Good Morning. Welcome to The Wire’s daily news roundup. Each day, our staff gathers the top China business, finance, and economics headlines from a selection of the world’s leading news organizations.
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The Wall Street Journal
- Chinese Car Sales Rise at Fastest Rate in More Than Two Years — Heavy discounts and new-model debuts add momentum to a second-half recovery in the world’s largest auto market after a pandemic-disrupted first six months of the year.
- U.S. Military Is Offered New Bases in the Pacific — The Republic of Palau has asked the Pentagon to build ports, bases and airfields on the island nation, officials said, offering a boost to U.S. military expansion plans in Asia, as Washington aims to counter China.
- Chinese Bottled-Water Giant Surges in Hong Kong Debut — Stock in China’s top bottled-water company closed 54% higher on its first day of trading in Hong Kong, after investors thirsty for new stock sales placed nearly $150 billion of orders for a $1.1 billion deal.
- Australian Journalists Flee China After State Security Officials Come Knocking — Two Australian journalists have been pulled out of China following a tense diplomatic standoff that saw the pair seek refuge at Australian diplomatic missions while officials negotiated their exit.
- China Launches Initiative to Set Global Data-Security Rules — China is launching its own initiative to set global standards on data security, countering U.S. efforts to persuade like-minded countries to ringfence their networks from Chinese technology.
- Russia and China Wield Dull Wedges — They push the U.S. and Germany closer together rather than driving them apart.
- China Exports Are Booming and Trade Surplus Is Widening—Why Is the Yuan So Weak? — Falling imports, rising exports, fewer tourists heading abroad and an advantage in yields should benefit the Chinese yuan, but it has moved surprisingly little.
- U.S.-China Chip-War Collateral Damage Will Range Far and Wide — New Trump administration rules look likely to choke off equipment sales to China’s leading chip maker—and hit chip-making equipment makers where it hurts.
- How China’s Top Broker Tamed the ‘Insane Asylum’ of Hong Kong Finance — Chinese investment bank Citic Securities is remaking Hong Kong brokerage CLSA in its own image, in a microcosm of how the Asian financial hub is changing.
- China Delays Approving Press Credentials for Foreign Reporters in Media Standoff — The move echoes one affecting Chinese journalists in the U.S.; affected reporters are allowed to work in China during a grace period.
- FBI Sweep of China Researchers Leads to Cat-and-Mouse Tactics — A search by U.S. authorities for Chinese researchers with ties to China’s military is leading to intensifying cat-and-mouse tactics involving what prosecutors say are foiled escapes, evidence tossed into a dumpster and a chase through an airport.
- China’s Exports Ramp Up as Countries Emerge From Lockdowns — China’s export machine gained steam in August as countries gradually recovering from coronavirus lockdowns, including the U.S., snapped up more Chinese-made goods.
- U.S. Weighs Export Controls on China’s Top Chip Maker — The Trump administration is weighing whether to place export restrictions on Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp., China’s most advanced manufacturer of semiconductors.
- China Cracks Down on Mongols Who Say Their Culture Is Being Snuffed Out — Authorities are searching for protesters in Inner Mongolia after a new policy aimed at pushing Mandarin-language education across the region sparked widespread unrest among the country’s ethnic Mongols, with many angered by what they saw as a move to erase their culture.
The Financial Times
- ByteDance gives bonuses to staff after TikTok turbulence — Beijing-based company hands out extra half-month of pay to global workforce.
- China banks: yuan for the team — The slower the country’s recovery, the more slack banks will be expected to pick up.
- Beyond Meat builds China presence with new production facility — First foreign plant-based meat specialist to launch manufacturing operations in country.
- Bottled water IPO makes founder China’s third-richest person — Nongfu Spring’s shares surge on debut, lifting Zhong Shanshan’s fortune above $50bn.
- China offers Taliban road network in exchange for peace — Beijing hopes infrastructure investment can prevent instability in Afghanistan after US troop withdrawal.
- US border agents turn up the heat on Chinese students — Science scholars say they are being harassed because of tensions between Washington and Beijing.
- Erosion of nuclear deterrence makes India-China relations critical — Countries with nuclear weapons are moving closer to military confrontation.
- Chinese water brand’s IPO more than 1,000 times subscribed — Demand for retail portion of Nongfu Spring’s $1bn Hong Kong listing sets record for city.
