DRULAP

China’s shrinking Arctic ambitions are seen as confined largely to Russia

HALIFAX. Canada — China’s effort to establish itself as a “near-Arctic power” have become increasingly confined to the territory of its close ally Russia as other nations lose interest in cooperating with Beijing, according to Canadian security experts.

The degree in which China poses a serious geopolitical threat in the Arctic region is debatable among experts.

Chinese efforts to establish research stations in up to half a dozen Arctic nations ground to a halt because of travel restrictions during the COVID pandemic. Mounting concerns over China’s human rights record and its aggressive actions elsewhere have made several of those countries reluctant to see operations resume, said experts.

“In many ways our fear of China and the Arctic dates back to five or six years ago when China’s power and influence seemed very much to be on the uptick in the region,” said Adam Lajeunesse, a professor focusing on Arctic issues at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. “Its political, economic and soft power influence in the Arctic outside of Russia has collapsed.

“Our fears of China are still lagging events. A lot from pre-COVID era when there was a lot of fears that China was going to dominate Arctic infrastructure. … That didn’t happen,” Lajeunesse said.

VOA reported in December 2022 that China had sent or announced plans to send several people to its two most important scientific outposts in Norway and Iceland after lengthy absences of Chinese scientists from both sites.

But there were no signs of China trying to renew two other scientific projects in Sweden and Finland, where national organizations told VOA that Chinese activity was set to end or had ended.

An earlier plan to set up a research base in Denmark’s autonomous island of Greenland was shelved in the face of opposition in Copenhagen, according to Marc Lanteigne, a social studies professor at the Arctic University of Norway.

That has left Beijing — which has no direct access to Arctic waters — to focus its Arctic ambitions on Russia, with which it established a “no limits” partnership days before Russia’s unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

China’s interests in the region are believed to include fisheries, extraction of minerals and other resources, and a shorter sea route to Europe — all of which become more viable as the Arctic ice pack recedes in the face of climate change.

“China respects the sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction rights of Arctic countries,” Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, told VOA in an emailed statement. “Issues related to the Arctic not only affect Arctic countries but also have global significance.”

“China will work with all parties in getting to know more about the Arctic, as well as in its protection, exploration and management, with the view of greater peace, stability and sustainable development in the region,” Liu added.

Many experts are watching China’s arctic activities and national security professionals told VOA on the sidelines of an April 30 conference sponsored by the Canadian Military Intelligence Association there are still limits to how much cooperation China can expect from Russia.

“There is little doubt among Western nations that China will continue to seek research, infrastructure, and increased military engagement through direct and indirect means in support of its Belt and Road Initiatives,” said Al Dillon, co-founder and CEO of Sapper Labs, a company that supports the intelligence and cyber defense needs of Canada and other English-speaking countries.

“The collaboration with Russia is concerning in this regard, while Russia will surely want to retain its own sovereignty and independence in the Arctic. The extent of this collaboration remains to be seen; however, we can be assured it will occur.”

Artur Wilczynski, a former Canadian ambassador to Norway and retired senior official in several intelligence-related agencies, told VOA that Russia “was originally skeptical with non-Arctic state involvement in the region.”

“Given Western sanctions and the Russian need for investment, China may exert more pressure on Russia rather than other Arctic states,” Wilczynski said. “It may be easier for them to meet their Arctic interests through closer collaboration with Russia in the short term than try to address increasing Western skepticism of their engagement in either the North American or Western European Arctic.”

Despite the focus on Russia, Samuel Jardine, head of research at London Politica, said Beijing is interested in acquiring access to the Canadian Arctic — a goal that may have led to a scandal over Chinese interference in the past two Canadian elections.

“In effect Canada is a doorway for China to not being seen to be isolated merely in the ‘Russian Arctic’ and maintaining influence and access to the whole region,” Jardine told VOA in an email. “Something fundamental for a “Polar Great Power” which claims to be a “near-Arctic” state.”

Michel Lipin contributed to this article.
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Report: China’s taste for ‘blood timber’ may be fueling Mozambique conflict

Johannesburg/Maputo — Africa has long been known for its so-called “blood diamonds,” a term for mineral wealth that fuels violent conflict. In the Southern Africa country of Mozambique, a report finds “blood timber” largely fueled by market demand from China is financing an insurgency in northern Mozambique. But security analysts disagree on how much the militants are profiting from the wood sales.

An Islamic State-linked militant group has been waging an insurgency in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province since 2017, with some militants fighting in the name of jihad but most driven by economic exclusion in an area rich in rubies and natural gas.

A report this week by a U.K. and U.S.-based charity, the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), says one of the region’s other natural riches, luxury hardwood prized in China, is further fueling the fighting.

“The bleeding has to stop. Mozambique has had a log export ban since 2017, but we can see clearly that China — the importer of more than 90% of Mozambique’s wood — has continued massive volume of imports of logs,” the EIA’s Alex Bloom told VOA.

Only some of that amount is wood coming from insurgency-wracked areas, the EIA says, estimating that about 30 percent of timber from Cabo Delgado is coming from insurgent-controlled forests.

The agency says the timber is then brought to Chinese-owned sawmills in the town of Montepuez, where legal and conflict timber are processed together to disguise illegality before shipping.

