China news roundup / Nachrichten 2025-08-10/11

Chinese coast guard expelled Philippine vessels around Scarborough Shoal

"The coast guard said in a statement it monitored and intercepted the Philippine vessels after they ignored warnings, and forced them away from the waters in an operation it said was "professional, standardised, legitimate and legal""

--- Reuters again working as Chinese propaganda mouthpiece. Although, to be fair, they later changed the title a bit. But it stuck on Yahoo. & now to the reality of the situation:

China rams own warship while chasing Philippine vessel

"Philippine coast guard officials were distributing aid to fishermen in the disputed Scarborough Shoal, Commodore Jay Tarriela said, when the Chinese coast guard "performed a risky manoeuvre" which inflicted "substantial damage" on the Chinese warship's forward deck. Video released by Manila showed a Chinese coast guard vessel firing water cannons as it chased the Philippine coast guard ship, before slamming loudly into a much larger Chinese ship after making a sudden turn."

--- Not much of a sudden turn to see in the video (see video section). The Chinese coast guard corvette was trying to overtake the Philippine vessel while the destroyer came from the side, obviously trying to ram the PCG ship. Instead the CCG corvette ran into the destroyer, annihilating its own bow.

"The collision rendered the Chinese warship "unseaworthy", Tarriela said. It is unclear if anyone was injured in the incident."

--- It's pretty clear that someone was at least injured because in the video you can see Chinese sailors right at the tip of the ship seconds before the bow was destroyed.

Chinese ships collide off Scarborough Shoal; PH Coast Guard offers aid

"PCG personnel issued a radio call offering assistance but received no response. “Following the collision, the PCG immediately offered support, including assistance with man-overboard recovery and medical aid for any injured CCG crew members,” Tarriela said in a statement. “The Philippine Coast Guard reaffirms its dedication to safeguarding all maritime operations in the area and wishes for the swift recovery and proper treatment of any affected CCG personnel,”"

--- The ultimate burn?

"CCG spokesperson Gan Yu said their white ships “took all necessary measures” to drive Filipino vessels away from Panatag Shoal, according to Chinese state-run tabloid Global Times. “On-site operations were conducted in a professional, standard, and lawful manner,”"

--- Professionalism with Chinese characteristics.

Why Peak China may finally have arrived

"Common concerns about coercive politics and human rights aside, some notions of China as an unstoppable economic, technological and military behemoth sit alongside others focused more on an increasingly sclerotic, over- centralised political economy, that depends on wasteful economic stimulus, and features poor governance and institutions. The fusion of these notions suggests that we may already have reached “peak China”."

--- If emperor Xi stays in power for some more years, we can be pretty sure of that.

Prominent Chinese diplomat Liu Jianchao taken for questioning

"Senior Chinese diplomat Liu Jianchao, widely seen as a potential foreign minister, was taken away by authorities for questioning in early August, five people familiar with the matter said. Liu, 61, was detained after returning from a work trip to Singapore, South Africa and Algeria, which ended on July 30, according to the sources. His house was searched by authorities in early August, two of the people said."

--- Emperor Xi's paranoia strikes again.

Inside China’s Coal Plants And Pollution Shuffle Game

"in the Chinese interior, far from most foreign investment and tourism, China is undergoing a coal boom [...] the country’s coal boom isn’t reflecting market pressures, but rather Beijing’s top-down campaign for energy security. With the surge in coal plant construction, operational inefficiencies are undermining the industry’s sustainability. China’s average coal plant operating hours have fallen to 4,628 hours a year, or about 53% of a year. This means the average Chinese plant sits idle for nearly half the year, signaling severe underutilization. [...] China’s changing coal and energy export policies are not a sign of progress, but are merely a shuffling of its environmental burdens. By moving pollution from the cities to the countryside and green tech from domestic use to foreign sales, the country preserves its dependence on coal while leaving rural communities to bear the cost in health and treasure. This shuffle game is both an indicator that Beijing’s green tech lead is not as glitzy as widely believed and should be a reminder that exports and a few glossy cities cannot substitute for an understanding of the whole."

--- Yep. But the usual suspects of course keep reporting how 'green' China is becoming.

Chinese state media says Nvidia H20 chips not safe for China

"Nvidia's H20 chips pose security concerns for China, a social media account affiliated with China's state media said on Sunday (Aug 10), after Beijing raised concerns over backdoor access in those chips. The H20 chips are also not technologically advanced or environmentally friendly, the account, Yuyuan Tantian, which is affiliated with state broadcaster CCTV, said in an article published on WeChat"

--- Meanwhile: China wants US to relax AI chip-export controls for trade deal 'We don't want it, but you have to give it to us. We don't need it, but you have to give it to us.'

It shocked the market but has China's DeepSeek changed AI?

"Certain Silicon Valley start-ups have opted to stick with DeepSeek in lieu of more expensive AI models from US firms in a bid to cut down on costs."

--- Morons.

Nvidia and AMD to pay 15% of China chip sales to US

China's unemployed young adults who are pretending to have jobs

--- Rappler: "China Coast Guard chases PCG vessel before hitting Chinese navy vessel"

--- s.a.: Manila says Chinese vessels collided while pursuing Philippine boat in South China Sea

--- China Uncensored: "Who really controls China?"

--- China Uncensored: "They want the end of the CCP"

China – Philippinen: Zwischenfall im Südchinesischen Meer

"Chinas Küstenwache habe „mit hoher Geschwindigkeit“ ein philippinisches Schiff verfolgt und sei bei einem „riskanten Manöver“ mit einem Schiff der chinesischen Marine kollidiert [...] Die chinesische Küstenwache bestätigte eine Auseinandersetzung. Sie habe notwendige Maßnahmen ergriffen, um das philippinische Schiff aus dem Gebiet zu vertreiben. Der Einsatz sei „professionell, standardisiert, rechtmäßig und legal“ gewesen."

--- Was man in China so 'professionell' nennt.