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☆ Can China play a role in avoiding an all-out war in the Middle East?
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Nectar Gan | Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

“China calls on the international community, especially countries with influence, to play a constructive role for the peace and stability of the region,” the ministry added. The decision by Iran’s leaders to strike at Israel directly has pushed the shadow war between the two regional foes into the open. That’s why China does not condemn Iran,” said Yun Sun, director of the China program at the Washington-based Stimson Center think tank. Beijing meanwhile denounced the strike as a “barbarian act,” with protests erupting outside US diplomatic compounds across China. “For China, had US applies enough pressure on Israel, neither the Israeli attack nor the Iranian retaliation would have taken place.

Persons: Beijing’s, Antony Blinken, Wang Yi –, Saudi Arabia –, ”, William Figueroa, Figueroa, “, Xi Jinping, China’s, Iran ”, Israel, ” Figueroa, Wang Wenbin, Wang, Yun Sun, Bill Clinton, Jiang Zemin, ” Sun, Kishida, Jaishankar, Israel Katz, Hossein Amirabdollahian Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Foreign Ministry, Washington, US State Department, Hamas, Beijing, Tehran, University of Groningen, Global Security Initiative, CNN, Chinese Foreign Ministry, Stimson, NATO, Embassy, Japan’s, Israel’s Foreign, Iranian Locations: China, Hong Kong, East, Iran, Israel, Beijing, Gaza, Tehran, Damascus, Republic, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Palestinian, Red, Tehran –, Netherlands, underinvestment, United States, Israeli, Syria, Quds, Washington, Belgrade, That’s, Yugoslavia, Asia, ”, India, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia

☆ Gold prices rise, Asian markets fall after Tehran’s attack on Israel
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-14 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

It had hit an all-time high of $2,431 per ounce on Friday because of fears of a potential attack by Iran on Israel. US gold futures also added 0.1% on Monday. The Middle East was plunged into uncharted waters after Iran launched scores of missiles toward Israel late Saturday. Before Iran’s attack, US stocks ended Friday sharply lower, as Wall Street worried about escalating tension in the Middle East. Dow futures rose 80 points, or 0.2%, in Asian hours on Monday.

Persons: Kospi, Brent, Joe Biden Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, Nikkei, ANZ, Dow, Nasdaq Locations: Hong Kong, Iran, Israel, Shanghai, Syria, East

☆ China is sending its highest-level delegation to North Korea since 2019 to kick off a ‘friendship year’
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The three-day visit, at North Korea’s invitation, shows the “great importance” China attaches to those relations, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said. The delegation will also arrive amid heightened global concern about North Korea, which has in recent months ramped up its bellicose rhetoric and continued its weapons testing. The trip could also be an important opportunity for the upper echelons of China’s political establishment to better understand the circumstances in North Korea today. Balance of powerChina has long walked a thin line in its relations with North Korea. It is a critical economic lifeline for a North Korea crippled by international sanctions over its illegal weapons testing.

Persons: Zhao Leji, ”, KCNA, Zhao, Xi Jinping, China’s, Joe Biden, Fumio Kishida, Kishida, Li Qiang, Liu Dongshu, …, ” Liu, Kim, Li Mingjiang, Vladimir Putin, Yun Sun Organizations: Hong Kong CNN — China’s, Beijing, Foreign Ministry, Japanese, CNN, Communist, North Korea –, Hong Kong’s City University, North, Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, “, United Nations Security, Stimson Locations: China, Hong Kong, North Korea, Pyongyang, Beijing, Moscow, United States, North, Japan, South Korea, Ukraine, Asia, Washington, Philippines, Russia, North Korean, Covid, Pacific, American

