstained while Belarus, North Korea, Eritrea, Russia and Syria voted against
Czech President Pavel: “I don’t think China has a real interest to resolve the war in a short time.”
“I believe that it is in China’s interest to prolong the status quo because it can push Russia to a number of concessions.”
Amazing story.
Liz Truss, who has spent much of her post-PM phase lecturing on the need to be tough on China, secretly lobbied the British government to “expedite” the sale of defense equipment to China
This wasn't ages ago, it was in August!
The fallacy of Lexit.
I can travel the length of Belgium on imperfect but highly functional state-owned trains for a fraction of the price it would cost to travel anywhere in Britain by train...
It's so strange to hear people in Britain are still repeating that EU law forces private ownership of railways when it's the UK that is the ONLY European country WITHOUT a state-owned passenger rail service company
Xi Putin call happened today - translation of the transcript from Chinese state media:
"Xi Jinping pointed out that recently, the situation in eastern Ukraine has undergone rapid changes, which has drawn great attention from the international community."
BREAKING: China's economy shrank since the first time since 1976 in the first quarter of 2020. Minus 6.8%, worse than median forecasts, with contractions in March industrial, retail and investment numbers too
Two German journalists had talks promoting their book "Xi Jinping - the most powerful man in the world" at German universities cancelled, under "Chinese pressure"
"China supports Russia and Ukraine to resolve the issue through negotiation. China's basic position on respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries and abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter is consistent."
Wow.
China's ambassador to the UN in Geneva said that Beijing would not cooperate with the UN human rights office after the release of a long-awaited report on alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang
NEW: UN human rights chief Bachelet at human rights council this morning:
"I was not able to speak to any Uyghurs currently detained or their families during the visit."
"China decides its position based on the merits of the Ukraine issue itself. Necessary to abandon Cold War mentality, attach importance to & respect legitimate security concerns of all countries & form balanced, effective & sustainable European security mechanism thru negotiation
Borrell: "China cannot pretend to be a responsible great power but close its eyes or cover its ears when it comes to a conflict that obviously makes it uncomfortable... because it knows very well who the aggressor is, although for political reasons, refuses to name them"
I just got a PR reply from McKinsey saying they are "not able to comment on topics related to US-China relations nor decoupling".
A firm that publishes long reports on supply chain trends, now afraid to comment on one of the biggest global trends. This is getting ridiculous...
Breaking: G7 slams China response to Pelosi visit
"We are concerned by recent and announced threatening actions by the People’s Republic of China (PRC), particularly live-fire exercises and economic coercion, which risk unnecessary escalation"
The Chinese government today dismissed my report saying Beijing had asked 4 big EU member states to meet Xi Jinping in November as "fake news".
Asked about Beijing's denial, my sourcing confirms that these approaches have indeed been made - informal invitations at this point
This note was circulated to media by the Russian Embassy in Beijing. Far from showing willingness to negotiate...
"Our goals are simple: demilitarization and seizure of foreign arms that are used against the people of Donbas, and to stop the neo-Nazis and their ideology."
Li Hui, China's envoy who toured Ukraine, EU and Russia to discuss the war, gave a presser in Beijing today, a few highlights:
Li: "risk of escalation remains high... I stayed in Kyiv 3 days, air raid sirens were sounding every single day and there were 2 massive air strikes"
Taiwan confirms it is in talks with Slovenia to open representative offices on each other’s soil, after the Slovenian PM Jansa accused China of “lecturing about democracy and peace”
More than 100 UK MPs and Lords inc shadow FM & LibDem leader, sign letter to Boris Johnson calling for sanctions on top CCP official in Xinjiang Chen Quanguo, and Magnitsky sanctions against officials and entities "responsible for the crackdown on the democracy movement in HK"
"The European side make clear that this... compartmentalisation isn't feasible...for us Ukraine is the defining moment on whether we live in a world governed by rules or by force."
Interesting read.
