China Policy Monitor No. 1595

HONG KONG COURT BANS PROTEST ANTHEM "GLORY TO HONG KONG"
Hong Kong's Court of Appeal has granted the Chinese government's application to formally ban the protest "Glory to Hong Kong." The trial, in which no one represented the defense, was the culmination of a years-long battle over the song, which is the unofficial anthem for protesters fighting China's tightening control and police brutality. The decision, which overturns a lower court judgment that had rejected a ban because of its "chilling effects" on free speech, is the latest erosion in the rule of law and individual rights in Hong Kong. Beijing continues to jail opposition democrats and close liberal media outlets there. (Reuters, May 8, 2024)

PLA WARPLANE FIRES FLARES IN PATH OF AUSTRALIAN HELICOPTER
A PLA fighter jet has fired flares into the path of an Australian naval helicopter in international waters over the Yellow Sea, an action that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called "completely unacceptable." The MH-60R Seahawk helicopter was on patrol enforcing UN sanctions on North Korea when the Chinese jet dropped flares about 1000 feet in front and approximately 200 feet above it. "This was an unsafe maneuver which posed a risk to the aircraft and personnel," Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles has said. (CNN, May 7, 2024)

CHINA'S EV MAKERS FAIL TO COOPERATE WITH EU PROBE
The European Commission has sent letters to Chinese EV makers SAIC, BYD, and Geely warning that their lack of cooperation paves the way for the administrative body to impose higher tariffs. The Commission, which is investigating state support for Chinese electric car makers, said the firms have not provided sufficient information on subsidies, operations, and supply chains. In October, the EU announced provisional duties, to begin this July, on all Chinese EVs. Subsequently, in December, Brussels sent a letter complaining about the companies' refusal to request their suppliers fill out a subsidy questionnaire on their "provision of capital, loans, guarantees, or any other types of financing." "Nevertheless, your client maintained its approach and continued to refuse access to some key information," read the letter sent to SAIC. (Politico, May 2, 2024)

BIDEN QUADRUPLES TARIFFS ON CHINESE EVS
The Biden administration is raising tariffs on Chinese clean-energy goods such as solar panels and batteries, and is quadrupling electric vehicle duties from 25% to 100%. The decision comes after a multiyear review of existing U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods. Some officials are calling for higher duties across the board while others, including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, want to target them to strategic sectors while lowering tariffs on consumer goods. Washington is concerned that Chinese clean-energy goods will undercut nascent American EV production. Former President Donald Trump has said he would apply an across the board 60% tariff on all Chinese imports should he be reelected in November. (Wall Street Journal, May 10, 2024)

CHINA WILL "NEVER FORGET" THE U.S. BOMBING ITS EMBASSY – XI
While visiting Belgrade, Serbia, Xi Jinping has vowed to "never forget" NATO's bombing of the Chinese embassy in 1999 that Washington blamed on faulty maps. "Twenty-five years ago today, NATO flagrantly bombed the Chinese embassy in Yugoslavia, killing three Chinese journalists. That we should never forget. We will never allow such tragic history to repeat itself," Xi said. Friendship between Beijing and Belgrade was "forged with the blood of our compatriots," but would only "grow tall and sturdy," he added. Chinese references to the Belgrade bombing underscore Beijing's solidarity with Moscow's position that NATO aggression provoked its attack on Ukraine. (Bloomberg, May 6, 2024)