Throughout the process, Chinese businesses allegedly pay bribes to government officials to smooth the way for the wood to travel to port for export. Some of the wood going from Cabo Delgado to China is a rosewood known as “hongmu,” which is used to make luxury furniture.

As a species listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), rosewood is supposed to go through inspection by Mozambican officials to ensure that trade does not threaten its survival. However, due to corruption, this rarely happens, the EIA said.

Corruption allegations

“What we do is talk to the Chinese nicely so that we get our share of the bribe and they take the containers through the port,” one unnamed former official quoted in the report told the investigators.

EIA’s Bloom told VOA that because of the bribes, some Mozambican officials might not feel much incentive to stop the illegal timber trade.

“Many sources interviewed for this report described corruption at many levels through the timber trade, and some described a kind of symbiotic relationship between Mozambique officials, including the (governing) Frelimo party, and ‘China,’ referencing both the state and the Chinese business people in the trade sector in Cabo Delgado,” she said in an email.

Mozambique has been a beneficiary of Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s global infrastructure-building project the Belt and Road Initiative for years.

“Sources said, for example, that the Frelimo party gains legitimacy from attracting both Chinese business and large infrastructure investments, and even campaign funds; and therefore is reluctant to criticize or crack down on wide-scale corrupt practices involving these players,” noted Bloom.

The Chinese embassy in Washington and the Chinese mission to the African Union did not reply to emailed requests for comment from VOA.

VOA also attempted to contact Mozambique’s minister of land and environment, Ivete Maibaze, but received no answer. Contacted for comment, police spokesperson Leonel Muchina referred reporters to the Mozambican attorney general’s office. The attorney general’s office then referred VOA to a report it presented to parliament in April.

In that report, authorities acknowledge that “Illicit trade in species of wild flora and fauna or parts thereof has reached alarming proportions.”

It found there was illegal exploitation of forest resources in Cabo Delgado.

“These crimes, in addition to causing damage to the common good, the environment, are closely related to the occurrence of other criminal phenomena, such as terrorist financing, money laundering and corruption,” it said.

Resurgence of violence

Cabo Delgado was back in the news this month, after the insurgents staged a major assault on the key town of Macomia on May 10.

This, as French oil company TotalEnergies had been looking at resuming a $20 billion liquefied natural gas project in the province that it postponed due to the unrest.

The renewed violence comes as regional forces — which have been stationed in the area since 2021 — begin to pull out.

Jasmine Opperman, a security consultant based in South Africa, told VOA in a phone interview the withdrawal of South African troops is going to leave a vacuum.

“The attack in Macomia should be a harsh wake-up call to the region, in terms of where we stand with the insurgency. Numbers is not a problem, weapons is not a problem, money is not a problem,” she said.

While she noted the militants were not lacking in funds, she was skeptical they were getting money from the timber trade as the EIA suggests.

“That report is but speculation. The Chinese are in control of the whole illegal trade in wood, and it’s a complex, complex network. … There is no evidence that insurgents are deriving any income from illegal wood trade,” Opperman said.

“At level best where they could make money with this trade is if they’re being paid protection money by the Chinese. That is to say, to move into an area where there are insurgents, pay them to allow them access, cut the trees, [and] get the trees out with no one being attacked,” she added.

Piers Pigou, at the Institute for Security Studies in Pretoria, echoed the idea the militants could be making money that way.

“Where they could be involved is extracting rents in some way or another. … I think there are some question marks about exactly what the nature of that connectivity to the insurgency would be.”

Darren Olivier, director at African Defense Review, a conflict research consultancy, did not dismiss the idea either.

“The insurgency is clearly getting funding from somewhere, as there’s no way they’d be able to sustain this level of activity without a fairly substantial source of income,” he said.

VOA’s Portuguese Service contributed to this report.
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Taiwan’s incoming president faces tough balancing act, analysts say

Taipei, Taiwan — When Taiwan’s President-elect Lai Ching-te is sworn into office on May 20, he will be facing what is perhaps the toughest first term of any leader the democratically ruled island of 23 million has ever elected since 1996.

Analysts say that Lai will not only need to carefully manage relations with China but also need to work to maintain steady ties with Washington during an election year.

Branded a secessionist by Beijing, China has beefed up the scale and frequency of military activities and coast guard patrols near Taiwan since Lai was elected in January. Beijing has also opened new flight routes near Taiwan’s outlying islands of Kinmen and Matsu in April, which some analysts view as an attempt to redefine the longstanding status quo across the Taiwan Strait.

Such efforts are widely seen as part of China’s pressure campaign towards Taiwan. But unlike the large-scale military exercises the Chinese military held around the island in 2022 and 2023, Beijing’s recent actions are “quieter” by comparison, said Amanda Hsiao, a senior China analyst at the International Crisis Group.

China is trying “to present itself as seeking peaceful unification and doesn’t want to be seen as a provocateur,” Hsiao said.

China views Taiwan as part of its territory and has repeatedly vowed to reunite with the island, by force if necessary.

Lai’s four-year presidency falls within the time fame U.S. military and intelligence officials have publicly said Chinese leader Xi Jinping has set for the Chinese military to have an invasion plan in place by 2027. The date also marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army.

