Swedish Gold Medalist says China's hosting of Olympics 'extremely irresponsible' amid human rights abuses

//Swedish speed skater Nils van der Poel, who won two gold medals at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, on Sunday, February 13, 2022, condemned the International Olympic Committee (#IOC) as being "extremely irresponsible" in handing over the games to a country that "violates human rights as blatantly" as China does.

25-year-old Nils van der Poel took gold in the men's 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter speed skating competitions at the 2022 Winter Olympics, setting the world record in the latter.

...He compared the games to the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.

He said that the Olympics is a "fantastic sporting event where you unite the world and nations meet," but he added that "so did Hitler before invading Poland, and so did Russia before invading Ukraine," referring to the German invasion of Poland in 1939 and the invasion of Ukrainian territory in Crimea by Russia in 2014.

As for Beijing's hosting of the Winter Games, Van de Poel said, "I think it is extremely irresponsible to give it to a country that violates human rights as blatantly as the Chinese regime is doing."//

Read full article:
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4444098

Source: Taiwan News #Feb15

#NilsVanDerPoel #Sweden #WinterOlympics #Beijing #China

Chinese Mobile Phones May Send User Data to China, Belgium Warns

Belgian justice minister Vincent #VanQuickenborne has warned that mobile phones made by Chinese brands may pose spying risks to users, Le Soir reported.

Given the laws under which Chinese #smartphones are produced, Van Quickenborne said, the data they hold may be sent to the Chinese authorities or exposed to #espionage.

According to Le Soir’s report, Chinese law requires companies to store their data on Chinese servers and grant the Chinese authorities access to the IT system.

While #Europe has been slower than the US in its crackdown on Chinese telecom firms, Sino-European relations have become increasingly tense following #China ’s sanctions against Lithuania and as fears of espionage and data theft grow.

#Belgium had previously cautioned athletes attending the #BeijingWinterOlympics against hackers.

Source: Technews #Feb15

https://technews.tw/2022/02/15/huawei-xiaomi-china/

Dozens of Graduates from Universities Across China Sign Petition Against Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Over 100 domestic and overseas alumni of over 10 universities across #China, including Peking University and Tsinghua University, have signed a petition against #Russia ’s invasion of #Ukraine . Echoing the open condemnation of Russia’s actions made earlier by a number of historians, the petition calls on the Chinese government to fulfil its guarantee of Ukraine’s safety.

In a 26 February Weibo post titled “Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine and Our Stance”, Professor Sun Jiang of Nanjing University, Professor Wang Lixin of Peking University, Professor Xu Guoqi of The University of Hong Kong, Professor Zhong Weimin of Tsinghua University, and Professor Chen Yan of Fudan University openly censure and express strong opposition to Russia’s war against Ukraine. The scholars call on the Russian government and President Putin to cease the aggression and come to a solution through talks. The post was hidden two hours later.

Source: RFA #Mar01

https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/antiwar-03012022043310.html

Intel deletes mention of Xinjiang in letter after China backlash

US chipmaker Intel has deleted references to Xinjiang from an annual letter to suppliers after the company faced a backlash in China for asking suppliers to avoid the sanctions-hit region.

Last month, Intel was slammed on Chinese social media for a letter to suppliers published on its website. The 23 December letter said Intel had been “required to ensure that its supply chain does not use any labour or source goods or services from the Xinjiang region” following restrictions imposed by “multiple governments”.

Source: The Guardian #Jan11

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/11/intel-deletes-mention-of-xinjiang-in-letter-after-china-backlash?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

#Intel #Xinjiang #China #US #Chipmaker

Chinese property developer in Melbourne reportedly deported from Australia for 'endangering national security'

The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age have confirmed that the federal government has accused Chinese millionaire #ZhengJieFu of carrying out missions for Chinese intelligence agencies and secretly promoting Beijing's interests.

Zheng has been deported from Australia in 2021, making him one of the most recent Australian residents to be deported by the federal government for allegedly having close ties to Chinese state security or foreign interventionist agencies.

Unidentified sources told reporters that the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation (#ASIO) had accused Zheng of foreign interference in Australia on behalf of the Chinese government, claiming that he had offered cash to a student in Australia to pressure the father of a human rights activist who was already in Chinese custody. However, Zheng has previously denied the allegations.