☆ China’s Xi to host former Taiwan president in Beijing, in rare meeting echoing bygone era of warmer ties
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Nectar Gan | Wayne Chang | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Joint concerns over China’s increasing assertiveness under Xi, including toward Taiwan, are a key driver of that summit. Chinese leader Xi Jinping shakes hands with then Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou before their meeting in Singapore on November 7, 2015. Taiwan's former President Ma Ying-jeou speaks to reporters ahead of his visit to China at the Taoyuan International Airport on April 1, 2024. Ma Ying-jeou” or former chairman of the KMT, with no mention of his former role as the president of Taiwan. Reaction in TaiwanMa’s itinerary – and his meeting with Xi – has been closely watched in Taiwan.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Ma Ying, Xi, Chiang Kai, Eric Chu, Ma, ” Chu, Lai Ching, Joe Biden, Biden, Fumio Kishida, Roslan Rahman, Amanda Hsiao, “, underscoring, ’ ”, Tsai Ing, –, Lai, Lai’s, fixating, ”, ” Sung, China –, Ma’s, Hsiao, Yan Zhao, Mr, Sun, Xi –, Sung, ” Ma, James Chen Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Beijing, Kuomintang, KMT, China’s, shek’s Nationalists, –, Democratic Progressive Party, CNN Beijing, Japanese, Getty, International Crisis, Atlantic, “, Taoyuan International Airport, Communists, Nationalists, Atlantic Council, Taiwan’s Tamkang University, DPP Locations: China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Beijing, Taipei, Singapore, Washington, Japan, Philippines, AFP, Taoyuan, Guangzhou, Republic of China, Shaanxi, United States, China . Washington

☆ Kishida US visit: Japan seeks investment in AI, semiconductors from American companies
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Junko Ogura | Juliana Liu | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Speaking in Washington at a lunch with American CEOs, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Japan welcomes American collaboration in “critical and emerging technology” and assured them that any investment would flow both ways. Last year, Japanese foreign direct investment to the US exceeded $750 billion, Kishida said, making Japan the biggest foreign investor in America and creating more than 1 million jobs. It is reportedly the company’s largest ever investment in Asia’s second largest economy. Earlier this month, Japan’s industry ministry approved subsidies worth up to 590 billion yen ($3.9 billion) for Rapidus. It comes as Washington adds increasing restrictions on the types of semiconductors that American companies are able to sell to China.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Fumio Kishida, ”, Kishida, Joe Biden, Brad Smith, Gary Cohn, Sanjay Mehrotra, Ted Colbert, Albert Bourla, Mayumi Maruyama Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Microsoft, Microsoft Research Asia, IBM, Micron Technology, Boeing, Defense, Space & Security, Pfizer, CNN, US Chamber of Commerce, “, Intel, Samsung, US Locations: Tokyo, Hong Kong, Japan, Washington, American, United States, America, Asia’s, Russia, South, Taiwan, Hokkaido, chipmaking, China, Europe, Asia, Germany

☆ Fitch downgrades China’s credit rating outlook over economic worries
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Juliana Liu | Wayne Chang | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong CNN —Fitch downgraded its outlook on China’s credit rating on Tuesday, citing increasing risks to its finances as it faces economic challenges. Lowering its outlook from stable to negative does not automatically mean the ratings agency will downgrade China’s creditworthiness, but it increases the chances. Fitch has kept its rating on Chinese sovereign bonds at A+. Fitch believes the general government deficit will rise to 7.1% of gross domestic product in 2024 from 5.8% last year. In December, rival ratings agency Moody’s downgraded its outlook on China’s credit rating from stable to negative, citing risks related to “structurally and persistently lower medium-term economic growth” and ongoing troubles in its property sector.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — Fitch, China’s, Fitch, “, Moody’s Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Finance, Fitch Locations: China, Hong Kong

☆ Chinese leader Xi meets Russia’s Lavrov as two partners tout strong ties
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —Chinese leader Xi Jinping met with top Russian diplomat Sergey Lavrov in Beijing Tuesday, state media reported, in yet another sign of the importance China gives to its increasingly robust ties with Moscow. Since then, the two countries have ramped up their economic, trade and diplomatic relations – including in the wake of Putin’s war in Ukraine. Xi made a state visit to Moscow last March after entering his third term as Chinese president. The two sides discussed the war in Ukraine and agreed that international meetings on Ukraine ignoring Moscow’s interests “are futile,” Lavrov told the conference, according to Russian state news agency Tass. China has maintained dialogue with Switzerland about an upcoming international peace conference, according to state media, but previously said such talks should be recognized by both Ukraine and Russia.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Sergey Lavrov, Lavrov, Vladimir Putin, Xi, Putin, Wang Yi, Wang, ” Lavrov, Volodymyr Zelensky Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Chinese, Foreign Ministry, Kyiv Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, China, Moscow, Putin, Ukraine, Russian, United States, Russia, Switzerland

☆ Everything you want to know about Janet Yellen’s China visit; Russia, chopsticks, oversupply
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

“China is now simply too large for the rest of the world to absorb this enormous capacity,” Yellen told reporters Monday. US intelligence has warned that China is providing technology and equipment to Russia that is important to Moscow’s war in Ukraine. During her last visit to Beijing, Yellen dramatically boosted business for a Yunnan restaurant chain and its mushroom dish after her delegation was spotted dining there. “As a US official, Yellen needs to know more about China than just its food. Only by understanding China better, can she correct the US worldview and its views of China and China-US relations.”

