China
US backs Philippines call for China to respect law of the sea
The U.S. has spoken up in support of the Philippines amid China’s increased assertiveness in the South China Sea, which Washington says shows a “continuing disregard” for other claimants.
A U.S. spokesman said in a strongly-worded statement late on Monday that the United States “supports the Philippines’ continued calls upon the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to respect the international law of the sea in the South China Sea, as reflected in the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, and its legal obligations pursuant to the 2016 arbitral ruling.”
The statement said the reported “escalating swarms” of Chinese vessels in the vicinity of Iroquois Reef and Sabina Shoal in the Spratly Islands “interfere with the livelihoods of Philippine fishing communities.”
They “also reflect continuing disregard for other South China Sea claimants and states lawfully operating in the region,” the statement said.
Six parties – Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan – hold claims over parts of the South China Sea but Beijing’s claim is by far the biggest, at up to 90% of the sea.
From earlier this month, Manila has reported a large number of Chinese vessels “swarming” near Iroquois Reef and Sabina Shoal in the part of the South China Sea that the Philippines calls West Philippine Sea.
Iroquois Reef and Sabina Shoal, although located within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), are also claimed by China which calls them Houteng Jiao and Xianbin Jiao.
Beijing claims that they have been China’s traditional fishing grounds since ancient times and sends ships there on a regular basis.
Diplomatic protests
Since taking office in June, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has repeatedly stated that his government would assert a 2016 international arbitration court ruling that invalidated all China’s claims in the South China Sea but was rejected by Beijing.
Under him, Manila has ramped up diplomatic protests against Beijing’s frequent incursions in the South China Sea.
Last month, Manila filed a diplomatic protest accusing the China Coast Guard of forcibly confiscating rocket debris salvaged by a Philippine coast guard ship in the Spratlys, just when U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris was visiting the Philippines.
Observers such as Jay Batongbacal, an international legal expert, said the incident was “about China again trying to demonstrate their power and alleged jurisdiction over the area.”
“It shows their lack of respect and utter disregard for civilized and professional conduct at sea,” Batongbacal told RFA at the time.
The incident occurred near Pag-asa, or Thitu, island that Manila controls and the Philippine Senate filed a resolution on Dec. 14 condemning the Chinese actions.
The U.S. statement on Monday said “we share the Philippines’ concerns regarding the unsafe encounter that the PRC Coast Guard initiated with Philippines naval forces in the South China Sea, as documented before the Senate of the Philippines.”
“The United States stands with our ally, the Philippines, in upholding the rules-based international order and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea as guaranteed under international law,” it stated.
The U.S. has a long-standing defense treaty with the Philippines.
The Philippine Department of National Defense, in a statement on Dec. 14, said the swarming of Chinese vessels near Iroquois and Sabina is “unacceptable” and “the President’s directive to the Department is clear – we will not give up a single square inch of Philippine territory.”
Iroquois Reef sits at the southern end of Reed Bank where the Philippines has service contracts for oil and gas exploration but these activities have been impeded by China.
In the so-called 2019 Reed Bank incident, a Philippine fishing boat anchored at the bank where the Iroquois Reef is located was rammed and sunk by a Chinese vessel. Manila lodged a diplomatic protest but Beijing dismissed it, calling the incident an “ordinary maritime accident.”
After months of protest, China issued a letter of apology to the Philippines but insisted on calling Reed Bank an area of China’s Nansha islands.
Read the rest of this article here >>> US backs Philippines call for China to respect law of the sea
China
New Report from Dezan Shira & Associates: China Takes the Lead in Emerging Asia Manufacturing Index 2024
China has been the world’s largest manufacturer for 14 years, producing one-third of global manufacturing output. In the Emerging Asia Manufacturing Index 2024, China ranks highest among eight emerging countries in the region. Challenges for these countries include global demand disparities affecting industrial output and export orders.
Known as the “World’s Factory”, China has held the title of the world’s largest manufacturer for 14 consecutive years, starting from 2010. Its factories churn out approximately one-third of the global manufacturing output, a testament to its industrial might and capacity.
China’s dominant role as the world’s sole manufacturing power is reaffirmed in Dezan Shira & Associates’ Emerging Asia Manufacturing Index 2024 report (“EAMI 2024”), in which China secures the top spot among eight emerging countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The other seven economies are India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Bangladesh.
The EAMI 2024 aims to assess the potential of these eight economies, navigate the risks, and pinpoint specific factors affecting the manufacturing landscape.
In this article, we delve into the key findings of the EAMI 2024 report and navigate China’s advantages and disadvantages in the manufacturing sector, placing them within the Asia-Pacific comparative context.
Emerging Asia countries face various challenges, especially in the current phase of increased volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA). One notable challenge is the impact of global demand disparities on the manufacturing sector, affecting industrial output and export orders.
This article is republished from China Briefing. Read the rest of the original article.
