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Japan Says China May be Underreporting Increase in CO2 Concentration

Japan’s Ministry of the Environment has questioned the accuracy of China’s reported annual increase in carbon dioxide concentrations. According to Japan’s greenhouse gas observing satellite, IBUKI, China’s annual CO2 concentration increase ranged from 0.6 to 1.2 ppm between 2009-2022. However, international databases calculating China’s emissions based on information published by China, such as fossil fuel consumption and number of power plants, estimate an annual increase of just 0.2 to 0.8 ppm. No such discrepancies were found for Japan and the United States using similar methodology.

Japan claims China’s published information may be inaccurate and will present these findings at the upcoming 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Dubai. A Japanese senior official stated that inaccurate emissions reporting from major emitters like China could undermine global emissions reduction targets, as it skews calculations on progress.

Through satellite observation technology, Japan aims to improve transparency in emissions reporting. Reliable, accurate emissions data is crucial for setting and meeting climate change targets among all nations. Japan intends to keep contributing objective emissions data gathered through satellite monitoring to further emissions transparency, accountability, and broader climate action. The findings question whether China has been forthcoming in reporting its emissions and climate mitigation progress to date.

Source: Radio France International, December 8, 2023
https://rfi.my/AAEy

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

UDN: South Korean President Visits the Netherlands to Form A Chip Alliance

Taiwanese news group United Daily News (UDN) recently reported that South Korean President Yoon Seok-yue is in the Netherlands for a state visit. Yoon’s trip is focused on increasing cooperation between the two countries related to the semiconductor industry — he said that this trip marked a key turning point for the “South Korea-Netherlands Semiconductor Alliance” and that discussing chip cooperation was the “top priority” of his visit.

Yoon stated in an interview that high-tech chips are the lifeblood of the modern global economy, and that South Korea accounts for about 60 percent of the world’s supply of memory chips. He said that the Netherlands is home to semiconductor production equipment manufacturer ASML, and the two countries have been cooperating “in an exemplary manner” for many years, contributing to the stability of the global semiconductor supply chain.

The semiconductor industry is being buffeted by geopolitical turmoil. ASML supplies South Korea’s major chip manufacturers Samsung and SK Hynix. During President Yoon’s visit, he will visit the ASML headquarters. The “South Korea-Netherlands Semiconductor Alliance” is expected to include the countries’ respective governments, enterprises and universities. This is the first time a South Korean head of state has paid a state visit to the Netherlands since 1961, when South Korea and the Netherlands first established diplomatic relations.

Source: UDN, December 11, 2023
https://udn.com/news/story/6811/7631837?from=udn_ch2_menu_v2_main_cate

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend Information/Technology

Former President of Micronesia: The CCP Coerces, Bribes, and Infiltrates Pacific Island Countries

David Panuelo, the Former President of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), stated that Beijing is infiltrating various Pacific island nations through economic coercion, bribery, and other means.

He gave an example, stating that when the Vice President of Micronesia was still a senator, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) attempted to bribe him with a bag full of money, but he refused.

He said that Chinese diplomatic personnel contacted him when he was

He mentioned that during his visit to Beijing, Chinese diplomatic personnel specialized in Pacific island nations contacted him to conveyed the intentions of the CCP leader, Xi Jinping. They emphasized that China would “fulfill all requests made by Micronesia.”

In July of last year, when he traveled to Fiji to participate in the Pacific Islands Forum, he was followed by two Chinese men. Micronesia discovered that they were working at the Chinese Embassy in Fiji, and one of them was an intelligence officer.

Source: Epoch Times, December 1, 2023
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/12/1/n14128093.htm

Briefings | | |   @CS Geo-Strategic Trend

China Concedes in Dispute with Lithuania over Taiwanese Representative Office, Lifts Sanctions

China recently lifted the severe trade restrictions imposed on Lithuania after the Baltic state established a “Taiwanese Representative Office” in late 2021.

The sanctions were part of Beijing’s vigorous efforts to prevent  other countries around the world from establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Representatives of the Chinese government said that it would only be permissible for the Taiwanese office in Lithuania to be referred to as a “Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office,” and that the terminology “Taiwanese Representative Office” was unacceptable. Under normal diplomatic relations between sovereign states, a similar outpost of one country within another would be called an “Embassy.”

German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung quoted Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis on the new development in China-Lithuania relations: the Chinese government has ended its attempt at “economic coercion,” and the name “Taiwanese Representative Office” will remain despite Beijing’s criticism. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung praised Lithuania, saying that the small country had won the principles-based fights.

Lithuania conducts trade with China worth tens of millions of euros. China’s restrictive measures led to an 80% drop in Lithuania’s 2022 exports to China. The EU raised the issue of Chinese-Lithuanian trade with the World Trade Organization at the end of 2022.

Many EU countries, including Eastern European countries, no longer see China as a favorable partner. Last year, Baltic countries Latvia and Estonia followed Lithuania’s lead in withdrawing from the China and Central and Eastern European Countries (China-CEEC) initiative, also known as the 14+1 initiative (formerly 17+1). These Baltic states have established trade offices with Taiwan. The Czech Republic also got closer to Taiwan, deviating from its historically-close ties with China. China’s support of Russia during the Russia-Ukraine war further alienated many countries in the EU.

Facing serious economic challenges domestically, China now seeks to ease relations with Western countries. This recent move on trade with Lithuania is one such effort, potentially lightening tensions with the European Union (EU) ahead of the upcoming China-EU Summit. In another such effort, Beijing has cancelled travel visa requirements for citizens of five different EU countries, enabling easier travel to China.