Persons: Janet Yellen, Yellen, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, ”, China Nicholas Burns, Pedro Pardo, Li Qiang, ” Yellen, Li, Biden, “, Mao Ning, Xi, CNN’s Marc Stewart, we’ve, Andy Wong, “ Yellen, Tao Tao Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Russia, China's, Getty, Vice, Foreign Ministry, Treasury Department ., Ukraine, China’s, Ministry, “ Locations: China, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Beijing, United States, AFP, Washington, Xinhua, Russia, Ukraine, Treasury Department . China, San Fransisco, “, Yunnan, Weibo

☆ Yellen returns to China to tackle economic challenges bedeviling ties with US
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Hong Kong CNN —Janet Yellen has kicked off her second visit to China as US treasury secretary to continue efforts to further stabilize ties between the world’s two largest economies. “During prior meetings with her Chinese interlocutors, Yellen has largely avoided taking a strong stance on controversial issues,” he said. Trade tensionsBiden administration officials have suggested raising tariffs on Chinese imports to “level” the playing field for trade. Former President Donald Trump has threatened to slap 60% tariffs on imports from China if he is re-elected. The “forces” are often referred to as emerging industries such as EVs, new materials and artificial intelligence.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — Janet Yellen, Yellen, “, ’ Yellen, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Lifeng, Liu He, Pan Gongsheng, Lan Fo’an, Craig Singleton, ”, Biden, Xi’s, Donald Trump, Rick Waters, ’, Xi, Waters, don’t, ” Singleton Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, People’s Bank of China, Finance, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Bali . Trade, Biden, Trump, Treasury Department Locations: China, Hong Kong, Georgia, United States, California, Guangzhou, Beijing, Washington, Bali ., Eurasia

☆ A billionaire helped bring ‘3-Body Problem’ to Netflix. His business partner ensured he never lived to see its premiere
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Hong Kong CNN —Lin Qi, a billionaire fan of “The Three-Body Problem,” had big plans to bring his favorite Chinese sci-fi novel to TV, cinema and video-game screens across the world. Xu was sentenced to death for murder by a court in Shanghai on March 22 - the day after the much-anticipated debut of “3 Body Problem” on Netflix. 3 Body Problem. Soon, he was sidelined, with key projects handed to another executive, Zhao Jilong, one of the executives who would later have his drinks poisoned by Xu, according to Caixin. When Netflix announced its adaptation project of “The Three-Body Problem” in September 2020, Lin and Zhao were listed as executive producers, with Xu’s name conspicuously missing.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — Lin Qi, ”, Lin, Lin’s, Xu Yao, Xu, Caixin, John Bradley, Jack Rooney, Jess Hong, Jin Cheng, Mark Gatiss, Isaac Newton, Reece Shearsmith, Alan Turing, Jenson Cheng, Kublai Khan, Netflix Xu, China’s, Liu Cixin, Zhao Jilong, Zhao, Yoozoo, “ Xu Yao’s Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, “, Netflix, Lin’s Yoozoo, Yoozoo Games, Phoenix News Locations: China, Hong Kong, Shanghai, pufferfish, Japan, France, United States

☆ Tesla has a big competitor. And it is China’s BYD
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Rosa Deacostanoya | Rosa De Acosta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

In 2023, Tesla sold around 230,000 more cars than BYD. That drop was big enough for Tesla, which sold 386,810 BEVs in the same period, to retake its former position despite posting plunging sales. Both Tesla and BYD are expanding beyond their home markets and investing in factories abroad. BYD sold about 3 million electric cars, including hybrids, in 2023 globally. By comparison, Tesla, which does not sell hybrids, delivered a total of 1.8 million vehicles worldwide last year, which was about 19% of the global market for BEVs.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Wang Chuanfu, It’s, Murthy Grandhi, BYD, Tesla Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Tesla, Toyota, French PSA Group, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Chrysler, Maserati, Peugeot, BMW, Ford, Benz, Ferrari, Yuan, Rho, BEVs Locations: China, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, London, United States, American, Shanghai, California, Canada, European

