Day: August 11, 2023

China’s Plan for New Embassy Near Tower of London Stalls Amid Local Opposition

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LONDON —  China’s plans to build a new embassy near the Tower of London have stalled following local opposition to what would be the biggest diplomatic compound in Britain. The borough of Tower Hamlets, the local government council in London responsible for the area, blocked the project in February, citing concerns about the increased risk of terror attacks, protests and traffic in an area visited by millions of tourists each year. Chinese authorities had until Thursday to appeal the decision to the U.K. government but did not, Tower Hamlets said.…

China’s eastern economic powerhouse provides national snapshot; declining workforce, demand and wages plague Jiangsu

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China’s eastern economic powerhouse of Jiangsu has revealed a contracting labour force and reduced demand by manufacturing and foreign companies, in addition to unrelenting youth unemployment, highlighting grim economic prospects and an underpowered recovery. Disheartened by the slew of disappointing economic indicators, market expectations for China’s economic data release next week are low, with Beijing tasked with shoring up the stalling economy amid sluggish domestic and external demand. “At the end of June, employment by manufacturing enterprises fell by 119,000 compared to the same period last year, and the actual…

Floods Strike Blow to China’s Faltering Economy

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taipei —  This month’s destructive flooding in Beijing and surrounding provinces is expected to take a toll on China’s already sputtering economy, leaving financially strapped local and regional governments struggling for resources to repair the damage. Analysts say the failure of various flood-control measures has also struck a blow to the nation’s reputation as an infrastructure superpower capable of girding the world with high-quality railroads, highways and ports. The full extent of the damage caused by flooding associated with Typhoons Doksuri and Kanu is difficult to assess because of late…

Clock ticks down for China-US science deal amid tech theft fears

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But some US lawmakers are warning against an extension, invoking fears of intellectual property theft and unintended benefits to the Chinese military. “It should come as no surprise that [China] will exploit civilian research partnerships for military purposes to the greatest extent possible,” Congressman Mike Gallagher, chairman of the House select committee on the Chinese Communist Party, said in a letter to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in June, arguing against renewal. 01:56 Biden to introduce new restrictions on US investments in China, declares tech ‘emergency’ With an American…

China debt: these 3 regions have the most daunting debt piles. So what can be done about it?

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After years of rapid economic growth, the resources held by local governments across China have seen a worrisome decline in the midst of a slower-than-expected economic recovery and a nationwide property market downturn. For the first time, China’s Politburo – the centre of power within the Communist Party – stipulated at a meeting last month that it was necessary to resolve debt risks at local governments with “a comprehensive solution to local government debt”. The statement highlights the central government’s increased focus on the financial difficulties facing less-developed regions, as…

Chinese Surveillance Firm Selling Cameras With ‘Skin Color Analytics’

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WASHINGTON —  IPVM, a U.S.-based security and surveillance industry research group, says the Chinese surveillance equipment maker Dahua is selling cameras with what it calls a “skin color analytics” feature in Europe, raising human rights concerns. In a report released on July 31, IPVM said “the company defended the analytics as being a ‘basic feature of a smart security solution.’” The report is behind a paywall, but IPVM provided a copy to VOA Mandarin. Dahua’s ICC Open Platform guide for “human body characteristics” includes “skin color/complexion,” according to the report.…

China has fallen into a psycho-political funk

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Receive free Chinese politics & policy updates We’ll send you a myFT Daily Digest email rounding up the latest Chinese politics & policy news every morning. Sly, Soviet-style jokes are enjoying a subtle revival on Chinese social media platforms. Their art resides in being too obscure for censors to understand yet clear enough for cynics to chuckle at their mockery. Some are so esoteric that their satire is confirmed only by the censors’ decision to delete them — echoing the cat-and-mouse dynamic that distinguished dissident humour in the former Soviet…

Signs of Chinese business life return to Afghanistan 2 years after the Taliban’s takeover

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“[Chinatown] is getting crowded,” he said. 03:24 New Taliban ban on beauty parlours adds to Afghan women’s economic woes New Taliban ban on beauty parlours adds to Afghan women’s economic woes Since the Taliban took control of the war-torn country in 2021, Afghanistan’s economy and security has not collapsed as some had expected. Instead, the central Asian country has begun to slowly pick up the pieces. Advertisement But for Chinese businessmen who have chosen to return and stay, they know to take the good news with a grain of salt,…

Foreign diplomats in China treated to tour of Xinjiang and ‘happy’ Uyghurs

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A Chinese government-sponsored visit to Xinjiang by 25 Beijing-based ambassadors and other diplomats from developing countries has come under fire by human rights activists for pushing an official narrative that the mostly Muslim Uyghurs in the far-western region are thriving, despite the reality of severe repression. The delegation, which included diplomats from Dominica, Myanmar, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Nicaragua and Mexico, visited the western autonomous region from July 31 to Aug. 3. Xinhua news agency and CGTN, China’s state-run international TV broadcaster, covered the diplomats as they visited Xinjiang’s capital…