China-UK Financial Working Group holds inaugural meeting in Beijing – Xinhua: ‘According to the PBOC, the two sides agreed to work toward signing a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the area of central counterparty supervision between the PBOC and the Bank of England.’

Senior CCP official Cai Qi visits renowned cultural and sci-tech figures ahead of Chinese New Year – Xinhua: ‘on behalf of General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping and the CPC Central Committee.’

A relentless selloff in BYD shares is laying bare investor anxiety over the profit outlook for China’s EV sector, as cooling demand at home and surging raw material costs trigger a brutal reset of expectations – Bloomberg: ‘Exports remain a bright spot’

The ECB is vigilant on cheap imports from China weighing on inflation, Governing Council member Francois Villeroy de Galhau says – Bloomberg: ‘The Bank of France chief said a shift in flows as the US market closes for Chinese exporters is among the downside risks for prices in the euro area.’

Norway’s foreign intelligence service sees a growing risk of a more assertive Russia and China as the US pulls back from international cooperation and institutions – Bloomberg

Canada’s government is working to land a Chinese-Canadian auto plant that will export electric vehicles globally, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said – Bloomberg

Brazil signals new openness to Mercosur-China talks as Beijing seeks deeper ties – Reuters: ‘Brazil has long vetoed formal negotiations with Beijing to protect domestic manufacturers from a surge in Chinese imports.’

Chery to start production in Spain this year after delays – Reuters: ‘The confirmation that production will slide later into 2026 follows an earlier delay to the fourth quarter of 2025 with commercial reasons cited’

EU hikes tariffs on Chinese ceramics to 79% to counter dumping – Reuters: ‘after a review of anti-dumping measures in place since 2013.’

China’s central bank extended its gold-buying streak to 15 months, even as bullion’s rally was hit by a selloff – Bloomberg

UN report warns China is erasing Tibetan civilisation – Central Tibetan Administration: ‘The findings appear in a report to the UN Human Rights Council by the Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Nicolas Levrat.’

2,000 Chinese fishing boats gather to form floating wall in East China Sea – Kyodo News: ‘near the Sino-Japanese median line in the East China Sea at least twice since late last year, forming a floating wall stretching more than 400 kilometers’

剛從中國回來就開轟AIT！蕭旭岑：谷立言只比科長大一點 – 自由時報：「他還說，自己在中國見到的宋濤、王滬寧是『部長級』和『正國級』，在台灣卻被比司長小的官員整天提出要求，很奇怪。」

Constitutional Court finds NHI fines disproportionate – Taipei Times: ‘[Abstaining] were the same justices who dissented from a previous ruling against a Legislative Yuan bill to change the quorum of judges, which with its current number would deem the Constitutional Court unable to function.’

Executive Yuan refuses to countersign KMT-advanced military dependents’ villages bill – New Bloom: ‘The KMT has often played up the history of military villages in order to whitewash its history of authoritarian repression’

CSBC aims to deliver first submarine prototype before end of June – Focus Taiwan: ‘torpedo tubes for later submarines will be domestically produced’

Taiwan’s US tariff deal should be finalised this month, AIT head Greene says – Taipei Times: ‘The Legislative Yuan should be able to approve the Taiwan-US tariff agreement this month, providing certainty for businesses, Deputy Legislative Speaker Johnny Chiang [KMT] said yesterday.’

Beijing warns US arms sales to Taiwan could threaten Trump visit in April – FT: ‘The US is compiling a large arms sale of Patriot missiles and other weapons for Taiwan that Beijing has privately warned could jeopardise President Donald Trump’s state visit to China in April.’

Chinese court overturns death sentence of Canadian in sign of diplomatic thaw – AFP: ‘after the 2018 arrest in Vancouver of Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou.’ ‘in January 2019 a court in north-east China retried Schellenberg […] sentencing him to death’

US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Thomas DiNanno accuses China of secret nuclear testing as it calls for broad new arms treaty after New START – Reuters: ‘DiNanno said China had conducted one such “yield-producing test” on June 22, 2020.’

PLA Daily article vows improved scrutiny of training after fall of Zhang Youxia – SCMP: ‘The PLA Daily article called for stronger oversight of combat capability, particularly misconduct in training and exercises including “falsification”.’

China’s ‘Atlantic Amsterdam’ structure relocated from PMZ with South Korea to Weihai shipyard – CSIS Beyond Parallel: ‘However, questions remain regarding the two aquaculture cages, Shen Lan 1 and Shen Lan 2, which continue to operate in the PMZ.’

TikTok’s addictive design features fall foul of EU’s digital rules –Euractiv

Journalists and Spies – Lingua Sinica: ‘The first charge under a new Czech security law tests where foreign state journalism ends — and intelligence work begins.’