☆ Alibaba and Tencent: China’s internet giants snap up their own shares to boost flagging stock market value
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

That would mark the biggest share repurchase by a Chinese tech company in the past year. The tech giant’s move comes at a time when Chinese regulators have been asking listed companies to repurchase shares to stabilize market confidence. Overall, companies listed in Hong Kong spent 126 billion Hong Kong dollars ($16.1 billion) buying back shares in 2023, the highest on record, according to Chinese financial data provider Choice. Tencent alone accounted for about 40% of total share buybacks in the Hong Kong market. Additionally, the global selling of Chinese assets, driven by geopolitical tensions or concerns about regulatory uncertainties, has further pressured Chinese share prices.

Persons: Alibaba, “, ”, Stephen Innes, Tencent, Xiaomi, ” Innes Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Alibaba, BABA, Hong Kong, CNN, “ Locations: China, Hong Kong, buybacks, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Beijing

☆ Art Basel Hong Kong: Collectors return to Asia’s biggest art fair despite cooling market
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Stephy Chung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Hong Kong CNN —Picture Vladimir Putin, Angela Merkel and George W. Bush as 7-year-olds. Noemi Cassanelli/CNNAsia’s largest art fair, which concludes Saturday, has returned to “pre-pandemic scale,” as organizers put it. Hong Kong artist Mak2's installation in the fair's "Encounters" section. A colorful booth by Dvir Gallery, based in Paris, Tel Aviv and Brussels, which participated in the Hong Kong fair for the first time. So while Art Basel is a “very international platform,” Chan said, it still provides the chance to showcase homegrown talent.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Angela Merkel, George W, Bush, Lí, Noemi Cassanelli, Hong, Hong Kong’s, ”, William Leung, fairgoer, “, Ivy Haldeman, François Ghebaly, It’s, it’s, “ It’s, Victoria Miro, Wirth, Mark Bradford, Philip Guston, Ed Clark, ” Keith Tsuji, Willem de Kooning’s, Kooning, Fuyuhiko Takata, Yoko Ono’s, Takata, Fuyuhiko, Louise Delmotte, I’m, ” Takata, fairgoers, Jaume Plensa, Mary Sabbatino, Sabbatino, Mak2, Teppei, Maho Kubota, Alexie, Kantor, Trevor Yeung, Stephen Wong, people’s, Hilda Chan, London’s, ” Chan Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Art Basel, CNN, “, Hauser, Hauser & Wirth, Galerie Lelong, The, Hong, Dvir, Hong Kong, CNN Hong, London’s Tate Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, Hong Kong ., China, New York, Art Basel Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Asia, American, Spanish, York, Paris, Australian, Paris , Tel Aviv, Brussels, Hong

☆ China’s Xiaomi joins the crowded EV race with ‘dream car’ to take on Tesla
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong CNN —Xiaomi formally launched its much-anticipated electric car — the new Speed Ultra 7 (SU7) sedan — on Thursday night in Beijing. “Xiaomi wants to build a ‘dream car’ comparable to Porsche and Tesla,” he said on Weibo Wednesday. On Thursday, Xiaomi announced that prices for SU7 models would range from 215,900 yuan ($29,874) to 299,900 yuan ($41,497). Xiaomi’s SU7 has been on display in showrooms in 29 cities across mainland China since Monday, according to Lei. People look at Xiaomi's first electric vehicle SU7, displayed in a newly opened Xiaomi store in Beijing on March 25, 2024.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — Xiaomi, Lei Jun, “ Xiaomi, ”, Xiaomi, SU7, Lei, Tingshu Wang, It’s Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Porsche, Tesla, Weibo, Counterpoint Research, Reuters, Porsche Taycan, Tesla’s Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, China, EVs

☆ ‘No force’ can stop China’s tech progress, Xi Jinping tells Dutch PM
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

There was a surge in sales of ASML’s advanced chipmaking tools to China last year — ahead of the Dutch ban. In the fourth quarter of 2023, China accounted for 39% of ASML’s total revenue, according to the company. For 2023 as a whole, China’s share of ASML’s revenue was 29%, doubling from 14% in 2022. “China’s access to [these high-end chipmaking] machines is key to its commercialization of 7-nanometer logic chips,” they added. “China has been aggressively buying semiconductor equipment to build out production lines in both advanced and mature nodes,” according to Jefferies.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Mark Rutte, ASML, ” Xi, Rutte, Wang Wentao, Geoffrey van Leeuwen, ” Wang, “, ” Jefferies, Jefferies Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Dutch, United, ”, Dutch Trade, Huawei, China’s Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation Locations: Hong Kong, China, Netherlands, Beijing, United States, Europe