- SMIC shares tumble after reports US will blacklist Chinese chipmaker — Stock falls 22% as Washington looks to bar company from working with American businesses.
- Chinese exports beat expectations with 9.5% jump in August — Highest increase of any month this year emphasises post-coronavirus recovery.
- China wants to decouple from US tech, too — Washington’s restrictions have only sped Beijing’s development of its own ecosystem.
- Iran looks to China as US sanctions bite — Tehran readies tactical shift with 25-year plan to become ‘strategic partners’ with Beijing.
- Himalayan border tension is ‘a recipe for disaster’ — India’s occupation of heights above Chinese positions stokes fears of greater conflict.
- Fast-food chain Yum China bags $2bn in Hong Kong listing — Chinese operator of KFC and Pizza Hut prices shares in latest ‘homecoming’ offering.
- US and Taiwan to work on reshaping supply chains away from China — US official in Taipei calls for co-operation among democracies to reduce reliance on Beijing.
The New York Times
- Shots Fired Along India-China Border for First Time in Years — Each side blamed the other as tensions between the two nuclear powers increased along their disputed high-altitude boundary.
- U.S. May Ban Cotton From Xinjiang Region of China Over Rights Concerns — The potential move, which could come as soon as Tuesday, comes amid reports of the use of forced labor in Xinjiang, where China has carried out a crackdown against mostly Muslim minorities.
- Xi’s Post-Virus Economic Strategy for China Looks Inward — The Chinese leader’s latest approach calls for a more robust domestic economy to insulate growth from tensions with the United States.
- Joe Biden’s China Journey — As a United States senator, he spoke of transforming China through trade. As a presidential candidate two decades later, he denounces it as a “dictatorship.”
- China Freezes Credentials for Journalists at U.S. Outlets, Hinting at Expulsions — CNN, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News and Getty Images are affected. Chinese officials told journalists, who can still work, that their fate depends on what the United States does to Chinese media employees.
- Hong Kong Police Block Protests Over Delayed Election — Thousands of officers flooded the streets to stop a demonstration that had been planned to show public anger over the postponement and the imposition of a draconian security law.
- Race for Coronavirus Vaccine Pits Spy Against Spy — The intelligence wars over vaccine research have intensified as China and Russia expand their efforts to steal American work at both research institutes and companies.
Caixin
- Insurer Caught Up in Fake Gold Scandal Chooses New Chairman — Luo Xi, Communist Party chief and chairman of China Taiping Insurance, will take over the same positions at PICC.
- China Approves Plan to Test Out a Less-Shackled Services Sector in Beijing — Measure aims to push ahead development of digital economy, digital trade, financial services and internet information services.
- Chinese Authorities Warn Renters and Landlords of Leasing Platform Risks — Several cities say to beware of ‘abnormal rental prices’ as middlemen lease apartments for less than they pay landlords and then abscond with tenants’ money.
- China’s Farmers Hoard Wheat in Wager That Shortages Will Push Prices Even Higher — Growers are betting that market prices will keep rising as demand outpaces supply curtailed by flooding and fallout from coronavirus epidemic.
- Global Food Prices Rise Along With Chinese Imports — Cheaper overseas cereal prices and China’s commitments under the phase one trade deal have driven a rise in imports.
- Update: China’s Exports Grow at Fastest Pace in 17 Months — Outbound shipments rose 9.5% in August, but imports declined.
- Cover Story: Why China Is Expanding Access to Duty-Free Shopping — Hainan takes the lead to lure tourists as central authorities seeking to stimulate a virus-stricken economy see a multibillion-dollar tax-free shopping bonanza.
- Five Things to Know About ‘Dual Circulation’ — President Xi Jinping steers China’s economic strategy toward a greater reliance on domestic growth and less on global integration in a dramatically shifting global environment.
- U.S. Drugmaker Invests in Potential of Chinese Cancer Fighting Drug — Shanghai drug developer I-Mab could see billions in investment under deal with AbbVie for its tumor-fighting antibodies.
- China’s Top Basketball League Gets New CEO — Sport veteran Zhang Xiong takes over after his predecessor quit for ‘personal reasons’ after a year on the job.
- Jack Ma Is Controlling Shareholder, not Alibaba, Ant Says in Filing — In step toward $30 billion Shanghai-Hong Kong share sale, fintech giant clarifies ownership structure in response to questions from Shanghai exchange.
