China news roundup / Nachrichten 2025-03-18/19
He escaped China. Harassment followed him to a New York courtroom
"A Chinese state-owned enterprise claimed he owed it $12.5 million and was pursuing a judgment in the Nassau County Court. The case he recognized had its origins back home in China. It was based on what he considered was a corrupt and fraudulent 2017 court ruling against him in Gansu, China.
[...] Legal experts say Ma’s case is in fact part of a growing trend: the use of U.S. courts to seek penalties against dissidents
[...] Courts in the U.S. often recognize foreign judgments as long as they meet basic procedural standards. This approach, while intended to promote international legal cooperation, also creates vulnerabilities. In Ma’s case, the court found no compelling reason to reject the Chinese ruling, despite concerns about the integrity of China’s legal system.
Eventually the Nassau court ordered Ma to pay the $12.5 million"
--- You would think that US courts know how reliable the CCP justice system is, but obviously there are morons who think that justice means the same in China as in the West.
RSF condemns cyber-harassment campaign fuelled by state-backed smear campaign against two French journalists
"Since 1 March, thousands of posts containing violent insults and death threats have flooded the social media accounts of the two French journalists and Cash Investigation on Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter), and the comment sections of videos attacking the reporters and the outlet.
The harassment followed an episode of Cash Investigation, a renowned journalism show produced by Premières Lignes, that aired on 6 February. The report, “Auchan, Decathlon... The Secrets of a Golden Family,” investigated one of Decathlon’s Chinese suppliers. In the episode, the journalists visited two textile factories in China’s Shandong province owned by the subcontractor.
On 16 March, RSF observed that Chinese state-controlled entities, including the Xinhua news agency, began relaying the online campaign’s rhetoric, discrediting the journalists and the programme as “poorly made propaganda against China.” By repeating key narratives from the online attacks, these state outlets are reinforcing, legitimising and expanding the harassment campaign on an international scale, a practice known as information laundering."
--- Well, since the campaign is CCP-led & Chinese state outlets are nothing more than CCP propaganda mouthpieces there is no need to make a distinction.
Melbourne residents receive letter offering $200k for information on Hong Kong pro-democracy activist
"It is not known who sent the letter but its language matches a public appeals notice published on the Hong Kong police force’s official website. A UK phone number included at the bottom of the letter has also been linked to the Hong Kong police force
[...] Similar letters with the exact formatting were mailed to neighbours of former Hong Kong district councillor Carmen Lau, who lives in the UK, earlier this month.
[...] A Hong Kong government spokesperson said it would not issue an anonymous letter"
--- Obviously, this was done simply by concerned Chinese citizens, absolutely no connection to the CCP.
Ex-researcher sentenced to death for spying, China says
"Believing that he had been treated unfairly at the institute, Liu saved a large amount of classified material before he left, intending to use it for revenge and blackmail, the ministry stated.
He then joined an investment firm and, after failed investments drove him into debt, approached a foreign spy agency which got the material from him at a "very low price", according to the ministry.
This agency subsequently cut off contact with Liu, the ministry added, and he tried to sell the information abroad.
"In half a year, he secretly travelled to many countries and seriously leaked our country's secrets," the article said."
--- Dubious. Every 'researcher' who has access to actual state secrets is not allowed to travel abroad without official permission.
China blocks South Korean inspection of disputed sea structure
China's growing grip on more than Germany's car industry
China Halts US LNG Imports as Trade War Reroutes Deliveries
Police in China’s Anhui detain 2 Christians for ‘cult’ activities
--- China Uncensored: "Did Trump Just Cripple Taiwan? | $100 Billion TSMC Deal"
--- CNA: "China’s housing crisis and its knock-on effects on the economy"
Weniger Risiko: Deutsche Direktinvestitionen in China schrumpfen seit 2022
"Hinzu kommt, dass es sich bei den Investitionen deutscher Firmen in China nur noch um reinvestierte Gewinne aus dem Chinageschäft handelt. Neues Geld fließt de facto nicht mehr in die Volksrepublik."
--- Wenn es so ist, dann wäre es gut. Habe aber so meine Zweifel. Gibt immer noch einige Unternehmen, die nicht nur reinvestieren. Angeblich machen ja deutsche Autokonzerne in China Verlust. Woher sollen da also die Gewinne zum Reinvestieren kommen?
Was wirklich hinter dem Grusel-Schiff in China steckt
"Die Nachricht, dass ein riesiges Schiff aus dem Nichts vor der Küste Chinas in der Straße von Taiwan aufgetaucht sei,
[...] Das "Geister-Schiff""
--- Deutschland, deine Journaille...
Mal wieder totaler Hirnriss: Der Bau der Schiffe wurde seit Monaten von Satelliten beobachtet.
Donald Trump und der Panamakanal: Jetzt reagiert Chinas Regierung
!BEER