News Updates

16 - 31 October, 2019
  • Hong Kong protests will have ‘unbearable and devastating consequences’, Chinese state media says
    Aim of opposition lawmakers is to ‘mess up Hong Kong, overthrow [its] government and seize power’, People’s Daily says in commentary The ‘continuous politicisation and violence is seriously damaging the inherent strength of [the city’s] economy’, it says (South China Morning Post, China, October 25, 2019)
  • Central govt reaffirms support for HK Chief Executive Carrie Lam
    A Chinese Foreign Ministry official on Thursday backed the Hong Kong chief executive at an international forum, refuting international media speculation that the central government was planning to replace Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor. (Global Times, China, October 25, 2019)
  • China will need to battle further economic slowdown in fourth quarter
    The Chinese economy is showing an accelerated decline. According to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), China's GDP grew 6.0 percent year-on-year in the third quarter of 2019, lower than the average growth rate of 6.1 percent that analysts polled by Reuters had anticipated. It's China's lowest quarterly economic growth since records began 27 years ago, in 1992. (Global Times, China, October 25, 2019)
  • Hong Kong protests labelled independence campaign by China’s top diplomat in city, Xie Feng, who warns ‘virus of violence’ is spreading overseas
    Xie Feng says demonstrators, helped by ‘black hands’, are trying to overthrow city government in a separatist plot. He adds the international community must speak up against it, as protests break out in other countries. (South China Morning Post, China, October 25, 2019)
  • China's Macao, South Korea sign agreements on surrender of fugitive offenders, criminal judicial assistance
    China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) and South Korea have signed the Agreement on Surrender of Fugitive Offenders and the Agreement on Criminal Judicial Assistance, the Macao SAR government said here on Wednesday in a press release. (People’s Daily, China, October 24, 2019)
  • Lack of trust between US and China means minor incident could become a ‘nightmare’, security analysts warn
    Growing tensions between two sides means clash in South China Sea could spiral out of control, Xiangshan Forum is told Taiwan also identified as a potential flashpoint as relations deteriorate. Even a minor naval incident between the US and China in the South China Sea could have “nightmarish” outcome because of a severe trust deficit between the two countries, military observers have warned. (South China Morning Post, China, October 23, 2019)
  • Chinese FM denounces violence, foreign interference in Hong Kong
    Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi here on Monday slammed the violence and foreign interference in Hong Kong. In an interview with AFP during his visit to France, Wang reiterated that issues related to Hong Kong are China's internal affairs, and that according to the Charter of the United Nations, no country has the right to determine the internal affairs of any other nation. (People’s Daily, China, October 23, 2019)
  • WTO ruling undermines US credibility as trade talks head for deal A ruling by the WTO has underlined US' non-compliance with the rule-based global trading system, Chinese analysts said on Tuesday. China is seeking in retaliatory sanctions involving annual trade volume of $2.4 billion against the US for failing to comply with a WTO ruling, following imposing of tariffs by the US on certain Chinese products including solar panels and steel parts back in 2012, according to a document published on Monday on WTO's website. (Global Times, China, October 23, 2019)
  • U.S. passing of HK-related act reflects Cold-War mentality: spokesperson Zang Tiewei, a spokesperson for the Commission of Legislative Affairs of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, on Friday denounced the U.S. House of Representatives' passing of the so-called Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019. (People’s Daily, China, October 19, 2019)
  • US delegates at Beijing security forum set to face tough time over stance on Hong Kong, ‘provocation’ in South China Sea Senior PLA figures expected to use Xiangshan Forum to take aim at US representatives over Washington’s ‘meddling’ in China’s internal affairs, member of Chinese delegation says But hosts may also have to face difficult questions from concerned investors over handling of protests in Hong Kong. (South China Morning Post, China, October 20, 2019)
  • Xi, Macron agree to jointly uphold multilateralism, tackle global challenges
    Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed in a phone conversation Tuesday to join hands to uphold multilateralism and tackle global challenges. Xi told Macron that China will continue to unswervingly pursue an opening-up strategy of mutual benefit, and work together with peoples around the world, including the French people, to forge ahead with the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind. (People’s Daily, China, October 16, 2019)
1 - 15 October, 2019
  • Pakistan's Imran Khan in China to talk Kashmir, economic ties
    Analysts say that Beijing's response to India's actions in Kashmir has not been up to Islamabad's expectations. At the same time, China is reportedly unhappy with a lack of progress on its Pakistan economic corridor. (DW, October 8, 2019)
  • Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen urges rejection of ‘one country, two systems’ model she says fails Hong Kong
    In address marking 108th anniversary of founding of the Republic of China, Tsai says protection of Taiwanese sovereignty is not provocation, but her responsibility Tsai’s speech is rejection of President Xi Jinping’s National Day call for talks on unification Lawrence Chung (South China Morning Post, China, October 11, 2019)
  • China, Nepal draw new blueprint for bilateral ties in new era
    Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Nepali counterpart Bidya Devi Bhandari jointly announced to establish a strategic partnership of cooperation between the two nations featuring everlasting friendship for development and prosperity in the spirit of solidarity and win-win cooperation.The announcement was made when Xi made a two-day state visit to Nepal from Oct. 12 at the invitation of Bhandari. (People’s China, China, October 15, 2019)
  • China's economy cause of growing concern in Beijing as US-China trade war takes toll on growth
    Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has urged local authorities to do everything possible to tackle ‘downward economic pressure’ amid US-China trade war tensions Message represents a more pessimistic reading of China’s economic situation compared with previous statements from the government (South China Morning Post, China, October 15, 2019)
  • Xi-Modi meeting further cements China-India relations
    At the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the southern Indian city of Chennai on October 11 for the second informal meeting with Modi. The Indian Prime Minister tweeted in Chinese, English and Hindi, respectively, to welcome President Xi’s visit and express hope that the informal meeting will further cement India-China relations. (People’s Daily, China, October 14, 2019)
  • Unemployment may surge in HK: finance chief
    Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po on Sunday warned that unemployment in the city could surge, and he promised the government will aim to support grassroots workers, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises, to hedge against a "technical recession." (Global Times, China, October 14, 2019)
  • China’s growth outlook cut by World Bank as US trade war continues to weigh on economy
    The Washington-based World Bank cuts China’s 2019 gross domestic product forecast to 6.1 per cent, just above the bottom-end of the government’s target range China’s headline growth forecast for next year is also cut by 0.3 percentage points to 5.9 per cent, with the World Bank predicting a drop to 5.8 per cent in 2021 (South China Morning Post, China, October 11, 2019)
  • Taiwan or the Republic of China? Island grapples with question of identity as Double Tenth celebrations play down nationalism
    Flag-waving displays of nationalism and military parades are a thing of the past as the island prepares to celebrate the 108th anniversary of the republic that gives it its official name many younger islanders are turning away from association with the mainland in favour of a specifically Taiwanese identity (South China Morning Post, China, October 10, 2019)
  • Risking China backlash, Taiwan and Britain push ahead with free trade talks
    Taiwan and Britain are looking to their deepen trade relationship, but opposition from China remains a major hurdle Recent trade talks focused on access for British lamb exports, ways to boost cooperation in financial services and offshore wind power (South China Morning Post, China, October 10, 2019)
  • Donald Trump says ‘bad’ developments in Hong Kong could affect trade negotiations
    US leader says ‘bad’ developments in Hong Kong could impact trade negotiations Trump issues warning days ahead of high-level trade talks in Washington Owen Churchill US President Donald Trump said on Monday that trade talks with China could be impacted should anything “bad” happen in the way authorities are handling anti-government protests in Hong Kong. (South China Morning Post, China, October 8, 2019)
  • Vietnam demands Chinese oil exploration ship immediately leave its waters in South China Sea
    The Haiyang Dizhi 8, which is accompanied by Chinese patrol vessels, has entered Vietnamese territory three times since July Vietnam has ‘communicated with China’ and demanded that Beijing immediately withdraw the ship from its waters and ‘not repeat this action’ (South China Morning Post, China, October 4, 2019)
  • HKSAR gov't strongly condemns extreme acts of radical protesters
    The government of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Wednesday strongly condemned rioters for their extreme violent acts in various districts across Hong Kong on Tuesday. Such acts posed a serious threat to the safety of members of the public and seriously undermined social order, a spokesperson said in a statement, adding that the radicals warrant the society's most severe condemnation. (People’s Daily, China, October 3, 2019)
  • Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan seeks to bolster China ties ahead of Xi Jinping visit to India
    Kashmir likely to feature prominently on agenda after New Delhi scrapped region’s special status, prompting Khan to warn of risk of conflict Islamabad is pushing for international support over issue, but observers expect Beijing to focus on its economic ties with Delhi. (South China Morning Post, China, October 3, 2019)