- Package Delivery Firms ZTO and Best Eye Second Listings in Hong Kong — ZTO is aiming to raise $1.29 billion amid shrinking net profits.
- BYD Sees NEV Sales Drop in August As Young Rivals Catch Up — Helped by its relatively stronger brand awareness, BYD sold far more new energy vehicles (NEVs) than many of its young competitors in August, but the Shenzhen-based automaker is now grappling with a problem: shrinking market share.
- Profits Tumble at Listed Chinese Cable Network Companies Despite Lockdown — China’s cable television networks were already close to the brink as people ditched old fashioned TV in favor of disruptive new services.
South China Morning Post
- Food vendors foresee demand returning for imported meats, seafood after Xinfadi coronavirus outbreak made Chinese consumers wary — Shop manager Zhao Heng leaps into action when he is asked about the availability of imported meat products, eager to convince customers that they will soon be back on the shelves.
- Hong Kong’s MPF hits HK$1 trillion (US$129 billion) mark for first time, thanks to rally in investment markets, says head of pension regulator — The Mandatory Provident Fund, the compulsory pension scheme that covers almost 3 million people in Hong Kong, hit the HK$1 trillion (US$129 billion) mark for the first time at the end of July, according to the head of the pension regulator.
- Coronavirus: what conditions should Hong Kong travel bubble carry, and is it too late for tourism? — Tourism stakeholders on Tuesday welcomed news that Hong Kong officials had approached 11 countries over long-sought travel bubbles, but once again found themselves with no timeline in sight, leading them to warn the city’s embattled economy was in danger of collapse if border restrictions were not lifted soon.
- Huawei seeks to raise fresh funds from employees amid US trade sanctions — Huawei Technologies is trying to raise funds from its employees, as China’s largest tech company struggles with the impact of US trade sanctions, according to three people familiar with the matter.
- How a high-society Chinese family’s takeover of French luxury brand Baccarat unravelled into a boardroom battle with creditors and seizure of assets — French luxury firm Baccarat has survived the Spanish flu, two world wars and the 1789 French Revolution. Now the changing fortunes of its distressed Chinese owner have prompted a French court to take the crystal maker into protective custody.
- Many Hong Kong bars won’t survive Covid-19 business ban for much longer, trade group warns — Hong Kong’s beleaguered bar trade has cried foul over what it calls the government’s double standards in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and warned of waves of closures if premises must remain shut even as social-distancing rules eased again.
- China’s corn-supply concerns grow after three typhoons flatten crops in main northeastern grain region — Concerns are mounting over the sufficiency of China’s grain supply after three typhoons hit the country’s main corn-growing region in quick succession over the past two weeks, flattening crops and pushing corn prices to their highest level in five years.
- Beijing, at one time a helping hand, is now hurting China’s tech chances — “The Chinese can take a test, but what they can‘t do is innovate. They are not terribly imaginative. They’re not entrepreneurial … that is why they are stealing our intellectual property.”That was the view of former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina on the campaign trail five years ago. She was the only female in a large field of Republican candidates vying for the party’s nomination, which of course was won by Donald Trump who is now seeking a second term in the White House.
- Tencent relinquishes rights to PUBG Mobile in India amid latest ban on Chinese apps — Tencent Holdings has surrendered its rights to publish PUBG Mobile in India to the company behind battle royale hit PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, in a move that analysts expect to help the popular spin-off mobile game get around New Delhi’s latest ban on Chinese apps.
- Can Hong Kong’s retail landlords weather soaring vacancy rates by running their own shops in their own buildings? — The collapse of retail rents and high vacancy rates in some of Hong Kong’s main shopping districts is forcing some landlords to get creative. Rather than leave their buildings standing idle, some are launching brand new, totally unrelated business ventures to fill the vacant space.
- Taiwan exports surge to record amid Huawei scramble for chips — Taiwan’s exports rose to a record in August, aided by suppliers rushing to ship as many components as possible to Huawei Technologies before a US ban on sales to the company comes into effect next week.
- Myanmar moves step closer to new bids on China-backed belt and road project — Myanmar is a step closer to allowing companies to challenge a bid from China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) to build the behemoth New Yangon City project, after hiring German consulting firm Roland Berger to oversee the tendering process.
