venerdì, Marzo 29, 2024

LE CONSEGUENZE DELLA POLITICA ZERO-COVID CINESE

FOCUS

  • May 27, 2022. By Alicia García-Herrero, The Jamestown Foundation. The long lockdown in Shanghai may finally be nearing an end. Stores in parts of the city have been permitted to gradually reopen, and limited public transportation has resumed (Sh.news.cn, May 23; Xinhua, May 11) Nevertheless, for much of the city the lockdown drags on, as do lockdowns in other urban centers. Furthermore, China appears unlikely to pivot away from its “dynamic Zero-COVID” policies anytime in the foreseeable future. At a Politburo Standing Committee meeting earlier this month, General Secretary Xi Jinping reaffirmed his support for the current epidemic prevention approach. He stated that “practice has proven our [epidemic] prevention and control policies can stand the test of history, and our prevention and control measures are scientific and effective. We have won the battle to defend Wuhan, and we will certainly be able to win the battle to defend Shanghai” (People’s Daily, May 6). China’s “Dynamic Zero-COVID” Policy Weighs on a Weak Global Economy

THINK TANKS & GLOBAL NEWS

PERSPECTIVES

  • May 31, 2022. By , Reuters. Oil prices extended a bull run on Tuesday after the EU agreed to a partial ban on Russian oil and China decided to lift some coronavirus restrictions amid rising demand ahead of peak U.S. and European summer driving season. Oil bull run continues as EU agrees to ban most Russian oil
  • May 31, 2022. By Mark Leonard, The Strategist – Project-Syndicate. ‘Davos man’ has had a grim 14 years. The late Harvard University political scientist Samuel Huntington popularised the term in 2004 to describe a new overclass of evangelists for globalisation. Davos man, he claimed, wanted to see national borders disappear and the logic of politics superseded by that of the market. The decline and fall of Davos man
  • May 31, 2022. By Reuters. Taiwan’s Foxconn, the world’s largest contract electronics maker, said on Tuesday that the second half of the year is heading “in a better direction” as Shanghai’s COVID-19 lockdown appears to be easing.  Foxconn predicts more stable supply chain in the second half of 2022
  • May 31, 2022. By Reuters. Oil prices extended gains on Tuesday after the EU agreed to slash oil imports from Russia, fuelling worries of a tighter market already strained for supply amid rising demand ahead of peak U.S. and European summer driving season. Oil prices extend gains after EU bans most Russia oil imports
  • May 31, 2022. By  , Reuters. Portfolio investors turned cautious on oil again last week after a sharp burst of buying the week before, amid uncertainty about whether recession or sanctions will dominate prices over the next six months. Column: Recession risk keeps funds cautious on oil despite sanctions: Kemp
  • May 31, 2022. By , Reuters. Refiners worldwide are struggling to meet global demand for diesel and gasoline, exacerbating high prices and aggravating shortages from big consumers like the United States and Brazil to smaller countries like war-ravaged Ukraine and Sri Lanka. Global refiners falter in efforts to keep up with demand

DEFENSE – MILITARY

  • May 31, 2022. By Martin Manaranche, Naval News. n a report published by the French Parliament’s National Defense and Armed Forces Committee, members of parliament (MPs) review the French Navy (Marine Nationale)’s feedback on the high-intensity exercise ‘POLARIS’ conducted from November 18 to December 3, 2021. Feedback on French Navy High Intensity Exercise POLARIS

AROUND THE WORLD

Australia

  • May 31, 2022. By Mercedes Page, The Interpreter. Freshly sworn in and already warmly welcomed by Quad leaders in Tokyo, Anthony Albanese got off to a swinging start on the foreign policy front. As the realities of government set in, the hurdles will start to come quickly now – the revelation about China’s so far unsuccessful efforts to forge a Pacific policing and security agreement the first of many. Multilateralism matters again
  • May 30, 2022. By East Asia Forum. As one old political hand remarked in the aftermath of Australia’s momentous federal election, the shifts underway in the country’s politics are similar to the effects of climate change: they happen very slowly, then all at once. Australia’s political climate changes