Source: Back China, December 3, 2023
https://www.backchina.com/news//2023/12/03/889175.html

Briefings | | |   @CS Economy/Resources Geo-Strategic Trend

Walmart to Move Procurement Center to Vietnam

Well-known Chinese news site Tencent News recently reported that Walmart has announced it is moving procurement center from China to Vietnam.

As a global manufacturing center, China’s labor costs are rising, which undoubtedly brings additional burdens to large-scale retailers. Meanwhile, Vietnam is an emerging manufacturing country with relatively low labor costs and a loose regulatory environment. Thus, Vietnam has become Walmart’s first choice as an alternative to Chinese labor.

China’s status in the global manufacturing supply chain is gradually declining. At the same time, other countries are becoming more important links in a transformed global supply chain. These other countries include Mexico, India, Thailand, Vietnam, etc.

According to the Tencent article, these countries are likely to succeed China and become the next world factory. The impact of Walmart’s departure from China is not only the loss of an important foreign-owned retail system, but more importantly, there is a series of chain reactions that may result from Walmart’s departure. As one of the world’s largest retailers, Walmart has a huge procurement operation. Once Walmart leaves, it will no longer have demand for Chinese suppliers, which may lead to increased pressure on the survival of some small and medium-sized Chinese manufacturers. Also, Walmart has a large number of employees in China, and the departure may result in significant job losses. This will bring pressure to China’s job market and social stability. However, Walmart’s departure will provide more opportunities for Walmart’s rivals to compete for the Chinese consumer market share.

Walmart began to close its stores in China in 2016. Over 130 Walmart locations in China have closed since then.

Source: Tencent News, November 23, 2023
https://new.qq.com/rain/a/20231123A00DCU00

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources Geo-Strategic Trend

Canadian Intelligence: China Attempting to Recruit Canadian Government Employees

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) warned that China is plotting to recruit Canadian scholars and government officials. It has issued an alert to federal employees, warning of a large-scale email campaign from Beijing attempting to lure Canadian employees into participating in an overseas “talent program.” The alert included a photo of a recruitment email with the subject “2024 Invitation for Overseas Talents to Apply for the China Global Excellent Scientists Fund.” The CSIS stated that the email requested that recipients supply “significant” personal information and promised salaries ranging from 95,000 Canadian dollars to 374,000 Canadian dollars.

Source: Radio France International, November 25, 2023
https://www.rfi.fr/cn/国际/20231125-加情报部门警告中国针对加拿大政府雇员的招聘活动

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Consular Volunteer Programs: Another of the CCP’s Long-Armed Control Mechanisms

According to a report by Spain-based human rights organization Safeguard Defenders, Beijing has established a “Consular Volunteer” mechanism over the past decade. The Consular Volunteer Programs, which operate out of Chinese consulates in foreign countries, engage in information gathering, infiltration, and surveillance globally. Beijing does not notify host countries about such programs, violating the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. The report follows Safeguard Defenders’ disclosure last year of over 100 overseas police stations established by the Chinese government in more than fifty countries.

Such “Consular Volunteer networks” have been established in several dozen Chinese overseas communities, including in the U.S., Belgium, Sweden, Italy, the U.K., Spain, Greece, Portugal, France, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Turkey, Chile, Malaysia, Japan, the UAE, South Africa, and other countries across five continents. The report by Safeguard Defenders has released an investigative report titled “China’s Consular Volunteers.”

According to the report, the programs would recruit Chinese overseas individuals, some unpaid but provided with operational expenses directly managed by the consulate. Working as “volunteers,” these individuals are controlled by the Chinese government to engage in the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) united front work.

The CCP’s integraiton of overseas united front networks with consular services has enabled it to systematically obtain personal information, home addresses, and contact details of different targets. The gathered information may be used to systematically harm or manipulate overseas groups or use coercive means against those who have political views unaligned with Beijing.

The Safeguard Defenders report noted that the G7 group issued a joint statement after its May 2023 summit in Hiroshima, explicitly demanding that China comply with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. Just a few months later, China’s State Council promulgated a set of “Consular Protection and Assistance Regulations,” effective starting September 1, 2023, which encouraged Chinese overseas consulates to recruit volunteers and to recognize and reward the volunteers’ performance.

Sources:

Radio Free Asia, November 22, 2023
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/hx2-11222023091732.html

SafeguardDefenders.com, November 21, 2023
https://safeguarddefenders.com/en/blog/chinas-consular-volunteers

Briefings | | |   @CS Geo-Strategic Trend Government/Politics

China’s Seafood Imports from Japan Dropped by More Than 99 Percent

China responded angrily when Japan discharged treated nuclear wastewater into the sea near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, imposing a comprehensive suspension of Japanese seafood imports since August. The General Administration of Customs of China reported that the total value of seafood imported from Japan to China in October 2023 was 2.4 million yuan (US$ 339,000), a significant decrease of 99.3 percent compared to the same month last year.

The recently-released statistics did not include data regarding September imports specifically. However, subtracting the cumulative value of January to August from the cumulative value for January to September, the remaining amount (which represents September’s seafood imports) was only 60,000 yuan, a drastic year-on-year reduction of 99.98 percent. The drop for August was 67.6 percent.

China has made up for the reduced imports by using domestic products or importing from other countries instead.

Source: Kyodo News, November 19, 2023
https://china.kyodonews.net/news/2023/11/8cbede403e53-1099.html

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources Geo-Strategic Trend