ASIO alleges that Zheng had "repeatedly" contacted a suspected Chinese spy on mission in Australia while he was in the country.

Source: SBS Australia #Apr5

https://www.sbs.com.au/chinese/cantonese/zh-hant/millionaire-chinese-property-developer-quietly-expelled-for-harming-security-interests

#Australia #Melbourne #China #ZhengJiefu #Chineseintelligenceagencies #Chineseinfluence #Chinesespy #Australianationalsecurity #ASIO

#China fighter jet intercepts Australian plane - Canberra

// #Australia has accused the pilot of a Chinese fighter jet of carrying out a dangerous manoeuvre near one of its aircraft over the South China Sea.

It says the Chinese aircraft released flares and cut in front of the Australian surveillance plane.

The Chinese jet then released "chaff" - an anti-radar device which includes small pieces of aluminium which entered the Australian plane's engine.

Beijing claims most of the region as its own territory.

But the US, neighbouring countries and others, including Australia, dispute its claim.

In February, Australia accused a Chinese navy ship of shining a military grade laser towards one of its warplanes over the Arafura Sea off northern Australia.

Source: BBC #Jun4

Read the full article:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-61696973

#Beijing #WolfWarrior #Jet #AirSpace

Africa Eye: Racism for sale

In February 2020 a shocking video began to circulate on Chinese social media. A group of African children are being instructed, by a voice off-camera, to chant phrases in Chinese. The kids repeat the words with smiles and enthusiasm — but they don't understand that what they're being told to say is " I am a black monster and my IQ is low."

The clip ignited outrage in China and beyond. But no-one ever answered some crucial questions: why was this filmed? Where was it shot? Who made it?

Source: BBC #Jun13

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-africa-61764466

#Racism #Africa #China #Black

#China #Econony
Rumors flies of Chinese city residents facing difficulties withdrawing money from banks

After banks in rural areas in Henan were suspected of financial improprieties, rumors had been spreading online of bank account holders in multiple prefectural cities and municipalities in China being faced with difficulties when withdrawing money from their bank accounts.

Some bank account holders were even only informed of the ¥1000 RMB daily withdrawal limit when they arrived at their bank.

Affected cities seemed to include #Shenzhen, #Shanghai, #Dandong and #Foshan, among others. Videos had emerged online of elderly people lining up outside the bank waiting to withdraw their money in Shanghai. However, as only 40 people could withdraw their money per day, some elderly people began lining up since two in the morning.

Lines were present outside many banks in affected cities such as Dandong, where customers lined up before the bank opened, and still could not withdraw their money by afternoon. Residents at Dandong claim that this situation had been going on for several weeks, with no signs of improving.

Source: i-CABLE

https://bit.ly/39OVhze

#ChineseEconony #ChineseBanks

Across 19 countries, more people see the U.S. than China favorably – but more see China’s influence growing

//In 19 countries surveyed by Pew Research Center this spring, people see the United States and President #JoeBiden more favorably than China and its president, Xi Jinping. But when it comes to perceptions of each country’s relative influence in the world, much larger shares in most nations see China’s influence growing than say the same of the U.S.

The five key findings comparing international attitudes toward the two countries are:

1. The U.S. is generally seen more positively than China.

2. Views of Biden remain much more positive than views of #XiJinPing.

3. A median of 66% across 19 countries say China’s influence on the world stage is getting stronger, while just 32% say the same about the U.S. 

4. In many countries, younger people tend to feel more positively about China than older people. 

5. People on the right of the ideological spectrum are more likely than those on the left to view the U.S. favorably, but there are no strong ideological patterns in views of China.//

Read the full report:
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/06/29/across-19-countries-more-people-see-the-u-s-than-china-favorably-but-more-see-chinas-influence-growing/

Source: Pew Research Center #Jun29

#Research #Survey #PewResearch #US #China

Missile funding?: #NorthKorea seen smuggling coal to #China

//North Korea is likely shipping coal directly to Chinese ports, activity that is banned from international trade under United Nations Security Council sanctions, a Nikkei investigation found.

Nikkei obtained satellite images of a North Korean-registered ship carrying coal, and confirmed that the ship directly went to China by examining data from the vessel's automatic identification system (AIS).

It is likely that China -- one of five permanent members of the Security Council -- is involved in smuggling activities and shows that current U.N. sanctions against Pyongyang to prevent it acquiring funds for missile development are not being fully implemented...