Australia – China

  • May 29, 2022. By Andrew Chubb, East Asia Forum. The change of government in Canberra opens the possibility of a thaw in Australia’s diplomatic relations with China. Since 2017, the Australian government has adopted an array of tough China policies on issues ranging from 5G communications to COVID-19. In response, Beijing imposed a diplomatic freeze and since May 2020, informal economic sanctions on Australian exports including barley, coal, beef and wine. Time for Australia to counter Beijing’s cross-border coercion and de-securitise ‘Chinese influence’

Canada

China

  • May 31, 2022. By Reuters. China’s cabinet unveiled a package of 33 measures covering fiscal, financial, investment and industrial policies on Tuesday to revive a pandemic-ravaged economy, saying it will inspect how provincial governments implement them. China unveils detailed stimulus policies to support virus-hit economy
  • May 31, 2022. By Reuters. China’s factory activity fell at a slower pace in May as COVID-19 curbs in major manufacturing hubs eased, but movement controls continued to weigh on demand and production, raising concerns about economic growth in the second quarter. Decline in China’s factory activity slows as COVID curbs ease
  • May 31, 2022. By  and , Reuters. Shanghai authorities on Tuesday began dismantling fences around housing compounds and ripping police tape off public squares and buildings, to the relief of the city’s 25 million residents, before a painful two-month lockdown is lifted at midnight. ‘Hard to believe it’s actually happening’: Shanghai to lift COVID lockdown
  • May 31, 2022. By Wang Yi, Global Times. An international auto show is scheduled from June 2 to 5 in Haikou, in South China’s Hainan Province, as various regions of China have stepped up measures to boost car sales amid nationwide efforts to push economic recovery after the impact of Omicron. The major auto fair, where more than 100 car brands will showcase their vehicles with special exhibition for new energy vehicles (NEVs), signals a robust recovery of sales in the domestic auto market is getting started. Musk’s optimism about China’s EV market best rebuttal to Western badmouthing against Chinese economy
  • May 27, 2022. By Willy Wo-Lap Lam, The Jamestown Foundation. President Xi Jinping has presided over a dramatic enhancement of his own personality cult in the run-up to the 20th Party Congress this autumn. The latest sign of this hero worship is that national media have bestowed on Xi the title of lingxiu (领袖). Lingxiu is usually translated as “leader.” But in the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) lexicon, lingxiu is a more esteemed and grandiloquent version of “leader.” Throughout the CCP’s history, only the “Great Helmsman” Mao Zedong attained this elevated designation. Xinhua, CCTV and other major media have started running 50 video episodes highlighting Xi’s career, particularly his “momentous contributions” to the party and the country. According to Xinhua, Xi has “sketched out the big picture of the domestic and foreign situation, put forward reform, development and stability… and [is] responsible for progress in running the party, the country and the army” (Ming Pao, May 23; Xinhua, April 18). Xi Jinping is Poised to Become “Leader for Life” in Exchange for Sharing Politburo Seats with Rivals
  • May 27, 2022. By John S. Van Oudenaren, The Jamestown Foundation. Throughout the pandemic, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has focused on sharply limiting international travel as a risk vector for the spread of COVID-19, and as a result has kept its borders largely closed. As Beijing edges closer to a total shutdown and lockdowns persist in several other large cities, including Shanghai; the already stringent entry and exit restrictions on Chinese citizens implemented as part of the “dynamic clearance” zero-COVID policy have been further tightened. At a special meeting on May 10, the National Immigration Administration (NIA) called for “strict implementation” of existing polices barring “non-essential” outbound travel (China News Service, May 12). The NIA stated that full cooperation with these measures is vital to “win the battle to defend Shanghai” and to “vigorously support Beijing’s epidemic prevention work.” This week, the NIA provided further guidance as to what constitutes “essential departures“(必要出境, xuyao chujing), which include business; scientific, technical, medical and research cooperation; academic study; and “urgent personal affairs” such as funerals and elder care (Sina, May 24). The new regulations build on the NIA’s imposition of tighter restrictions on international travel last July, which institutionalized a pattern of strong discouragement of “non-essential” overseas travel by authorities since early 2020 (Xinhuanet, July 30, 2021). The impact of this de facto moratorium on overseas travel was evident even before these restrictions were issued with the PRC issuing only 2% as many passports in the first half of 2021, as it did during the same period in 2019 (Sixth Tone, August 4, 2021). China Closes its Windows to the World: When Will They Reopen?

