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Monthly Archives: November 2024 - 5. page

Chinese Coast Guard Intensifies Patrols Near Taiwanese Kinmen Islands

Xinhua News Agency reported that the Fujian Coast Guard conducted “routine law enforcement patrols” in waters near the Kinmen Islands on October 30. It said that since the beginning of October, Fujian Coast Guard has organized ship formations to intensify patrols in the area, “further strengthening control over the relevant waters.” This effort is aimed at “effectively safeguarding the legitimate rights, interests, and safety of Chinese fishermen, including those from Taiwan, and ensuring the orderly navigation and operations in the Xiamen-Kinmen waters.”

According to Wikipedia, Kinmen is “a group of islands governed as a county by the Republic of China (Taiwan), only 10 km east” from mainland China’s Xiamen City, Fujian Province, and 187 km west of Taiwan island.

Sources:

Xinhua, October 30, 2024
http://www.news.cn/legal/20241030/1670d57f2aa94d4ca7f8f5f29d6ccd09/c.html

Wikipedia, Retrieved November 4, 2024
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinmen

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

Zurich University of the Arts Ends Partnership with Military-Affiliated Chinese University

After years of controversy and reevaluation, Zurich University of the Arts (ZHDK) terminated its collaboration with the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) on a joint education program in China, the Shenzhen Institute of Design (SISD). The been partnership had been planned to continue for 30-years. In early 2023, ZHDK conducted a risk analysis of this partnership project, which led to the termination decision. The two main reasons cited were barriers arising from differences in degree standards and “operational risks.”

The decisive factors in ending the collaboration were not related to faculty or degree quality, but rather to HIT’s ties to the Chinese military. HIT is one of China’s “seven defense universities” with close ties to the military. Much of its research funding comes from China’s Ministry of National Defense.

Thomas D. Meier, the former president of ZHDK and a proponent of the partnership, acknowledged HIT’s ties to the military in a 2019 interview with Neue Zürcher Zeitung, but he argued that this connection should not hinder cooperation.

However, some ZHDK faculty and students criticized the project from the start, expressing concerns that the partnership would restrict artistic and academic freedom. They feared that foreign faculty teaching in Shenzhen could face risks if they voiced criticism of China and whether Chinese military will use the products developed on the Shenzhen campus. ZHDK has also received scrutiny from the state government and multiple parties in parliament.

Source: Deutsche Welle, October 29, 2024
https://www.dw.com/zh/风险太高-苏黎世艺术大学终止与哈工大合作办学/a-70632329

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Economy/Resources

RFI Chinese: TSMC Stops Supplying China’s SOPHGO

Radio France Internationale (RFI) Chinese Edition recently reported that TechInsights, a technology research company, discovered TSMC chips when disassembling Huawei’s Ascend 910B processor (which contains multiple chips). TSMC notified the United States after learning of the news. The chips ordered from TSMC by Chinese company SOPHGO are consistent with the chips found in Huawei’s Ascend 910B multi-chip processor. To protect U.S. national security, Huawei was banned from purchasing this technology. TSMC decided to stop supply after discovering that the chips supplied to this customer were ultimately used in Huawei products.

The U.S. Department of Commerce said it was aware of reports of possible violations of U.S. export control regulations but did not comment on whether there were related investigations underway. SOPHGO, which is affiliated with cryptocurrency mining equipment manufacturer Bitmain, did not respond to a request for comment. Huawei did not respond to a request for comment either. TSMC declined to comment.

Source: RFI Chinese, October 26, 2024
https://tinyurl.com/2uwaw84r

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology US-China Relations