☆ Country Garden misses results and likely faces trade suspension in fresh blow for China’s property sector
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Hong Kong CNN —Troubled housing giant Country Garden announced late Thursday that it would delay the publication of its annual results, in the latest sign of the turmoil still coursing through China’s huge property sector. The move is likely to cause its share trading to be suspended from Tuesday, as is required by Hong Kong’s listing rules. Country Garden, once the China’s largest property developer, is reeling under about $194 billion worth of debt. Last month, it received a liquidation petition in Hong Kong from a creditor for non-payment of a loan worth 1.6 billion Hong Kong dollars ($204 million), according to the company. Country Garden’s woes echo that of another huge, and now insolvent, Chinese property giant Evergrande.

Persons: Hong Kong’s, Evergrande Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Garden, Hong Kong Locations: Hong Kong, China’s

☆ A glut of cheap Chinese goods is flooding the world and stoking trade tensions
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Hanna Ziady | Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The oversupply of Chinese goods in key industries is stoking tensions between the world’s biggest manufacturer and its major trading partners, including the United States and the European Union. From clothes to carsChina’s exports of low-priced goods got a boost after it joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001. “What China exports is advanced production capacity that meets the needs of foreign customers,” Xinhua News Agency wrote. US President Joe Biden recently pledged to investigate whether imports of Chinese vehicles pose a national security threat. “But perhaps more importantly, persistent oversupply and low prices of Chinese goods will add to geopolitical tensions and keep the threat of tariffs and counter-tariffs alive,” she wrote in a recent note.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, ” Jens Eskelund, Xi Jinping, Huang Jingwen, ” Eskelund, Brad W, ” Markus W, Voigt, China’s BYD, Warren Buffett, Setser, Li Qiang, “, ”, Joe Biden, Jennifer McKeown, Shawn Deng Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, European Union, European Union Chamber of Commerce, Zero, of, People, China’s National Bureau of Statistics, Council, Foreign Relations, World Trade Organization, Aream Group, Tesla, Getty, China Development Forum, Xinhua, Agency, ., EV, European Commission, WTO, Capital Economics Locations: Hong Kong, United States, China, Europe, Beijing, Xinhua, China's Shandong, . Washington, Brussels

☆ Bridge accidents: Three ships have hit bridges in Argentina, China and Baltimore in just three months
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

These events all happened within the first three months of this year – and all after collisions with large commercial ships. And a month earlier, a large cargo ship collided with the Zárate–Brazo Largo Bridges crossing the Prana River in Argentina, according to now-shuttered government-run news agency Télam – severely damaging the ship, though the bridge remained intact. By contrast, in the Baltimore example, the water channel and bridge are wide and tall enough to accommodate large vessels – and the cargo ship hit the bridge pier, not the bridge itself, Andrawes said. But even these measures can only do so much in the event of a large cargo ship collision, Mercogliano said, pointing to the Baltimore collapse. “And even when the ship hit those dolphins, the ship was so large it towered over them and actually struck the bridge itself.

Persons: Francis Scott Key, DALI, ”, Sal Mercogliano, Télam, Bassem, Andrawes, it’s, Mercogliano, Baltimore Steve Helber, there’s, Jerome Hajjar Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, University of Illinois, Sunshine Skyway, Coast Guard, Structural Engineering, American Society of Civil Engineers Locations: Hong Kong, Baltimore, China, Argentina, Patapsco, Guangzhou, –, Largo Bridges, Urbana, Champaign, Florida

☆ Cyberattacks: New Zealand joins UK, US in accusing China of espionage hacks as coordinated pressure on Beijing grows
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong CNN —New Zealand has joined the United States and the United Kingdom in accusing China of launching “malicious” cyberattacks through state-backed hackers, as Beijing comes under growing scrutiny in a big election year for democracies around the world. The Chinese embassy in London dismissed the claims as “completely unfounded” and “malicious slander,” calling the sanctions “outright political manipulation.”“China is a major victim of cyberattacks. We have firmly fought and stopped all kinds of malicious cyber activities in accordance with the law, and have never encouraged, supported or condoned cyberattacks,” the embassy said, reiterating Beijing’s long-held stance on the matter. Australia and the European Union has also expressed solidarity with the UK and voiced concerns over China’s alleged malicious cyber activities. Without naming China, the EU said it would continue to monitor and address malicious cyber activities and stand ready to take further action when necessary.