China – Europe

  • May 31, 2022. By Global Times. The Guangzhou Nansha Port railway has launched its first freight train to Europe on Monday, one of the latest international rail routes to boost China’s foreign trade with countries under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), contributing to regional economic recovery and improving the global industrial supply chain. Guangzhou Nansha Port railway launches first China-Europe freight train

China – Sri Lanka

  • May 27, 2022. By Sudha Ramachandran, The Jamestown Foundation. Sri Lanka is in the grip of an unprecedented crisis. For several months, the country has been reeling under a severe foreign exchange crisis. In early May, Foreign Minister Ali Sabry said that its usable forex reserves were just $50 million (Daily News, May 5). As a result, Sri Lanka has been forced to suspend repayment of $51 billion worth of debt owed to China, Japan and other foreign creditors (The Hindu, April 12; The Island, April 13). The country has also been unable to pay for imports of essential commodities, and has experienced serious shortages of food, fuel and medicine (The Island, January 15). The economic crisis has in turn triggered a political crisis. Public anger has boiled over onto the streets. Angry protesters have been calling for the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his brother, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa (Colombo Telegraph, April 7). The Rajapaksa family has dominated Sri Lankan politics for decades and several members of the family are in positions of power as ministers, legislators or heads of corporations and departments. Sri Lankans want the entire clan out. Some of them, including Mahinda, resigned under public pressure in recent months (Island, April 17). Although Gotabaya remains president and under the country’s executive presidential system, continues to wield enormous power, it is evident that the influence of the Rajapaksas has declined. China and Sri Lanka’s Debt Crisis: Belt and Road Initiative Blowback

China – USA

  • May 30, 2022. By Global Times. It was the US that demanded the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights visit China, and then imposed all sorts of conditions and is now criticizing it, said China’s Foreign Ministry on Monday when asked for comments on remarks by US secretary of state Antony Blinken that China restricted and manipulated Michelle Bachelet’s visit. US keeps manipulating high-profile UN Xinjiang visit to attack China: FM
  • May 30, 2022. By Global Times. The international order pursued by the US based on “American rules” is the “most serious long-term challenge” to the world, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Monday in response to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s China policy speech. Zhao said that the US is the biggest destroyer of the international order. China accuses US of being destroyer of international order

China – Zambia

Cyprus

Egypt

Europe

Finland – Turkey

Hong Kong 

  • May 31, 2022. By Vera Yuen, East Asia Forum. A month ahead of the 2022 Hong Kong Chief Executive election, former chief secretary John Lee declared he was running for office. The city was already expecting Lee to take power in the near future, with the public giving little attention to incumbent Carrie Lam. Hong Kong leans into Chinese-style governance reform

IAEA – Iran

Iraq

Iraq’s Kurdistan Region

Israel – Saudi Arabia

Japan

Japan – Australia

  • May 31. By Daisuke Akimoto, The Intepreter. Of the many issues canvassed at the Quad leaders’ meeting in Tokyo last week, the four partners stressed the importance of common energy supply chains. The leaders agreed in particular on the significance of “clean energy cooperation” in “clean hydrogen”. With a new Australian government making clear its commitment to tackle climate change, hydrogen is bound to get more attention – especially in Australia’s relations with Japan. Japan-Australia: building a hydrogen supply chain

Libya

Mongolia – China

  • May 27, 2022. By Antonio Graceffo, The Jamestown Foundation. When COVID-19 lockdowns closed the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) borders in 2020, imports entering Mongolia came to a grinding halt, leading to domestic inflation and product shortages. Exports also declined significantly, further constricting the flow of U.S. dollars into the country. More than two years later, China continues to pursue its “Zero-COVID” policy and the Russia-Ukraine war is driving up global gas and energy costs. An unwitting victim of decisions made in Beijing and Moscow, Mongolia is facing currency devaluation, high inflation, and a shortage of dollars. Mongolia’s Currency Crisis: Made in China ?