Bloomberg
- China Says Australian TV Anchor Probed Over Security Violations — China confirmed that an Australian television anchor was being held over suspected state security violations hours after the last two correspondents from the country’s media outlets fled, highlighting the mounting political pressures on Beijing’s foreign press corps.
- Disney Slammed for ‘Mulan’ Credits Thanking Xinjiang Officials — Walt Disney Co.’s big bet on “Mulan,” a $200 million live-action remake of a Chinese folk tale, is facing fresh criticism days after its North American streaming debut and just before its planned premiere at cinemas in China.
- China Set to Be Top World Corn Buyer on Crop Woes and Demand — Jiang Zhiyou, a farmer in his 60s, looks anxious as he contemplates the torrential rains hammering down on his 100 acres of ripe corn in China’s northeastern province of Heilongjiang. His troubles could get worse as another typhoon is on the way.
- WeChat and TikTok Taking Chinese Censorship Global, Study Says — The most popular Chinese-owned social media from WeChat to TikTok are increasingly censoring content in the U.S. and elsewhere, taking practices honed for years behind the Great Firewall to an international audience.
- Temasek’s China Exposure Surpasses Singapore for First Time — Temasek Holding Pte’s holdings in China surpassed its home market of Singapore for the first time following gains in companies including Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., according to the state investor’s annual report.
- Rebound in China Car Sales Accelerates With Pandemic Easing — China’s car sales increased for a second straight month in August, raising optimism that a two-year slump in the world’s biggest market is nearing an end.
- China Offers Signs for Lenient Launch of National Carbon Trading — China’s plans to control emissions with the launch of a national carbon market, which will be the world’s biggest, may start off more fossil-fuel friendly than its existing regional systems.
- China Distiller Jiangxiaobai Said to Raise $300 Million Funding — Chinese liquor distiller Chongqing Jiangxiaobai Liquor Co. has raised about $300 million from investors in a fresh funding round, according to people familiar with the matter.
- For Gulf Arab States, China Is a Temporary Friend — In 20 years, Beijing’s ardor for hydrocarbons will have cooled, just as exporting nations hit a fiscal wall.
- China Proposes Global Data Rules to Counter U.S. Moves on TikTok — China on Tuesday outlined a slate of rules designed to prevent foreign governments from acquiring data stored locally, seeking to counter Washington’s accusations that services like TikTok and WeChat share sensitive user information with Beijing.
- China Tension May Hit Half of Australia’s Benchmark Stock Index — The ongoing deterioration of Australia’s relationship with its largest trading partner is seen impacting banks, consumer firms and tourism-related stocks that make up almost half the weight of the nation’s benchmark index.
- ChemChina, Sinochem Merger Could Now Face Sanctions Hurdle — A long-awaited tie-up between Sinochem and ChemChina looks closer, but the timing is precarious.
- China’s Nuclear Buildup Changes U.S. Defense Strategies — Whether this strategic shift is good or bad for the U.S. is open to interpretation.
- Taiwan Exports Surge to Record Amid Huawei Scramble for Chips — Taiwan’s exports rose to a record in August, aided by suppliers rushing to ship as many components as possible to Huawei Technologies Co. before a U.S. ban on sales to the company comes into effect next week.
- ‘Fat Finger’ Holder Stake Sales Becoming a Trend in China — Another Chinese company said a major holder accidentally sold its shares, increasing speculation that insiders may be testing the market before they offload their stakes.
- China’s Export Strength Continues as Global Demand Rebounds — China’s exports continued to expand due to demand for medical goods, electronics, and the effects of major trading partners gradually resuming business activities.
Reuters
- Indonesia to U.S., China: Don’t trap us in your rivalry — Indonesia’s foreign minister Retno Marsudi cautioned the United States and China on Tuesday not to entangle her country in their regional struggle for influence, telling the two superpowers: “We don’t want to get trapped by this rivalry.”
- China tech veterans to launch ‘domestic replacement’ fund amid U.S. sanctions — Chinese tech veterans, including former executives at Huawei and SMIC, are planning to launch a “domestic replacement” fund by the end of the year to help create China’s next tech giant and support Chinese companies sanctioned by Washington.
- UK livestock genetics firm Genus’ profit jumps as China rebuilds pig herd — British livestock genetics firm Genus Plc reported better-than-expected annual earnings on Tuesday, helped by a surge in demand from China’s pig farmers who are rebuilding a herd devastated by disease.