Some Taiwanese experts say while the Lai administration should be aware of the significance of 2027, they shouldn’t arrange Taiwan’s preparation for a potential Chinese invasion around this timeframe.

“2027 shouldn’t be viewed as the definitive year that China will invade Taiwan, because Beijing’s calculation involves a lot of factors, including the dynamics across the Taiwan Strait,” said Li Da-Jung, director of the Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies at Taiwan’s Tamkang University.

In his view, the Lai administration should prioritize efforts to strengthen Taiwan’s capabilities to defend itself and deter China from invading the island.

Boosting exchanges

Since Taiwan’s pro-sovereignty Democratic Progressive Party came to power in 2016, China has cut off all official communication and increased the level of pressure against Taiwan. Beijing has also suggested that it’s open to increasing exchange with Taipei by lifting some travel restrictions and hosting several delegations from Taiwan’s China-friendly opposition party Kuomintang.

Increasing exchanges with China-friendly actors in Taiwan “will be a major focus in the near term for China,” Hsiao said.

For his part, Lai has said he is committed to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and that he is willing to engage with Beijing on the basis of dignity and parity.

In a pre-recorded speech this week at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit 2024, he said, “I will not rule out dialogue with China on the principles of mutual respect, mutual benefits, and dignity, with no preconditions.”

China’s offer to reopen cross-strait exchanges, especially resuming group tourism between China and Taiwan, is both an opportunity and a challenge for Taiwan’s new government.

“The Lai administration could point to the return of group tourism as an early success in their term and this would be a useful way of signaling to international partners that they are responsibly handling their relationship with Beijing,” Hsiao said.

However, she added that the Lai administration should also be mindful of the potential costs of accepting offers from Beijing.

“A return to group tourism could create some dependencies on China that Beijing could leverage and exploit next time they are unhappy with the relationship,” Hsiao told VOA.

For now, she thinks the Chinese government will try to “lean on” the United States and opposition parties in Taiwan to keep the new Taiwanese government “on a more moderate course.”

Lai’s inauguration speech will be “a key indicator” of his administration’s approach to China. “How he talks about and defines cross-strait relationships will be significant,” Hsiao told VOA. Washington announced this week that they will send an unofficial delegation – which includes two former senior U.S. officials and a scholar – to attend the inauguration.

Continuity in U.S.-Taiwan relations

While tensions between China and Taiwan will likely remain high, some experts say relations between the United States and Taiwan will largely remain unchanged under the new Taiwanese government, since bilateral ties have reached a new level of stability during Tsai Ing-wen’s tenure.

“So much of what we are looking forward to in the U.S.-Taiwan relationship, whether [it] is meaningful bilateral trade agreement or more robust defensive military sales, are all things that rely on the groundwork laid out by Tsai and previous administrations in Taiwan,” said Lev Nachman, a political scientist at National Chengchi University in Taiwan.

However, despite the predictability of the new Taiwanese government’s policy direction toward the U.S., Nachman said the U.S. Presidential election in November, which will likely be a rematch between current President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, could add uncertainties to relations between Taipei and Washington.

“What Biden represents is a level of predictability and certainty and that’s important in this part of the world when both sides of the Taiwan Strait are operating off imperfect information about what the other side is going to do,” he told VOA in a video interview.

But if Trump wins the election in November, Nachman said Taiwan’s new administration should be prepared for some uncertainties. A potential Trump presidency “brings uncertainty, imperfect information, and a level of no pragmatism from the U.S. that would be the biggest challenge for Taiwan and the entire [Indo-Pacific] region to navigate,” he added.

Tamkang University’s Li said the Lai administration should start engaging with Trump’s advisors as soon as possible.

“Taiwan’s incoming government should maintain close communication with Trump’s advisors and highlight the importance of Taiwan during bilateral conversations,” he told VOA.

Efforts to diversify Taiwan’s foreign relations

While relations with China and the U.S. dominate Taiwan’s foreign policy agenda, the island has increased its diplomatic engagements with European countries during Tsai’s second term.

“The EU and Taiwan have been thinking about how they can strengthen cooperation in certain areas while being mindful of potential limitations [over the last four years,]” Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, an expert on EU-Taiwan relations at National Dong Hwa University in Taiwan, told VOA in a video interview.

Since 2020, Taiwan has deepened its economic engagement with some Central and Eastern European countries. In 2021, Taiwan opened a trade office in Lithuania under the name “Taiwan” instead of the island’s official name, the Republic of China. Since then, it has signed several cooperation agreements related to bilateral tech collaboration with countries like Lithuania and the Czech Republic.

Additionally, Taiwan has hosted several high-level parliamentary delegations from Lithuania and the Czech Republic in recent years. Ferenczy and Nachman both said that while these visits have helped to elevate mutual understanding and interests between Taiwan and some European countries, the new government under Lai should focus on adding substance to these newly elevated ties.

The Lai administration “needs to approach these newfound allies with a level of pragmatism [by] pursuing meaningful alliances in trade or [increase] exchanges,” Nachman told VOA.
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Putin focuses on trade, cultural exchanges in China

BEIJING — Russian President Vladimir Putin focused on trade and cultural exchanges Friday during his state visit to China that started with bonhomie in Beijing and a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping that deepened their “no limits” partnership as both countries face rising tensions with the West.

