Displaying items by tag: China

Vladimir Putin is in China for crucial talks with President Xi Jinping, shortly after Russia launched a fresh incursion into Ukraine's Kharkiv region. Putin was received with full military honours, and Xi emphasised their strong 'friendship’. The two countries have issued a joint statement warning of the increased risks of nuclear war amid heightened tensions between nuclear powers. They emphasised that no one can win a nuclear war, and expressed concern over Australia's involvement in the US nuclear deterrence plans. They warned that the conflict in Ukraine could become uncontrollable and outlined plans to deepen military cooperation, including expanding joint military drills. China supports Russia's efforts to ensure sovereignty and territorial integrity, and both nations oppose using space for military confrontation and the seizure of foreign assets. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military reports that it has forced Russian troops to slow their offensive in the northern Kharkiv region. Some commentators believe Russia is aiming to create a buffer zone near the border. The Kremlin dismissed Switzerland's planned peace summit for Ukraine as futile without Russia's involvement, despite over 50 countries planning to attend.

Zhang Zhan, a journalist imprisoned for reporting the truth about the early days of the Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan, has gone missing after her scheduled release from Shanghai women’s prison. She served a four-year sentence but her current whereabouts are unknown. Her family’s reluctance to provide information suggests they are under pressure from the authorities. Zhang risked her life to travel from Shanghai to Wuhan on 1 February 2020, documenting the severe conditions in hospitals and crematoriums through livestream videos. Her reporting, which contradicted the official narrative, led to her detention in May 2020. She was charged with 'picking quarrels and provoking trouble’, a common tactic used to silence journalists and dissidents in China. Zhang’s real 'crime' was exposing truths that the Chinese regime wanted to hide, particularly about its handling of the pandemic. There are widespread demands for the government to disclose her whereabouts and prove she is safe; one campaigner says that this case highlights the regime's paranoia and censorship and that Zhang should never have been imprisoned for her reporting.

German chancellor Olaf Scholz has tried to strike a delicate balance on a trip to China. He wanted to promote business ties but also to raise concerns over China's export surge to Europe and its support for Russia’s war in Ukraine. Meeting with top leaders including Xi Jinping, he adopted a conciliatory tone in his discussions, emphasising partnership while acknowledging China as a competitor and systemic rival. This marked his first visit since Germany categorised China as such and called for reduced dependency on Chinese goods. Germany faces economic challenges, exacerbated by rising energy prices due to the Ukraine war. Scholz also urged Jinping to press Russia to end its ‘senseless’ war with Ukraine: see

The USA, South Korea, and Japan are proposing a new multinational panel outside the UN to enforce sanctions against North Korea. Russia rejected renewing the UN panel which has monitored sanctions for fifteen years, and China abstained. The new panel, with support from allies like Australia and New Zealand, would aim to continue the UN’s work. Though lacking UN endorsement, it could monitor North Korea more effectively, and could also oversee human rights resolutions on North Korea. US ambassador Thomas-Greenfield is discussing options with South Korea and Japan. Noting that Moscow and Beijing have called for easing sanctions to restart diplomacy and ease humanitarian suffering in the impoverished nation, he urged them to reverse course, and stop rewarding North Korea's bad behaviour.

The Government has publicly accused China of cyber attacks on the electoral commission and MPs, a move described as an 'unacceptable' assault on UK democracy. Intelligence services suggest these attacks, likely conducted by Chinese spies, were aimed at targeting critics of Xi Jinping’s regime. In response, the UK has sanctioned individuals and a company associated with the hacking group and summoned China’s ambassador. The attacks, first identified in October 2022, had breached the electoral commission’s systems since August 2021, potentially exposing voter data. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) believes they were part of China’s large-scale espionage efforts. While they did not impact the UK’s paper-based electoral system, they posed significant threats to individual security. Rishi Sunak described China as presenting an 'epoch-defining challenge’, echoing concerns over its aggressive international behaviour.

On 26 March five Chinese nationals and a Pakistani driver were killed in a suicide attack near Besham city. They were en route from Islamabad to Dasu, where a Chinese company is building a hydroelectric dam. Four bodies have been recovered, while two remain unidentified due to burns. No group has claimed responsibility, and Chinese officials have not commented. Chinese investment in Pakistan has faced other threats from armed groups; in 2021, a bus bombing killed 13, including nine Chinese. This was the third attack in a week: on 18 March five separatists attacked a naval base in Balochistan, killing one soldier; all assailants were also killed. The Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility. On 20 March, another BLA attack in Gwadar port killed two soldiers and eight fighters. Gwadar is pivotal to the $62bn China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project.

There has been a wave of criticism over Hong Kong's new security law, known as Article 23, unanimously passed by the pro-Beijing parliament on19 March. It allows closed-door trials, extended detention without charge, and penalties including life imprisonment. 81 lawmakers and public figures from across the world have said that it undermines due process and fair trial rights and violates Hong Kong's obligations under international human rights law. Hong Kong's chief executive has defended the law, claiming it will protect against foreign interference. However, critics see it as ‘one more step towards the system of mainland China’, and describe a ‘chilling effect’ on civil society. There are also concerns that the law could also be used to target HongKongers overseas, or their families and friends back home. The law's passage marks another blow to Hong Kong's autonomy, tightening China's grip on the city.

The Chinese military is increasing its capability to disrupt vital US infrastructure, such as power and water utilities, communications, and transportation systems. Hackers linked to its People's Liberation Army have infiltrated around two dozen critical entities over the past year. Targets included a Hawaiian water utility, a major West Coast port, an oil and gas pipeline, and even an attempted breach of Texas's independent power grid. While these intrusions did not impact crucial industrial control systems or cause disruptions, they indicate China's intent to complicate US military efforts in the Pacific region during a potential conflict, particularly in the context of Taiwan. This cyber campaign, known as Volt Typhoon, emerged about a year ago, highlighting the increasingly antagonistic relationship between the two countries. These actions underscore China's evolving cyber strategy from espionage to potential infrastructure disruption.

The UK has imposed new sanctions on several Chinese firms, accusing them of aiding Russia's military actions in Ukraine. China, strongly opposing these measures, has warned of a 'firm response' to any actions that harm its interests. The British sanctions, part of a broader initiative targeting 46 entities across countries like Belarus, Serbia, Turkey, the UAE, and Uzbekistan, aim to disrupt support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Three Chinese companies - Asia Pacific Links, Sinno Electronics, and Xinghua - have been targeted for allegedly supplying restricted goods to Russia. Entities in the UAE involved in the Russian oil trade and a Belarusian defence organisation supporting Russia's military efforts have also been sanctioned. Junior foreign minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan emphasised the sanctions' role in weakening Russia's defence capabilities and curtailing illegal supply chains. This move, in collaboration with G7 and international allies, intensifies pressure on Putin and entities aiding Russia. The total count of UK sanctions now includes over 1,600 individuals and 250 entities.

On 15 November, after concluding a four-hour meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Joe Biden expressed optimism about improving US-China relations. Key agreements were reached on reducing fentanyl production and restoring military communication. Biden described the talks as constructive and productive. The primary aim was to stabilise US-China relationships and prevent conflict through open communication, especially in the military domain. Biden emphasised the importance of China's commitment to control precursor chemicals for fentanyl, which has been causing a drug crisis in the US. Agreement on military communication and addressing potential miscalculations was seen as a significant step forward, a need highlighted by incidents like the Chinese ‘spy balloon’ over the USA in January. The talks were part of Biden's effort to make the relationship with China rational and manageable, avoiding conflict. However, he still maintains his opinion of Xi as a dictator.