- China unveils global data security initiative, says some countries bullying others — China announced an initiative on Tuesday to establish global standards on data security, saying it wanted to promote multilateralism in the area at a time when “individual countries” were “bullying” others and “hunting” companies.
- WHO says working with China on requirements for COVID vaccine approval — The World Health Organization is working with China on requirements for international approval of any Chinese COVID-19 vaccine, a senior official said on Monday.
- Cheap seats give Chinese airlines a much-needed passenger bounce — Looking to travel from Beijing to Hangzhou in eastern China? A flight can be had for as low as 180 yuan ($26) – one of a slew of deals fuelling a robust recovery in Chinese passenger levels and which could provide a model for a beleaguered industry globally.
- China’s new yuan loans set to rise in Aug, keep economy on recovery path: Reuters poll — China’s new bank loans are expected to have risen in August from the previous month, as the central bank sought to keep liquidity flush to support embattled smaller companies and backstop an economy recovering from the coronavirus shock.
- China bond inclusion in WGBI may drive $140 billion in inflows: Goldman Sachs — The anticipated inclusion of Chinese government bonds in a major global index could draw an additional $140 billion into Chinese bonds, Goldman Sachs estimates, potentially offering a further boost to the yuan as China opens its capital markets.
- China unveils global data security initiative, says some countries bullying others — China announced an initiative on Tuesday to establish global standards on data security, saying it wanted to promote multilateralism in the area at a time when “individual countries” were “bullying” others and “hunting” companies.
- WHO says working with China on requirements for COVID vaccine approval — The World Health Organization is working with China on requirements for international approval of any Chinese COVID-19 vaccine, a senior official said on Monday.
- China’s exports rise the most in nearly 1-1/2 years as economies reopen; imports slip — China’s exports rose for the third consecutive month in August, eclipsing an extended fall in imports, as more of its trading partners relaxed coronavirus lockdowns in a further boost to the recovery in the world’s second-biggest economy.
- Samsung to stop production at sole China TV factory by November — Samsung Electronics has decided to cease production at its only TV factory in China by the end of November, a spokesman said on Monday, the latest in a series of moves by the South Korean firm to shift production from the world’s second-largest economy.
- Taiwan’s August exports jump on Huawei stockpiling, China demand — Taiwan’s exports jumped in August, boosted by Chinese telecom giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd rushing to get in orders at Taiwanese firms before they have to comply with U.S. curbs that take effect this month.
- China’s August forex reserves rise to $3.165 trillion — BEIJING – China’s foreign exchange reserves rose less than expected in August amid persistent weakness in the U.S. dollar and solid gains in the yuan as China’s economy recovers steadily.
- China August meat imports fall but year-to-date imports surge — China imported 832,000 tonnes of meat in August, customs data showed on Monday, down almost 17% from last month, although imports remain high as Beijing tries to plug a shortfall in domestic pork production.
- China’s August crude oil imports jump 13% on year as delayed cargoes clear customs — China’s crude oil imports in August climbed 13% from a year earlier, buoyed by hefty orders placed earlier this year when global oil prices collapsed and as cargoes previously delayed by congestion at arrival ports finally cleared customs.
- China’s August yuan-denominated exports rise 11.6% year-on-year, imports down 0.5% year-on-year — China’s yuan-denominated exports in August rose 11.6% from a year earlier, customs data showed on Monday, while imports decreased 0.5% on year.
- Czech president tries to tamp down China anger after speaker’s Taiwan trip — President Milos Zeman sought on Sunday to defuse a row with China over a visit by the head of the Czech Senate to Taiwan, calling the speaker’s trip a “boyish provocation”.
- Exclusive: 90% of China’s Sinovac employees, families took coronavirus vaccine, says CEO — About 90% of Sinovac Biotech Ltd employees and their families have taken an experimental coronavirus vaccine developed by the Chinese firm under the country’s emergency use program, its chief executive said on Sunday.
- Reusable Chinese spacecraft lands successfully: state media — An experimental reusable spacecraft launched into orbit two days ago by China has successfully returned to a designated site on Sunday, marking a breakthrough that could lead to cheaper round-trips to space, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.