Putin praised China at a China-Russia Expo in the northeastern city of Harbin, hailing the growth in bilateral trade. He will also meet with students at Harbin Institute of Technology later Friday. Harbin, capital of China’s Heilongjiang province, was once home to many Russian expatriates and retains some of those historical ties in its architecture, such as the central Saint Sophia Cathedral, a former Russian Orthodox church.

Though Putin’s visit is more symbolic and is short on concrete proposals, the two countries nonetheless are sending a clear message.

“At this moment, they’re reminding the West that they can be defiant when they want to,” said Joseph Torigian, a research fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institute.

At the exhibition in Harbin, Putin emphasized the importance of Russia-China cooperation in jointly developing new technologies.

“Relying on traditions of friendship and cooperation, we can look into the future with confidence,” he said. “The Russian-Chinese partnership helps our countries’ economic growth, ensures energy security, helps develop production and create new jobs.”

Putin started the second day of his visit to China on Friday by laying flowers at a monument to fallen Soviet soldiers in Harbin who had fought for China against the Japanese during the second Sino-Japanese war, when Japan occupied parts of China.

At their summit Thursday, Putin thanked Xi for China’s proposals for ending the war in Ukraine, while Xi said China hopes for the early return of Europe to peace and stability and will continue to play a constructive role toward this. Their joint statement described their world view and expounded on criticism of U.S. military alliances in Asia and the Pacific.

The meeting was yet another affirmation of the friendly “no limits” relationship China and Russia signed in 2022, just before Moscow invaded Ukraine.

Putin has become isolated globally for his invasion of Ukraine. China has a tense relationship with the U.S., which has labeled it a competitor, and faces pressure for continuing to supply key components to Russia needed for weapons production.

Talks of peacefully resolving the Ukraine crisis featured frequently in Thursday’s remarks, though Russia just last week opened a new front in the Ukraine war by launching attacks at its northeastern border area. The war is at a critical point for Ukraine, which had faced delays in getting weapons from the U.S.

China offered a broad plan for peace last year that was rejected by both Ukraine and the West for failing to call for Russia to leave occupied parts of Ukraine.

In a smaller meeting Thursday night at Zhongnanhai, the Chinese leaders’ residential compound, Putin thanked Xi for his peace plan and said he welcomed China continuing to play a constructive role in a political solution to the problem, according to China’s official Xinhua News Agency. They also attended events to celebrate 75 years of bilateral relations.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine, Russia has increasingly depended on China as Western sanctions have taken a bite. Trade between the two countries increased to $240 billion last year, as China helped its neighbor defray the worst of Western sanctions.

European leaders have pressed China to ask Russia to end its invasion in Ukraine, to little avail. Experts say China and Russia’s relationship with each other offer strategic benefits, particularly at a time when both have tensions with Europe and the U.S.

“Even if China compromises on a range of issues, including cutting back support on Russia, it’s unlikely that the U.S. or the West will drastically change their attitude to China as a competitor,” said Hoo Tiang Boon, who researches Chinese foreign policy at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University. “They see very little incentive for compromise.”

Xi and Putin have a longstanding agreement to visit each other’s countries once a year, and Xi was welcomed at the Kremlin last year.
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05/16/2024 DruchinaChina

China’s plan to float nuclear reactors in South China Sea seen as risky

WASHINGTON AND TAIPEI, TAIWAN — The U.S. military has warned that China is moving forward with development of floating nuclear reactors in the South China Sea to bolster its claim to disputed maritime territory. Analysts say the plan to build ships with mobile nuclear power sources would raise tensions with its neighbors and pose risks to the environment.

Chinese media reports described the marine nuclear power platforms as small plants inside ships that would act as mobile “power banks” at sea for stationary facilities and other ships. Beijing had suspended the project a year ago over safety and effectiveness concerns, reported the South China Morning Post.

But the outgoing commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and State Department officials this month said China is still building the floating reactors to supply power to disputed islands, the Washington Post reported.

Although U.S. officials told the Post the deployment of such reactors would take several years, Admiral John Aquilino said their development would undermine regional security and stability.

The Philippines last week echoed those concerns.

Philippines National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said China would use its floating reactors to power military bases it has built on artificial islands, including those within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. He told local media that China’s nuclear plants would further militarize disputed areas of the South China Sea.

“Anything that supports their military presence in those islands is technically a threat to our national security and against our interests,” he said, adding that Australia and the U.S. would be among Manila’s allies conducting joint patrols in the South China Sea.

Beijing claims control over almost the entire South China Sea, putting it in dispute with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. China has already built artificial islands with airport runways to strengthen its claims.

Analysts say Beijing’s floating reactors would not only strengthen its military presence in the area but also give them an excuse to extend its reach through security actions.

Song Yanhui, director of the International Law Society of the Republic of China, Taiwan, told VOA the current military security zone for China’s artificial islands is a radius of 500 meters (1,640 feet), meaning other aircraft and ships that enter this radius can be legitimately expelled.

Song said that if China deploys a floating nuclear power plant in the South China Sea, it could use the excuse of protecting the environment from radioactive pollution to drive away ships from a larger area or to take defensive measures.