North Korea

Philippines – China

Russia – GCC

Russia – Ukraine (on the ground, impact)

  • May 31, 2022. By Reuters. Russia’s largest lender Sberbank said on Tuesday new European sanctions would not impact its operations after European Union leaders agreed to cut bank that was already under sanctions from the SWIFT messaging system. Russia’s Sberbank says working as usual despite new EU sanctions
  • May 31, 2022. By Reuters. Russian energy giant Gazprom said on Tuesday it has fully cut off gas supplies to Dutch gas trader GasTerra after it had failed to make payments for gas delivered in April, making good on its promise to shut down deliveries over payment issues. Gazprom says it fully cuts off gas supplies to Dutch gas trader GasTerra
  • May 31, 2022. By Reuters. A ship has left the Ukrainian port of Mariupol for the first time since Russia took the city and is headed east to Russia with a load of metal, the Russian-backed separatist leader of the Ukrainian breakaway region of Donetsk said on Tuesday. First cargo ship leaves Mariupol since Russia took the city – separatist leader
  • May 31, 2022. By  and , Reuters. A Moscow backed separatist leader was reported by state-run TASS news agency on Tuesday as saying that Russian forces had not advanced as rapidly as they had hoped in the battle for Sievierodonetsk, the easternmost city still in Ukraine’s hands. Russian forces face stiff resistance in Ukraine’s Donbas
  • May 30, 2022. By Yun Jiang, East Asia Forum. China is watching closely at how countries are reacting to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in preparation for the day it might make its own military move on Taiwan. It is not only considering the military response, but also the economic response. Seeing the economic and financial pressure being applied to Russia, China will want to make its economy more resilient to similar sanctions. As the world sanctions Russia, China takes note
  • May 30, 2022. By Valdai Discussion Club. In the event that the acute phase of the conflict in Ukraine really turns out to be very long, which, apparently, is the case, then the elementary needs of survival will force Russia to get rid of what binds it to Europe, Valdai Club Programme Director Timofei Bordachev. Kissinger and the Fight for Russia
  • May 30, 2022. By Karolina Hird, Mason Clark, and George Barros, ISW. Mounting casualties among Russian junior officers will likely further degrade Russian capabilities and lead to further morale breakdowns. The UK Ministry of Defense stated on May 30 that Russian forces have suffered devastating losses amongst mid and junior ranking officers. The UK MoD reported that battalion and brigade level officers continue to deploy forwards and into harm’s way—rather than commanding from rear areas and delegating to lower-ranking officers—due to senior Russian officers holding them to an “uncompromising level of responsibility” for their units.[1] The British Defense Ministry further reported that junior officers are in charge of low-level tactical operations due to a lack of professionalism and modernization within the Russian Armed Forces and that the continued losses of these junior officers will complicate command and control efforts, particularly in Battalion Tactical Groups (BTGs) cobbled together from the survivors of multiple other units.[2] ISW previously assessed that continued demoralization and poor command and control among Russian forces could present Ukrainian forces opportunities to conduct prudent counteroffensives, particularly as the Russian military continues to pour resources into the battle of Severodonetsk at the cost of other lines of effort. Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, May 30
  • May 2022. By Jessica BrandtBret SchaferElen AghekyanValerie Wirtschafter, and Adya Danaditya, Brookings. As the war in Ukraine unfolds, Russian propaganda about the conflict has gotten a boost from a friendly source: government officials and state media out of Beijing. In multiple languages and regions around the world, China’s “wolf warrior” diplomats and state media routinely amplify Kremlin conspiracy theories rationalizing President Vladimir Putin’s invasion, and undermining the credibility and appeal of the United States, NATO, and independent media — even as China declines to endorse the Kremlin’s adventurism wholesale. This spring, for example, China’s messengers promoted the baseless Russian claim that the United States has been supporting a biological weapons program in Ukraine — at times, more aggressively than Russia itself. Winning the web: How Beijing exploits search results to shape views of Xinjiang and COVID-19

Syria

USA

USA – Indo-Pacific

USA – Saudi Arabia

USA – Taiwan

Le interviste di The Science of Where Magazine

 

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