- India and China agree to ease tension on border — India and China said on Saturday they had agreed to work towards reducing tensions along their contested border, following a meeting of the defense ministers of the nuclear-armed Asian giants.
- China to roll out new supportive policies for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, official says — China will roll out a new package of policies to support hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to improve the industry’s supply chain and technologies, a government official said on Saturday.
- China auto revenue, profit likely flat this year, official says — China’s auto industry will likely maintain steady revenues and profits this year despite slight declines in production and vehicle sales, a government official said on Saturday, as the world’s biggest car market recovers from the impact of COVID-19,
- U.S. rural telecom networks need $1.8 billion to remove Huawei, ZTE equipment: FCC — U.S. rural telecommunications networks, which have relied on inexpensive network equipment from China’s Huawei Technologies Co and ZTE Corp , have told the government that it would cost $1.837 billion to replace those switches and routers, the Federal Communications Commission said on Friday.
Xinhua
- China formalizes 15 national e-commerce demonstration bases — China has formalized 15 new national e-commerce demonstration bases in efforts to foster the development of the sector.
- Chinese brands make up bigger presence in global wearables market — The global wearables market saw Chinese brands increase their presence in the second quarter (Q2) of the year as shipments of Chinese-made wearable devices posted rapid growth, an industrial report showed.
- China to further ease market access in service sector: official — China will continue to ease market access in its service sector by further shortening the negative list of foreign investment, a commerce official said Saturday.
- China’s forex reserves further expand in August — China’s foreign exchange reserves expanded to 3.1646 trillion U.S. dollars at the end of August from 3.1544 trillion dollars at the end of July, central bank data showed Monday.
- Foreign banks, insurers set up nearly 100 institutions in China since 2018 — Chinese authorities have given approval to foreign banks and insurers to set up nearly 100 institutions in China since 2018, an official said Sunday.
- Northwest China province to hold agricultural hi-tech fair — The 27th China Yangling Agricultural Hi-tech Fair is scheduled to be held between Oct. 22 and 26 in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, according to the organizer.
- China establishes committee to promote industrial internet — The Committee for the Promotion of Industrial Internet was launched in Beijing at the ongoing 2020 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS).
- Chinese brands make up bigger presence in global wearables market — The global wearables market saw Chinese brands increase their presence in the second quarter (Q2) of the year as shipments of Chinese-made wearable devices posted rapid growth, an industrial report showed.
- China’s digital trade with B&R countries robust: report — China’s digital trade with countries along the Belt and Road has maintained strong momentum in recent years, as the sector continues to hold huge potential, according to a report released Tuesday.
- China Focus: TCM expands global presence amid COVID-19 fight — As Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) shows its potential in the fight against COVID-19, events featuring TCM have become highlights of the ongoing 2020 China International Fair for Trade in Services.
- Agricultural Bank of China reports net profit decline — The Agricultural Bank of China, one of the country’s largest commercial lenders, saw its net profit slide 10.8 percent year on year in the first half of this year (H1).
- Chinese shares close higher Tuesday — Chinese stocks closed higher on Tuesday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index up 0.72 percent, at 3,316.42 points.
Other Publications
- APSI: TikTok & WeChat — Curating and controlling global information flows. While most major international social media networks remain banned from the Chinese market in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Chinese social media companies are expanding overseas and building up large global audiences. Some of those networks—including WeChat and TikTok—pose challenges, including to freedom of expression, that governments around the world are struggling to deal with.
- New Yorker: How My Mother and I Became Chinese Propaganda — Immigrant struggles in America forged a bond that became even tighter after my mother’s A.L.S. diagnosis. Then, as COVID-19 threatened, Chinese nationalists began calling us traitors to our country.
- TechCrunch: China bans Scratch, MIT’s programming language for kids — China-based internet users can no longer access Scratch’s website. Greatfire.org, an organization that monitors internet censorship in China, shows that the website was 100% blocked as early as August 20, while a Scratch user flagged the ban on August 14.
- The Atlantic: How History Gets Rewritten — Hong Kong’s leaders and police have sought to recast what has happened in the past year. Even if no one is convinced, it may not matter.
- Nikkei Asian Review: Reunified Pakistani Taliban threatens China’s Belt and Road — As peace negotiations between the Afghan Taliban and the government in Kabul continue, Pakistan’s leading Taliban group, which operates from Afghanistan, has announced the reunification of various breakaway factions.