For Beijing, he said, “It kills two birds with one stone. It is a win-win strategy. It can strengthen its military presence, civilian use and claim to sovereignty.”

But the potential for radiation leaks is a real concern, say analysts.

Pankaj Jha, dean of research at the School of International Affairs of India’s Jindal Global University, told VOA China’s lack of experience in operating such floating reactors could spell disaster.

“It is a threat because it will contaminate water and also surrounding areas,” he said. “Any radiation leak would make the island uninhabitable and might also impact fishermen from the South China Sea.”

Analysts note in the event of conflict with China, the floating reactors could also become military targets.

China has deployed radars, anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles, and fighter jets, among other weapons, on the disputed territories of Mischief Reef, Subi Reef and Fiery Cross, the three largest artificial islands in the Spratly Islands.

Richard Fisher, senior fellow with the International Assessment and Strategy Center, told VOA floating nuclear power plants could also one day extend China’s weapons capabilities.

“If they were protected, these nuclear power plants could also potentially power future energy weapon devices,” Fisher said. “Laser weapons that could knock down missiles and aircraft or very powerful microwave weapons could also disable missiles and aircraft that would get within their range.”

Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, would not comment on the concerns expressed about China’s plans to move forward with the floating nuclear power plants.

“I am not aware of the particular case you have shared with us, thus could only reply in principle,” he told VOA in an emailed response May 14. “China’s position on the South China Sea issue is clear and consistent. We will stay committed to properly handling disputes through dialogue and consultation with countries concerned, and would like to work with ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nation] countries to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, advance the consultation on a code of conduct in the South China Sea and jointly safeguard peace and stability in the region.”

China is not the first country to look at building floating nuclear reactors.

The United States took the lead in proposing the concept as early as 1970 but due to safety concerns did not quickly pursue development.

Russia is the only country that has brought a floating nuclear power plant to fruition, with the Akademik Lomonosov plant producing electricity and heating since 2020 from a harbor in Pevek, a town in the Arctic Circle.

The International Atomic Energy Agency at a November forum in Vienna expressed concern about the development of floating nuclear reactors, particularly when they cross international borders or operate in international waters.

“The IAEA is working with our member states to determine what further guidance and standards might be needed to ensure the safety of floating nuclear power plants,” IAEA Deputy Director General Lydie Evrard said in a press release.

The IAEA noted Canada, China, Denmark, South Korea, Russia and the U.S. are each working on marine-based “small modular reactor designs.”
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05/16/2024 DruchinaChina

India gets new ambassador from China, but mistrust lingers

New Delhi — China’s appointment late last week of a new ambassador to India fills a seat that Beijing left vacant for 18 months. It’s a small step for two big Asian rivals but one that is unlikely to resolve mistrust between the two countries, analysts say.

Arriving in New Delhi last Friday, Xu Feihong, 60, replaces Sun Weidong, who stepped down in late 2022. VOA reached out to the Chinese Embassy and China’s foreign ministry on the new posting and the long delay but did not receive a response to a request for comment.

In a post on X after his arrival, Xu said he was looking forward to “working hard with all for #China-#India relations.” The new ambassador has been busy on the social media platform highlighting the potential of ties, updating with a post and photo Wednesday of him handing over his letter of credence to India’s foreign ministry.

Xu has served as China’s ambassador to Afghanistan from March 2011 to August 2013 and as Beijing’s top envoy in Romania.

In one recent post on X, the new ambassador noted that the leaders of both China and India have agreed on an important assessment that both are “cooperation partners, not competitors,” and that the two are “each other’s development opportunities, not threats.”

Earlier this week, the India-based research group Global Trade Research Initiative said that according to data for the fiscal year of 2024, China narrowly surpassed the U.S. as India’s largest trading partner after a decline over the past two years. Prior to that, China was India’s largest trading partner from 2008 to 2021.

However, some Indian analysts see relations as strained and tense, particularly following a deadly 2020 border clash that saw Beijing take control of disputed territory.

“There is a desire for improved relations on both sides,” said Lt. Gen. SL Narasimhan, a New Delhi-based China expert and former Beijing-based military attaché. “But at the same time, not much should be read into the appointment of a new envoy. There is a serious trust issue between two countries after the Galwan Valley conflict in June 2020.”

“But for India, peace and tranquility along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) are central to this relationship,” said Narasimhan.

Some, like Associate Professor of China Studies Sriparna Pathak, say that leaving the position open for so long was a sign of disrespect from Beijing.

“Considering the state of India-China relations … China not sending the ambassador to India [for such a long period of time] clearly indicates that it … looks down upon India, and that has been made obvious an ample number of times,” said Pathak, referring to Beijing’s rejection of New Delhi’s request to pull troops back to positions that preceded the deadly 2020 border clashes in Galwan, a disputed region of the Himalaya’s.

Pathak, of New Delhi’s Jindal Global University, also said New Delhi took offense to Beijing’s decision to name People’s Liberation Army Commander Qi Fabao a torchbearer in the 2022 Winter Olympics torch relay. Qi was widely known for his involvement in a 2020 border clash that killed two Chinese troops and at least 20 Indians.