Nikkei obtained data on about 180 vessels -- including North Korean-flagged ships and vessels that had been cited for sanctions violations in the past -- from ship information companies MarineTraffic and Refinitiv, and traced their movements for about 18 months from January 2021.

There were 37 vessels that stayed in the port of Longkou for several days while transmitting AIS data. Similarly, at least 20 vessels called at ports in Liaoning and Hebei provinces, which handle large volumes of coal.

Regarding the movements of North Korean vessels, there have been previous reports that they would cut their AIS transmissions, making them impossible to follow, and trade at night.

Observers have often noted ship-to-ship transfers North Korea has used to circumvent conventional distribution channels, but it appears the country does not try to hide sanction-violating shipments anymore.//

Source: Asia Nikkei #Jun29

https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/N-Korea-at-crossroads/Missile-funding-North-Korea-seen-smuggling-coal-to-China

#UN #CCP

#MadeinChina
China's WPS Office Software Accused of #Censorship and Lockup Users' Files

#WPSOffice, a Microsoft Office-like software released by China's company #Kingsoft, has recently been exposed for allegedly censoring content and locking users' files for sensitive words, prompting criticism.

Users have reported that WPS Office actively detects the contents of documents stored on computer drives and in the cloud. A file will be locked whenever sensitive words are found, which would be released only if the user files official complaints to the developer. The software locked a novel of more than 1 million words in one case. The author said the pieces have never been shared with anyone, questioning whether the WPS official had been peeking it without permission.

The official response from WPS was that the file contained illegal links, which is why it was banned, stressing that the user's privacy always comes first.

However, the WPS statement seems to make matters worse, and the general public is not at all convinced, with some questioning, " How do you know the document has an illegal link? Only if you peek at it!"

Source: The Liberty Times #Jul12

https://3c.ltn.com.tw/news/50087

#China #ChineseSoftware #PrivacyBreach

#China Intervenes #UN Human Rights Report on Xinjiang

According to #Reuters report on July 22, 2022, China, through a letter written by the Chinese mission, has asked the U.N.’s Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights to halt the release of the report on the human rights situation in #Xinjiang. This has been confirmed by three diplomats who received the letter.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet was widely criticized for her tepid performance during her visit to China in May 2022. Bachelet has since announced that she will not be seeking a second term as High Commissioner, citing personal reasons. However, she has promised to release a human rights report on Xinjiang before her tenure ends at the end of August.

Source: SBS #Jul22

https://www.sbs.com.au/chinese/cantonese/zh-hant/china-wants-to-stop-a-report-on-human-rights-in-xinjiang-why-is-it-piling-pressure-on-the-un

#Beijing #Threat #InternationalSecurity

#China uses #coronavirus warning app to stifle #dissent

//China's #COVID19 warning app enables health authorities to move quickly against a virus outbreak. But it seems officials also use the app to stop perfectly healthy people from doing what Beijing doesn't want them to do. And the target is dissidents.//

Watch the video:
https://www.dw.com/en/china-uses-coronavirus-warning-app-to-stifle-dissent/av-62501253

Source: DW #Jul17

#HealthCode #MassSurveillance #Beijing #Authoritarianism

#IMF cuts global growth outlook amid US, #China slowdowns

//Surging inflation and severe slowdowns in the United States and China prompted the IMF Tuesday [July 26, 2022] to downgrade its outlook for the global economy this year and next, while warning that the situation could get much worse...

"The outlook has darkened significantly since April," said IMF chief economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas. "The world may soon be teetering on the edge of a global recession, only two years after the last one."

"The world's three largest economies, the United States, China and the euro area are stalling with important consequences for the global outlook," he said at a briefing.

...China's economy is expected to slow dramatically in 2022, expanding just 3.3 percent -- the lowest in more than four decades other than the 2020 pandemic crisis -- due to Covid concerns and the "worsening crisis" in the property sector, the report said.

"The slowdown in China has global consequences: lockdowns added to global supply chain disruptions and the decline in domestic spending are reducing demand for goods and services from China's trade partners," the report said.//

Read more:
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220726-imf-cuts-global-growth-outlook-amid-us-china-slowdowns

Source: France 24 #Jul26

#Economy #Pandemic #Covid19