曝台美關稅「月中可簽定」！　江啟臣見AIT處長後表態：立法院應可盡速批准 – 鏡週刊：「台美關稅上個月終於完成談判工作，確定將為15%不疊加，許多出口產業表態樂觀其成，不過在野陣營卻屢屢質疑代價是否會掏空台灣。立法院副院長江啟臣今（6日）出席活動透露，上午已和美國在台協會AIT處長谷立言確認，關稅應可在本月中簽定，簽定後立法院應該會盡速來批准。」

南昌市长高世文缺席重要会议 曾是马兴瑞多年秘书 – 联合早报：“近来备受关注的中共政治局委员马兴瑞在中国航天科技集团任职期间，同为山东人的高世文长期担任他的秘书。” “马兴瑞去年7月卸任中共新疆维吾尔自治区党委书记，官方当时称他“另有任用”，但他的任用始终没有宣布，目前只剩下无具体实权的政治局委员身份。马兴瑞近期已接连缺席多个重要场合，出事传闻不断。”

Chinese private equity consortium forced to sell UK chipmaker FTDI in national security crackdown – Caixin Global: ‘unwinding a completed deal on national security grounds three years after it closed.’

With ample cash but fewer attractive assets to choose from, Chinese investors have fanned a rally in global metals prices, underscoring just how difficult it is for authorities to channel capital into the real economy – Bloomberg

Former Bank of China Vice President Lin Jingzhen expelled from Chinese Communist Party, Xinhua says – Reuters

US government to fund Maga-aligned think-tanks and charities in Europe – FT: ‘The funding was linked to the 250th anniversary celebrations of US independence later this year, the people said.’ ‘likely to focus on initiatives based in London, Paris, Berlin and Brussels.’

Stung by Trump’s policies, German multinationals cautiously pivot towards China [but see obstacles] – SCMP: ‘Merz, on his first official visit to China, would likely travel with an entourage of senior business leaders who would raise “structural and sectoral issues” with Beijing, Oehms said.’

Taiwan’s military plans 10-day Han Kuang drills, same as last year – Focus Taiwan: ‘The drills will also be integrated with local governments' 2026 urban resilience air raid drills’

SCMP: ‘In the days that followed Japanese leader Sanae Takaichi’s […] remarks over Taiwan in November, Beijing convened a rare meeting with Southeast Asian envoys to rally regional support for its campaign against Japan – but that effort has so far gained little traction.’

Greece arrests air force officer on espionage charges linked to China – Euractiv: ‘Officials say the officer used specialised classified software to funnel confidential information to Beijing. The defence ministry added that the suspect, a 50-year-old man, may be stripped of Greek nationality.’

KMT appointment of China-born businesswomen to Central Standing Committee concerning, DPP lawmaker says – Taipei Times: ‘Chinese state media have touted Qin as working to bridge cross-straits relations, […]. In conferences and talks, Qin has called on people to follow Chinese President Xi Jinping’

US and China opt out of joint declaration on AI use in military – Reuters: ‘Governments are facing a “prisoner’s dilemma”, caught between putting responsible restrictions in place and not wanting to limit themselves in comparison with adversaries, said Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans.’

Some Europeans have still not caught up to a world profoundly shaped by Chinas industrial policy. A lot of hard pushback on targeted buy-European because it would reduce European competitiveness and product quality. Reality, created by China, would disagree. 1/

China Gold Association eyes gold production surge amid de-dollarisation drive, aiming to hedge global risks – SCMP: ‘aims to upgrade mining and smelting technologies during the country’s 15th five-year plan period (2026-2030) while expanding investment in high-end gold materials’

From China’s chokehold to Trump’s stockpile, Europe looks for least bad rare earth bet – SCMP: ‘In this environment, working with the US […] looks to some as among the least bad options, even if not everyone is convinced that the US leader would share the spoils.’

Russian oil sellers cut prices in China to attract demand as India wavers – Reuters: ‘A halt by India would make China the only major client for cheap Russian oil.’

Xi Jinping tells Trump Taiwan is ‘most important’ issue in China-US ties in phone call – SCMP: ‘Xi said China must safeguard its national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and urged Washington to handle arms sales to Taiwan with “extreme caution”.’

NATO’s Asia-Pacific engagement does not impress Chinese analysts – Rebekka Åsnes Sagild and Henrik Stålhane Hiim for The Diplomat: ‘They see NATO as divided and believe European member states lack the hard power to affect the balance of power in the Asia-Pacific.’

UN bodies as a geopolitical arena: Southeast Europe’s alignment on China? – Zlatko Simonovski for CHOICE: ‘Greece maintained a position of complete absence throughout the entire timeframe, avoiding any formal endorsement of statements critical of China.’

PRC Influence in South Asia: A case study of India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan – Doublethink Lab

South Korea rivals Taiwan in chip prowess – Christopher Cytera for CEPA: ‘South Korea is catching up and becoming equally indispensable. The key Korean advantage centers on high-performance memory chips.’

The free world needs Taiwan – Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung in Foreign Affairs: ‘China’s coercive actions threaten not only Taiwan; they also threaten the global democratic camp.’

FT: ‘signs of a geographical rift emerging. A person close to discussions […] within BusinessEurope, […], describes a “very clear difference of views” with companies from France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands backing more European preference and those in Germany, Sweden and Denmark pushing back.’

Senior CCP official Liu Haixing meets with visiting special envoy of party and government of Cuba – Xinhua: ‘head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee’

TPP’s Lǐ Zhēnxiù 李貞秀 not fit to be legislator, say DPP and groups – Taipei Times: ‘Citizen Congress Watch said that all evidence indicated that Li had not gone through the process of renunciation of her Chinese citizenship, and therefore, she should not be allowed to remain as a legislator.’

TSMC to make advanced 3nm chips in Japan – Focus Taiwan: ‘at its second, still-under-construction plant in Kumamoto’