India responded by joining Britain, Canada and the U.S. in a diplomatic boycott of the games, which several Western nations launched in response to China’s treatment of ethnic Uyghurs in the remote western region of Xinjiang.

In 2022, the two militaries clashed at least two more times, though no casualties were reported. Tens of thousands of troops remain massed on both sides.

Beijing and New Delhi have so far held 21 rounds of military talks and 29 rounds of diplomatic negotiations to address the standoff.

Following a round of talks in March, India’s Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar told India’s NDTV that his “first duty to Indians is to secure the border. I can never compromise on that.”

He also went on to say that a normal relationship cannot be envisaged between India and China until China moves back to its pre-2020 position on its borders.

In a May 7 interview granted to Indian and Chinese media, Ambassador Xu said relations between the two countries should not be defined by any single issue or area.

“The overall border situation is stable and under control, and border areas are peaceful and tranquil,” he said. “China is ready to work with India to accommodate each other’s concerns, find a mutually acceptable solution to specific issues through dialogue at an early date, and turn the page as soon as possible.”

The last time the role of China’s top diplomat to India remained empty for more than a year was from 1962 to 1976 and was also linked to a border conflict. The 1962 Sino-Indian War was fueled by border skirmishes and the 1959 Tibetan uprising against rule by communist China, which saw the Dalai Lama flee to India.

The fact that India has continued to give refuge to the Tibetan spiritual leader has been a thorn in relations between New Delhi and Beijing, which exercises strict control over Tibet and its leaders.

The 1962 war saw Chinese troops attack and take over disputed territory in the Aksai Chin region along the two countries’ borders. The fighting resulted in thousands of Indian soldiers, and hundreds of Chinese troops, being killed or captured.
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Beijing vows retaliation against Biden’s hikes of tariffs on Chinese imports

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Ahead of China visit, Putin says he is ready to negotiate on Ukraine war

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YouTube agrees to remove videos of banned Hong Kong protest song

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Philippine activists sail towards reef at heart of maritime dispute with China

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05/14/2024 DruchinaChina

A growing number of Chinese Indonesians are winning political offices

Jakarta — This October, 45-year-old Kevin Wu will serve in the Jakarta House of Regional Representatives for the first time, becoming part of a minority of ethnic Chinese elected officials in the Indonesian legislative body. Wu has been a staunch advocate for Chinese-Indonesian rights since 2008 and helped to establish a Buddhist house of worship in the predominantly Muslim country. Now, he is an entrepreneur who advocates for small businesses.

“If we witness injustice, we have two choices — to accept our fate or to strive and hope for change. I chose to do the latter,” he said.

Wu said he was inspired to fight for Chinese-Indonesian rights by late President Abdurrahman Wahid, who was known for his support for ethnic and religious tolerance.

In February, nearly 205 million Indonesians were eligible to cast their votes in the country’s presidential and parliamentary elections. According to the last census in 2010, 1.2% of Indonesia’s total population is of Chinese ethnicity, at over 2.8 million people.

Johanes Herlijanto, chairman of the Indonesian Sinology Forum, a group that seeks to promote Indonesia-China relations, said that in this election he saw more names of Chinese-Indonesian politicians vying for the 500 seats in the national Parliament as well as in the District Representative Council, Provincial Council and Local Council than there were during the parliamentary elections in 2019.

Herlijanto said that political activism among the Chinese-Indonesian community strengthened in the last 26 years, since the Jakarta riots in May 1998 that saw many Chinese Indonesians being persecuted. He said he has seen more Chinese Indonesians serving in public offices ranging from regent, mayoral and legislative.

Herlijanto explained that there have been organizations that provided political education to Chinese Indonesians since the late 1990s.

“This allowed Chinese Indonesians who previously were uncomfortable, to be involved in politics, to now being elected and actively improving public welfare as politicians,” he said.

For decades, under President Suharto, many Chinese Indonesians faced discrimination, persecution and social restrictions, such as being banned from using their Chinese names, practicing their traditional beliefs, showcasing Chinese culture and having their full citizenship recognized.

It was only after former President Wahid came into power in October 1999 that government discrimination against Chinese Indonesians was abolished with the issuance of Presidential Decree No. 6, which protected minority rights. Wahid – commonly known as “Gus Dur” – was the former head of Indonesia’s largest Islamic organization, Nahdlatul Ulama, and had Chinese, Arab and Javanese ancestry.

Wu joined the Indonesian Solidarity Party, or PSI, in 2024, founded by a Chinese Indonesian TV news anchor-turned-politician, and said he was attracted to the party’s dynamic “start-up”-like work environment and idealistic approach to politics. Wu is also a member of the Young Entrepreneurs Association and the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“I am keen to support industries that open up more job opportunities, offer quality human resources development programs and ease the application process for business permits and industries,” he told VOA.

Daniel Johan, 52, a Buddhist, has been a legislator for the past decade and will serve his third five-year term for the Indonesian Renaissance Party, PKB, in October 2024. He said Gus Dur, and another PKB leader, Muhaimin Iskandar, both inspired him.

Johan is active in the Chinese Clans Association of Indonesia and shared with VOA that it took months of working in the community for his constituents, who are mostly Muslims in West Kalimantan, to trust and vote for a Chinese Indonesian politician.

