China's Xi touts unity and development in surprise Tibet visit
"The party established the Tibet Autonomous Region, or what it calls Xizang, in 1965, six years after a failed uprising against Chinese rule."
--- Not that this article is pro-CCP, but I wonder why they have to use this 'Xizang' crap. How it is called in Mandarin shouldn't be relevant. It is, strangely though, a current propaganda effort by the CCP to bring this word into the English language.
"Xi also urged stronger regulation of "religious affairs""
--- How much stronger could it be?
China’s Political System Makes Consumption-led Growth Impossible
"Prioritization of political security also stifles economic reforms and lowers government efficiency. In a return of a sarcastic slogan from the Mao era, the government’s preference for high-level policymakers is, once again, “better red than expert.” This means that the government is willing to sacrifice competent economic management for political loyalty, and will only support growth that is compatible with control of the citizenry."
--- That was a bit different under Hu Jintao & Wen Jiabao, but emperor Xi brought everything back onto a hardcore commie track. Well, commie:
"the Chinese government’s political ideology is opposed to the state providing extensive welfare benefits. Xi Jinping himself declared that in Latin American countries, “high levels of welfare created a generation of lazy people that would not work, resulting in an unsustainable fiscal burden and the middle-income trap,” while in Scandinavian welfare states, “over-welfarism has resulted in an undynamic society.”"
--- What they call communism in China, that is.
"This is why recent measures to promote consumption have not worked. They are not intended to work. Short-term consumption vouchers are not a solution to a structural problem. China may want to recover a few percentage points of consumption lost since COVID-19, but does not intend to restructure its economy. As the logical consequence of the argument made here, such a restructuring can only take place if China’s political system is reformed first – and such reform is unlikely."
--- Yep.
China's economy lags in July under pressure from tariffs and a weak property market
"Since most Chinese families have their wealth tied up in property, the anemic housing market has been a major factor crimping consumer spending. In July, retail sales rose 3.7%, the slowest rate in seven months and down from a 4.8% increase in June. The unemployment rate rose to 5.2% from 5% as university graduates began looking for work. While consumer prices rose 0.4% in July from the month before, prices at the wholesale level slipped 3.6% from a year earlier in another indicator of relatively weak demand."
--- The economy stays shitty, but they still allege growth.
Is China an environmental friend or foe for Southeast Asia?
"From nickel processing plants in Indonesia to rare earth mines in Myanmar, Chinese companies are expanding operations in sectors that environmentalists warn could have severe long-term consequences for rivers, air quality and local communities.
The shift is driven partly by stricter rules and excess industrial capacity in China, as well as by the lure of cheaper labor, weaker environmental enforcement and resource-rich landscapes in neighboring countries."
--- That's how China operates. Meanwhile, China's propaganda has other priorities:
"The international research organization Zero Carbon Analytics reported in June that China poured more than $2.7 billion (€2.3 billion) into clean energy projects in the region over the last decade, largely through the state-led Belt and Road Initiative."
--- So, you shouldn't believe any of these celebratory reports about Chinese environmental successes.
Beijing opposes 'bully' US for 50% tariffs on India
"In the backdrop of Delhi's shaky trade relations with Washington, there appears to be a rapid thawing of ties between India and China. Relations between the neighbours plunged after the 2020 clashes in Galwan in Ladakh. Since then Beijing and Delhi have been gradually working towards normalising ties. Earlier this week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made a two-day trip to Delhi during which he said that India and China should view each other as "partners" rather than "adversaries or threats". On Thursday, Xu made statements along similar lines while speaking at an event in the Indian capital."
--- Why is the BBC simply taking Chinese propaganda at face value? & speaking of bullies:
Philippine defense chief condemns Chinese activity near Second Thomas Shoal
"China has deployed coast guard and militia ships in the area, as well as a cadre of speedboats, some fitted with high-caliber machine guns. A helicopter and a drone were also reported in the area. According to the Philippine report, one of China’s boats came within 50 meters of the Sierra Madre, a warship that the Philippines deliberately grounded in 1999 to serve as a base of operations on Second Thomas Shoal."
--- Poor little China being bullied again by aggressive, powerful Philippines.
Philippines, Australia to seal new defence pact as China tensions rise
"Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles, who is in Manila for a ministerial meeting, said the agreement would also support the development of defence infrastructure in the Philippines, with projects planned at five locations."
--- Defence? DEFENCE!? That is cearly an aggressive act against poor, small, defenceless China!
US Navy sailor convicted of spying for China
"A naturalised US citizen, Wei served as a machinist's mate, held a security clearance and had access to sensitive information about the ship and other ships in the Pacific Fleet."
--- Hmm, I doubt that you should have security clearance as a naturalized Chinese, because there is simply too much family back in China which can be used to blackmail you.
China faces pivotal welfare reform test as court ruling hits jobs, small firms
New Zealand spy agency calls China 'most active' threat
China suspends Argentine poultry imports five months after ban lifted
--- China Uncensored features the usual weekend news variety:
China: Freund oder Feind der Umwelt für Südostasien?
""Angesichts strengerer Umweltauflagen und Überkapazitäten im eigenen Land haben sich die chinesischen Stahlhersteller seit 2017 Südostasien zugewandt""
--- Nicht nur die angeblichen Umweltauflagen, sondern v.a. die Moeglichkeit, Profit zu machen & Kontrolle über Rohstoffquellen zu erhalten, spielen eine Rolle.
"Die Politiker in Thailand haben Peking aufgefordert, die Umweltauswirkungen beim Abbau von Bodenschätzen im Nachbarland einzudämmen. Die chinesische Botschaft in Bangkok wies daraufhin alle chinesischen Firmen an, "die Gesetze des Gastlandes einhalten und ihre Geschäfte jederzeit auf rechtmäßige und geordnete Weise zu führen.""
--- Platitüden, die immer kommen, wenn chinesische Bürger oder Firmen beschuldigt werden, Gesetze zu brechen.
"Jetzt kommt der chinesische Investor mit Check ihrer Staatsbanken ins Spiel."
--- Hmm, 'lost in translation' würde ich sagen, aber im englischen Original kommt das anscheinend gar nicht vor.
Hintergründe unklar: Große Firewall hat China kurz vom Internet abgeschnitten