China Briefing is written and produced by Dezan Shira & Associates. The practice assists foreign investors into China and has done since 1992 through offices in Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Qingdao, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Suzhou, Guangzhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. Please contact the firm for assistance in China at china@dezshira.com.
China
Is journalist Vicky Xu preparing to return to China?
Chinese social media influencers have recently claimed that prominent Chinese-born Australian journalist Vicky Xu had posted a message saying she planned to return to China.
There is no evidence for this. The source did not provide evidence to support the claim, and Xu herself later confirmed to AFCL that she has no such plans.
Currently working as an analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, or ASPI, Xu has previously written for both the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, or ABC, and The New York Times.
A Chinese language netizen on X initially claimed on March 31 that the changing geopolitical relations between Sydney and Beijing had caused Xu to become an expendable asset and that she had posted a message expressing a strong desire to return to China. An illegible, blurred photo of the supposed message accompanied the post.
This claim was retweeted by a widely followed influencer on the popular Chinese social media site Weibo one day later, who additionally commented that Xu was a “traitor” who had been abandoned by Australian media.
Following the publication of an ASPI article in 2021 which exposed forced labor conditions in Xinjiang co-authored by Xu, the journalist was labeled “morally bankrupt” and “anti-China” by the Chinese state owned media outlet Global Times and subjected to an influx of threatening messages and digital abuse, eventually forcing her to temporarily close several of her social media accounts.
AFCL found that neither Xu’s active X nor LinkedIn account has any mention of her supposed return to China, and received the following response from Xu herself about the rumor:
“I can confirm that I don’t have plans to go back to China. I think if I do go back I’ll most definitely be detained or imprisoned – so the only career I’ll be having is probably going to be prison labor or something like that, which wouldn’t be ideal.”
Neither a keyword search nor reverse image search on the photo attached to the original X post turned up any text from Xu supporting the netizens’ claims.
Translated by Shen Ke. Edited by Shen Ke and Malcolm Foster.
Asia Fact Check Lab (AFCL) was established to counter disinformation in today’s complex media environment. We publish fact-checks, media-watches and in-depth reports that aim to sharpen and deepen our readers’ understanding of current affairs and public issues. If you like our content, you can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X.
Read the rest of this article here >>> Is journalist Vicky Xu preparing to return to China?
China
Guide for Foreign Residents: Obtaining a Certificate of No Criminal Record in China
Foreign residents in China can request a criminal record check from their local security bureau. This certificate may be required for visa applications or job opportunities. Requirements and procedures vary by city. In Shanghai, foreigners must have lived there for 180 days with a valid visa to obtain the certificate.
Foreign residents living in China can request a criminal record check from the local security bureau in the city in which they have lived for at least 180 days. Certificates of no criminal record may be required for people leaving China, or those who are starting a new position in China and applying for a new visa or residence permit. Taking Shanghai as an example, we outline the requirements for obtaining a China criminal record check.
Securing a Certificate of No Criminal Record, often referred to as a criminal record or criminal background check, is a crucial step for various employment opportunities, as well as visa applications and residency permits in China. Nevertheless, navigating the process can be a daunting task due to bureaucratic procedures and language barriers.
In this article, we use Shanghai as an example to explore the essential information and steps required to successfully obtain a no-criminal record check. Requirements and procedures may differ in other cities and counties in China.
Note that foreigners who are not currently living in China and need a criminal record check to apply for a Chinese visa must obtain the certificate from their country of residence or nationality, and have it notarized by a Chinese embassy or consulate in that country.
Foreigners who have a valid residence permit and have lived in Shanghai for at least 180 days can request a criminal record check in the city. This means that the applicant will also need to currently have a work, study, or other form of visa or stay permit that allows them to live in China long-term.
If a foreigner has lived in another part of China and is planning to or has recently moved to Shanghai, they will need to request a criminal record check in the place where they previously spent at least 180 days.
There are two steps to obtaining a criminal record certificate in Shanghai: requesting the criminal record check from the Public Security Bureau (PSB) and getting the resulting Certificate of No Criminal Record notarized by an authorized notary agency.
This article is republished from China Briefing. Read the rest of the original article.
China Briefing is written and produced by Dezan Shira & Associates. The practice assists foreign investors into China and has done since 1992 through offices in Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Qingdao, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Suzhou, Guangzhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. Please contact the firm for assistance in China at china@dezshira.com.
- New Report from Dezan Shira & Associates: China Takes the Lead in Emerging Asia Manufacturing Index 2024
- Is journalist Vicky Xu preparing to return to China?
- Guide for Foreign Residents: Obtaining a Certificate of No Criminal Record in China
- China Unveils Plan to Upgrade Industrial Equipment
- China deepens engagement with new Indonesian president as top diplomat visits Jakarta
- New Publication: A Guide for Foreign Investors on Navigating China’s New Company Law