“This term, I will be working on issues regarding food security, food independence and how to improve the management of natural resources and better monitor the implementation of the Mineral and Coal Production Law,” he said.

Although political activism and involvement is on the rise in the Chinese Indonesian community, politicians and leaders of Chinese associations in Indonesia are still aware that stereotypes remain, especially in rural areas.

Herlijanto said that the campaign teams for all three presidential candidates in the recent elections had Chinese Indonesian supporters, “so taking on divisive identity politics is not a prudent political strategy.”

However, the tides could turn against ethnic and religious minorities if divisive identity politics were to be used again in future elections. Herlijanto noted the case of former Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, a Chinese-Christian governor known as “Ahok,” who was sentenced to two years in prison in 2017 under Indonesia’s blasphemy law, based on claims he insulted the Quran during his campaign for reelection. Ahok denied wrongdoing.

“Although radicalism based on religious beliefs, or a narrowed interpretation of nationalism, has faded in recent years, its re-emergence is possible and is an issue Chinese Indonesians are cautious about. That’s why it’s important for Chinese Indonesians to be inclusive, strive for equality and welfare and show that we stand for all Indonesians,” said Herlijanto.

I Wayan Suparmin, head of the Indonesian Chinese Association in Jakarta, said Chinese Indonesians must strive to be more inclusive in their surroundings and better understand that in a community everyone’s lives are truly intertwined. A notion that Johan agrees with, “Moving forward, Chinese-Indonesian politicians need to be more sincere, humble and avoid being deceitful or scandalous. The majority of people can sense politicians’ sincerity and intentions.”
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05/14/2024 DruchinaChina

Biden sharply hikes US tariffs on billions in Chinese chips, cars

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday unveiled a bundle of steep tariff increases on an array of Chinese imports including electric vehicles, computer chips and medical products, risking an election-year standoff with Beijing in a bid to woo voters who give his economic policies low marks.

Biden will keep tariffs put in place by his Republican predecessor Donald Trump while ratcheting up others, including a quadrupling of EV duties to over 100%, the White House said in a statement. It cited “unacceptable risks” to U.S. economic security posed by what it considers unfair Chinese practices that are flooding global markets with cheap goods.

The new measures impact $18 billion in Chinese imported goods including steel and aluminum, semiconductors, batteries, critical minerals, solar cells and cranes, the White House said. The announcement confirmed earlier Reuters reporting.

The United States imported $427 billion in goods from China in 2023 and exported $148 billion to the world’s No. 2 economy, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, a trade gap that has persisted for decades and become an ever more sensitive subject in Washington.

“China’s using the same playbook it has before to power its own growth at the expense of others by continuing to invest, despite excess Chinese capacity and flooding global markets with exports that are underpriced due to unfair practices,” White House National Economic Adviser Lael Brainard told reporters on a conference call.

U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said the revised tariffs were justified because China was continuing to steal U.S. intellectual property and in some cases had become “more aggressive” in cyber intrusions targeting American technology.

She said prior “Section 301” tariffs had minimal impact on U.S. economy-wide prices and employment, but had been effective in reducing U.S. imports of Chinese goods, while increasing imports from other countries.

But Tai recommended tariff exclusions for dozens of industrial machinery import categories from China, including 19 for solar product manufacturing equipment.

Even as Biden’s steps fell in line with Trump’s premise that tougher trade measures are warranted, the Democrat took aim at his opponent in November’s election.

The White House said Trump’s 2020 trade deal with China did not increase American exports or boost American manufacturing jobs, and it said the 10% across-the-board tariffs on goods from all points of origin that Trump has proposed would frustrate U.S. allies and raise prices. Trump has floated tariffs of 60% or higher on all Chinese goods.

Administration officials said their measures are “carefully targeted,” combined with domestic investment, plotted with close allies and unlikely to worsen a bout of inflation that has already angered U.S. voters and imperiled Biden’s re-election bid. They also downplayed the risk of retaliation from Beijing.

Biden has struggled to convince voters of the efficacy of his economic policies despite a backdrop of low unemployment and above-trend economic growth. A Reuters/Ipsos poll last month showed Trump had a 7 percentage-point edge over Biden on the economy.

Analysts have warned that a trade tiff could raise costs for EVs overall, hurting Biden’s climate goals and his aim to create manufacturing jobs.

Biden has said he wants to win this era of competition with China but not to launch a trade war that could hurt the mutually dependent economies. He has worked in recent months to ease tensions in one-on-one talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Both 2024 U.S. presidential candidates have sharply departed from the free-trade consensus that once reigned in Washington, a period capped by China’s joining the World Trade Organization in 2001.

China has said the tariffs are counterproductive and risk inflaming tensions. Trump’s broader imposition of tariffs during his 2017-2021 presidency kicked off a tariff war with China.

As part of the long-awaited tariff update, Biden will increase tariffs this year under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 from 25% to 100% on EVs, bringing total duties to 102.5%, from 7.5% to 25% on lithium-ion EV batteries and other battery parts and from 25% to 50% on photovoltaic cells used to make solar panels. “Certain” critical minerals will have their tariffs raised from nothing to 25%.