"Xi's brain trust thought in the face of Russia's overwhelmingly powerful forces Zelensky would quickly flee... Ukr military would surrender & fighting would end within few days
China made such judgments based on intel from Russia"
Have loved being part of
@SCMPNews
election team. Three times this week I helped write our newspaper front page. Twice went to bed fearing egg on our face. Today's paper went to print under an hour before Biden was confirmed, so we missed the call but I think we got the essence
Outside the EU buildings in Brussels today, protest banners to mark the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover from British to Chinese rule.
Organised by some MEPs.
After his trip to China was cancelled at the last minute, German finance minister Lindner has called for a tougher stance towards Beijing
“We will not let our liberal values be bought for good business deals."
In a sign of how nervous EU is about leaks, the discussion on China at today's European Council will be without phones. For security reasons. No such precautions for the long discussion on Ukraine today...
🚨 EXCLUSIVE 🚨
Brussels pulls trams branded with slogans marking 25 anniversary of Hong Kong handover following complaints about China's human rights record
NEW: Xinjiang's exports to the EU soared by 131% in the first half of 2021, led by surges in some goods that have been flagged as being linked to forced labour by the United States
Belgian PM De Croo just spoke on China at the Brussels Forum. His remarks closely echoed those of Dutch PM Rutte last weekend:
"I think the last thing we could, we should do is turn our backs to China the way we are turning our backs to Russia."
In case you missed it last night:
My story on the full-blown diplomatic row that erupted after China's archetypal wolf warrior ambassador in Paris questioned the sovereignty of post-Soviet states
Qin Gang to be the next Chinese foreign minister.
It was he that doled out China's retaliatory sanctions on EU last year, in language described to me as an "exact replica of Yang Jiechi" in Anchorage 3 days before
This comes after the Chinese foreign ministry office in HK warned several Western consulates not to openly commemorate June 4, following a ban on an annual vigil in the city to mark the anniversary of the massacre
"We condemn Russian aggression against Ukraine and support this country's sovereignty, democracy, not because we follow the US blindly, as sometimes China's suggests because but because it is our position... this was an important message for the Chinese leadership to hear"
NEW:
UN & China accused of fabricating a “mutually convenient stalemate” after confirming it won't publish a report on human rights abuses in Xinjiang before this month’s Winter Olympic Games
US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in Brussels:
"Beijing is seeking to undermine the very system that they benefited from to return instead to a system where might-makes-right and big nations can coerce smaller countries into acting against their own interests"
NEW: EU to propose ban on forced labour goods on Tuesday, amid pushback over China’s alleged Xinjiang abuses
Story and thread outlining what is in the long-awaited proposal - and what is not
Exclusive: EU leaders plan to personally ask Xi Jinping to put a halt to China's sanctions circumvention in Beijing next week.
If he is not amenable to helping, 13 Chinese entities will likely end up on the EU's sanctions blacklist
Ukraine has officially designated Hikvision and Dahua "international sponsors of war".
Kyiv alleges the Chinese firms "freely supply Russia with" dual use military goods, e.g. drones, thermal imagers, anti-drone guns
BREAKING: China's manufacturing bounced back v strongly in March. PMI 52 in March, up from all-time low 35.7 in Jan-Feb.
Non manufacturing PMI also roared back at 52.3 from 29.6 in Jan-Feb. Could be short-lived w' demand shock ahead, but quite a bounce
Very interesting interview of Chinese ambassador to the EU Fu Cong by
@MacaesBruno
Asked why China hasn't condemned Russia
"We have our own diplomatic style. I think at this stage actually a simple condemnation does not solve the problem. It may reduce your space for diplomacy"
Said a senior EU diplomat:
"You'll never summon an ambassador in the middle of the night if you're not going to declare war"
EU diplomats said they were told by Qin Gang: "Now you shut up. There's a new boss in town called China. You're going to obey and we're going to teach"
Some personal news from me
Excited to be taking on the role of Europe Correspondent for
@SCMPNews
, covering the Europe-China relationship at this crucial point in history.
I will be moving to Brussels in the near future but in the interim, I will cover remotely from Hong Kong
Latvian and Estonian leaders asked about Scholz visit to China with a biz delegation, both called for a 27+1 approach rather than member states freelancing
BREAKING!
