THREE JAILED FOR SEDITION MARK THE END OF FREE SPEECH IN HONG KONG
In late September, three men became the first to be convicted under Hong Kong's expanded national security law for things like wearing a T-shirt bearing a protest slogan, scrawling pro-democracy graffiti on public bus seats, and criticizing Xi Jinping on social media — actions that would have attracted little attention before Beijing tightened its grip on Hong Kong. A judge selected by Hong Kong's leader delivered the rulings. The territory's once-vibrant media landscape now resembles that of mainland China, where criticism of the Communist Party is not tolerated. "Public debate in Hong Kong is a shadow of its former self, and the government will continue to use its national security toolkit to police what people say and write," says Georgetown University's Thomas Kellogg. (New York Times, September 27, 2024)
U.S. COAST GUARD TRACKS CHINESE, RUSSIAN VESSELS OFF THE ALASKAN COAST
The U.S. Coast Guard recently dispatched an HC-130 aircraft from Air Station Kodiak to track two Chinese coast guard ships and two Russian border guard ships off the Alaskan coast. The four ships were spotted about 440 miles off Alaska's St. Lawrence Island and five miles within Russia's exclusive economic zone — the northernmost location where PLA Navy vessels have been observed. The U.S. Coast Guard's Operation Frontier Sentinel monitors Chinese and Russian ships under the principle of "meeting presence with presence when strategic competitors operate in and around U.S. waters." In July, a U.S. maritime patrol followed Chinese and Russian bombers off the Alaska coast that intruded into the U.S. air defense identification zone. (Washington Times, October 2, 2024)
CHINA SPENDS $2 BILLION PER MONTH ON IRANIAN OIL
China is now buying more than 90 percent of Iran's oil exports. The roughly $2 billion that China spends per month on Iranian petroleum represents more than 5 percent of Iran's GDP and bankrolls the regime with U.S. dollars. Western sanctions make Iran's oil even cheaper for China than Russian crude. (New York Times, October 4, 2024)
U.S. CONCERNED ABOUT CHINA'S LENDING TO INDEBTED COUNTRIES
Washington is raising concerns about the lack of transparency surrounding Beijing's emergency loans to debt-ridden countries. Using so-called swap agreements, China's central bank lends Chinese renminbi to countries at high interest rates, allowing them to hold the renminbi in their central reserves. This frees up their U.S. dollars to repay foreign debts, finance trade, or make government purchases. U.S. Treasury official Brent Neiman urged the International Monetary Fund to push China to clarify its lending terms, and the Biden administration has raised the issue with visiting PRC officials. (New York Times, October 1, 2024)
SOUTH KOREA PROBES CHINA'S MANIPULATION OF PUBLIC OPINION
South Korean police have launched an investigation into Chinese accounts that are posting organized comments on articles to manipulate opinion in certain competitive industries, including electric vehicles and e-commerce. A new report, Understanding Cognitive Warfare in Korea-China Competitive Industries, which reviewed comments made on platforms such as Naver and YouTube from July 2022 to August 2023, identified 77 coordinated Chinese accounts promoting pro-China content, making derogatory remarks about Korean culture, supporting pro-China figures, and criticizing anti-China politicians. (Chosun Daily, September 30, 2024)