Persons: Judith Collins, “, Zealand’s, ” Collins, Wang Xiaolong, Winston Peters, ” Peters, Penny Wong, Clare O’Neil Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, United, New, UK, Parliamentary, Office, Parliamentary Service, New Zealand, Wellington, European Union, Australia’s Foreign, Home Affairs, Inter, Parliamentary Alliance Locations: Hong Kong, Zealand, United States, United Kingdom, China, Beijing, New Zealand, London, PRC, Australia, EU, Canada

☆ Chen Xuyuan: China sentences ex-soccer chief to life in prison in latest crackdown on sports corruption
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The ex-soccer chief, Chen Xuyuan, was jailed on Tuesday alongside multiple senior sporting executives, according to state media, following a months-long investigation. Five years later, the Chinese soccer association unveiled a plan to make the country a “world football superpower” by 2050. The Chinese men’s soccer team currently sits third in its FIFA World Cup qualify group, with four points, behind group leader South Korea, and second placed Thailand. Last Thursday, the team drew 2-2 with city-state Singapore, in a major blow to the country’s World Cup 2026 dream. The two sides face off again, on Tuesday, in what is being billed as a crunch match for underperforming China.

Persons: Chen Xuyuan, Xi, Chen, Yu Hongchen, Li Tie, “, ”, Chen Yongliang, Yu, Dong Zheng Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, league, Chinese Super League, Winter, men’s, soccer, FIFA World, South Locations: Hong Kong, Chinese, Hubei, Huangshi, China, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore

Hong Kong CNN —China’s coast guard used water cannon against Philippine boats in a contested area of the South China Sea on Saturday, the latest in a string of maritime clashes between the two countries. The AFP also accused the Chinese coast guard of performing a “dangerous maneuver” by crossing the bow of the resupply vessel before using the water cannon. It said China subsequently installed floating barriers to “prevent further entry of any vessels.”A Philippine Coast Guard vessel had been “impeded and encircled” by a Chinese coast guard ship and two Chinese “maritime militia” vessels, the agency said, cutting it off from the resupply boat. The ship is now mostly a rusted wreckage and is manned by Philippine marines stationed on rotation. The latest run-in came just four days after Secretary of State Blinken told a news conference in Manila that the United States had an “ironclad commitment” to defending the Philippines in the South China Sea.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Jay Tarriela, Thomas, “, Thomas Shoal, Blinken Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Armed Forces, AFP, Philippine Coast Guard, Convention, BRP Sierra Madre, Philippine, Sierra Madre, Weibo Locations: Hong Kong, South, Philippine, China, Philippines, AFP, ”, Beijing, Manila, Palawan, BRP Sierra, Madre, Sierra, China’s, United States, South China, People’s Republic of China, Washington

☆ Evergrande: China accuses troubled property developer of committing financial fraud in $78 billon case
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong CNN —Chinese regulators have accused Evergrande and its founder of inflating revenues by $78 billion, putting the insolvent property developer at the heart of the country’s biggest ever financial fraud case. Xu Jiayin, founder and chairman of the Evergrande Group, was fined 47 million yuan ($6.5 million) for the overstatement and other alleged violations. The regulator said Hengda had fabricated 214 billion yuan ($30 billion) in sales for 2019, which accounted for half of that year’s revenue. Another 350 billion yuan ($48.6 billion) in sales for 2020, accounting for 78% of revenue, were also falsified. “Xu Jiayin had made decisions, organized, and implemented the financial fraud … Xia Haijun had organized, arranged and prepared the falsified financial reports… their means were really bad and the circumstances were grave,” the regulator said.