Chinese rail company CRRC withdraws from public procurement tender in Bulgaria after it was subject to investigation under the EU's foreign subsidies regulation
Chinese drone manufacturer Xi'an Bingo Intelligent Aviation Technology has agreed to manufacture and test 100 kamikaze drones, before delivering them to the Russian military, der Speigel reports
China more 'destructive than constructive' on Ukraine - Lithuanian President
"Unfortunately, I see the aim of China is to continue this war, make this war even more bloody and in such a situation that China is in hidden or open form supporting Russia"
Biden and Xi set to pledge a ban on use of AI in autonomous weaponry, such as drones, and in the control and deployment of nuclear warheads, sources confirmed to the Post.
Important scoop by colleagues
@ipatrickbr
@markmagnier
, Amber Wang in DC
In a hawkish speech last night, UK foreign sec Liz Truss said China's "rise isn't inevitable".
"They will not continue to rise if they don’t play by the rules. China needs trade with the G7. We represent half of the global economy. And we have choices."
(via
@BeijingToBrit
)
Ahead of the G20 this week, IPAC delivered the banned Pillar of Shame to the Chinese embassy in Rome.
Exiled Hong Kong protest leader
@nathanlawkc
and World Uyghur Congress director
@MahmutRahima
among those who gave speeches
Pic via
@lukedepulford
EU leaders are now saying in public what officials have privately said for some time: Beijing and Moscow are working together “like never before” to redefine the global order.
My report on how Europe sees China's role in Ukraine crisis.
Damage limitation on steroids:
"Amb Lu Shaye's remarks on the Ukraine issue were not a statement of politics, but an expression of personal views during a televised debate. They should not be subject to over-interpretation. China's position on relevant issues has not changed."
Wild, wild story.
After an audit found that Volkswagen's Xinjiang plant had no forced labour, the firm's official LinkedIn account posted a note distancing itself from the findings.
Note below, story from FT
Landslide vote in European Parliament to adopt the anti-coercion instrument
528 for
24 against
19 abstentions
ACI gives EU tools to respond to economic bullying. Initially inspired by Trump tariffs, it gained momentum after China's coercion of Lithuania in a row over Taiwan
NEW: European Parliament resolution on Hong Kong, notably case of Apple Daily, passes with a huge majority
578 for 29 against
- calls for sanctions on HK / Chinese officials
- Beijing Winter Olympic boycott
- emergency visas for HK journalists
- support for HKers moving to EU
NEW!
The EU's anti-coercion instrument will be unveiled this week: it could result in China & other countries accused of economic bullying being shut out of lucrative parts of EU market
Story & thread on leaked copy of the draft proposal
Von der Leyen press conference in Beijing live now
"Our trade relationship is increasingly imbalanced. In the last 10 years, EU trade deficit has more than tripled, we discussed that as the trajectory is not sustainable"
"China wanted to set aside our difference on Ukraine, they didn't want to talk about Ukraine. They didn't want to talk about human rights and other stuff and
instead focus on positive things"
NEW: the European Parliament has adopted a new position paper on China that advocates a much tougher line on human rights, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Beijing Olympic boycott
570 for, 61 against, 40 abstentions
Police officers also searched a man last night who read a book and sat beside two electric candles in Victoria Park, on the eve of the 33rd anniversary of the crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in and around Beijing's Tiananmen Square. 📸: REUTERS/
@SiuTyrone
The Italian government led by Giorgia Meloni delivered 3 days ago a note to the Chinese government authorities with the official exit from the Belt and Road - scoop by
@galluzzom
@Corriere
NEW 🇪🇺🇨🇳
EU “regrets” UN human rights chief Bachelet's failure to access persecuted groups, individuals and detention centres during a visit to Xinjiang last week.
Wow.
A Chinese employee of the EU Delegation in Beijing has been in prison for eight months. Reason for incarceration: "to stir up quarrels and cause trouble", a crime punishable by five years in prison.
NEW: The World Bank has been accused of “funding a campaign of repression” of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang
New report details almost half a billion dollars lent to companies with deep links to forced labour and other rights abuses