The tariffs on ship-to-shore cranes will rise to 25% from zero, those on syringes and needles will rise to 50% from nothing now and some personal protective equipment (PPE) used in medical facilities will rise to 25% from as little as 0% now. Shortages in PPE made largely in China hampered the United States’ COVID-19 response.

More tariffs will follow in 2025 and 2026 on semiconductors, whose tariff rate will double to 50%, as well as lithium-ion batteries that are not used in elective vehicles, graphite and permanent magnets as well as rubber medical and surgical gloves.

A step Biden previously announced to raise tariffs on some steel and aluminum products will take effect this year, the White House said.

A number of lawmakers have called for massive hikes on Chinese vehicle tariffs. There are relatively few Chinese-made light-duty vehicles being imported now. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown wants the Biden administration to ban Chinese EVs outright, over concerns they pose risks to Americans’ personal data.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who warned China in April that its excess production of EVs and solar products was unacceptable, said that such concerns were widely shared by U.S. allies and the actions were “motivated not by anti-China policy but by a desire to prevent damaging economic dislocation from unfair economic practices.”
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05/14/2024 DruchinaChina

Hong Kong leader criticizes Britain after arrest of trade official in London

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US blocks Chinese-backed crypto mining firm from owning land near military base

washington — President Joe Biden on Monday issued an order blocking a Chinese-backed cryptocurrency mining firm from owning land near a Wyoming nuclear missile base.

The order forces the divestment of property operated as a crypto mining facility near Francis E. Warren Air Force Base. It also forces the removal of certain equipment owned by MineOne Partners Ltd., a firm that is partly owned by the Chinese state.

This comes as the U.S. is slated on Tuesday to issue major new tariffs on electric vehicles, semiconductors, solar equipment and medical supplies imported from China, according to a U.S. official and another person familiar with the plan.

The divestment order was made in coordination with the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States — a little-known but potentially powerful government agency tasked with investigating corporate deals for national security concerns that holds power to force the company to change.

A 2018 law granted CFIUS the authority to review real estate transactions near sensitive sites across the U.S., including F.E. Warren Air Force Base.

The order was vague about the specific national security concerns, with the Treasury Department saying only that there were issues with “specialized and foreign-sourced equipment potentially capable of facilitating surveillance and espionage activities” that “presented a significant national security risk.”

According to CFIUS, the purchase was not filed with the body, as required, until after the panel received a public tip.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who serves as the chairperson of CFIUS, said the role of the committee is “to ensure that foreign investment does not undermine our national security, particularly as it relates to transactions that present risk to sensitive U.S. military installations as well as those involving specialized equipment and technologies.”
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Uyghur News Recap: May 6–13, 2024

Washington — Jailed Uyghur official highlights Chinese-Uyghur land disputes

A former Uyghur government official in Xinjiang, China, received a 10-year prison sentence for siding with local farmers who refused to surrender their farms to Chinese developers without adequate compensation, Radio Free Asia recently reported. RFA said this case reflects broader disputes over land rights amid allegations of coercion by Chinese developers.

Uyghur and Tibetan activists protest Xi Jinping’s visit to Paris

Uyghur and Tibetan activists carrying banners and flags marched in central Paris last week to protest Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit. They condemned human rights violations in Xinjiang and Tibet. Talks between French President Emmanuel Macron and Xi primarily focused on the war in Ukraine, the Middle East conflict and trade.

Lawyer challenges China’s historical narrative on Xinjiang

In an interview with Radio Free Asia, international lawyer and inner Asia expert Michael van Walt disputed China’s claim over Xinjiang, using history as proof. He said Xinjiang, which Uyghurs call East Turkistan, has not been continuously under Chinese rule for 2,000 years, rejecting China’s unified state narrative. Van Walt described Beijing’s territorial claims as colonialism.

Report reveals Xinjiang cotton mislabeling in global market

A recent report reveals that a significant amount of cotton from Xinjiang is being falsely labeled as American or Brazilian. Despite bans on Xinjiang cotton due to forced labor concerns, 19% of more than 820 tested samples in the United States contained Xinjiang cotton, highlighting ongoing struggles to combat forced labor in global supply chains. The study, conducted by Applied DNA Sciences, used isotopic testing to identify the mislabeled cotton. Concerns persist about Xinjiang cotton’s presence in global trade, prompting calls for increased testing and collaboration to address human rights and regulatory issues.

Sexual harassment challenges human rights advocacy, Uyghur rights groups implicated

Women working in human rights organizations spoke out about experiences of sexual misconduct by male leaders, highlighting a culture of silence and fear within the advocacy community. Some of the men accused of harassment include prominent members of Uyghur rights groups.

News in brief

Dozens of Uyghur refugees who fled China 10 years ago remain detained in Thailand and face uncertain futures amid conflicting explanations from Thai authorities and the U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR. One activist told VOA about dire living conditions and deaths in detention, urging an end to indefinite incarceration and swift international action. Rights organizations accuse Beijing of repressive policies against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities, which China has repeatedly denied.

Quotes:

“Despite requests, however, at no stage have we been permitted to access the group or engage with them for the purpose of facilitating solutions. We are engaged in close discussions with the Thai authorities,” UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch told VOA in an email. “UNHCR has and continues to proactively raise this issue with the Thai authorities.”
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US, China to hold AI talks in Switzerland

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