Persons: Evergrande, Xu Jiayin, ”, Hengda, Xu, Xia Haijun, “ Xu Jiayin Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, China Securities Regulatory Commission, Shenzhen Stock Exchange, Evergrande Locations: China, Hong Kong

☆ Article 23: Hong Kong passes second national security law aligning city more closely with mainland China
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Coming into effect on Saturday, the law introduces 39 new national security crimes, adding to an already powerful national security law that was directly imposed by Beijing on Hong Kong in 2020 after huge and sometimes violent democracy protests the year before. Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Lee described it as a “historical moment for Hong Kong.”Lawmakers attend a meeting for Basic Law Article 23 legislation at the Legislative Council on March 19, 2024 in Hong Kong, China. They argue their legislation is similar to other national security laws around the world. “This will surely increase the doubt, anxiety, and uncertainty of foreign businesses in Hong Kong.”In mainland China, national security laws have often ensnared both local and foreign businesses in opaque investigations. That is something Emily Lau, a former pro-democracy lawmaker, also worries about, that what made Hong Kong distinct is fast fading.

Persons: –, John Lee, Hong, Lee, Chen Yongnuo, ”, Hong Kong’s, Eric Lai, Lai, ” Lai, Hung Ho, fung, Capvision, Sarah Brooks, “, ” Brooks, ” Johannes Hack, Emily Lau, I’ve Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Hong, ” Lawmakers, Legislative, China News Service, China’s Communist Party, CNN, Georgetown Center, Asian Law, Johns Hopkins University, Amnesty International, German Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong Locations: Hong Kong, Hong Kong’s, Beijing, China, Amnesty International China, ”, Hong

☆ Chinese envoy meets Hamas chief Haniyeh after first visit to Israel since Gaza war began
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | Wayne Chang | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Hong Kong CNN —Chinese diplomat Wang Kejian met Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar, China’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday, the first meeting between a Chinese and Hamas official publicly acknowledged by Beijing since the outbreak of the war in Gaza. Wang and Haniyeh “exchanged views on the Gaza conflict and other issues” during their meeting Sunday, according to a brief readout from China’s Foreign Ministry Tuesday. Wang’s visit comes as Beijing aims to step up its profile as a peace broker and has become increasingly vocal in its opposition to the Gaza war. Fighting began on October 7 when Hamas carried out a deadly attack on Israel, killing more than 1,200 people and taking some 250 hostages, according to Israel. During his visit to the West Bank, Wang met with the Palestinian Authority’s foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki, where the Chinese envoy said Beijing is “deeply concerned” about the conflict in Gaza.

Persons: Wang Kejian, Ismail Haniyeh, Wang, Haniyeh “, Haniyeh, Qatar Cao Xiaolin, ”, Cao, Wang’s, Riyad al, “, Zhai Jun, Wang Yi, ” Wang Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, China’s, Hamas, West Bank –, Foreign, “, Security Council, United Nations, International Court of Justice, China’s Foreign Ministry, West Bank, Ministry of Health, Palestinian, Foreign Ministry, Beijing, Palestinian National Authority, Global South, UN, UN Security Council, Washington, Palestine Locations: Hong Kong, Qatar, Beijing, Gaza, Wang, Israel, China, Lebanon, Egypt, Palestinian Territories, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Indonesia, Global South Beijing, United States, Xinjiang

☆ TikTok: Is it really Chinese?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Is TikTok Chinese? In March 2023, CEO Chew was repeatedly pressed by US lawmakers on whether TikTok was Chinese. According to TikTok’s own website, its subsidiaries around the world are all structured under Bytedance Ltd.Is ByteDance Chinese? At last year’s congressional hearing, Chew didn’t directly answer any questions about whether ByteDance is a Chinese company either. That means the Chinese government now owns 1% of Beijing Douyin Information Service, which is the domestic Chinese unit of Bytedance.

Persons: TikTok, Shou Chew, Trump, Chew, Jose Luis Magana, Musical.ly, TikTok’s, ByteDance, Zhang Yiming, Liang Rubo, Zhang, Liang, Jinri, Chew didn’t, Shannon Stapleton, Zhang Fuping, Xi Jinping, Wu Shugang, Shu Yuting Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, TikTok LLC, TikTok Ltd, ByteDance Ltd, Bytedance Ltd, Tianjin’s Nankai University, ByteDance, Carlyle Group, General Atlantic, Susquehanna International Group, Reuters, Communist, Cyberspace Administration, Beijing Douyin Information Service, Chinese Communist Party, National Intelligence Law, Commerce Ministry Locations: China, Hong Kong, United States, Beijing, California, Los Angles, Singapore, Delaware, Culver City , California, Cayman Islands, Shanghai, Chinese, TikTok

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