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China

Microsoft gets warning: Don’t block watchdog

An antitrust regulator warned Microsoft Corp in a strongly worded announcement on Monday not to obstruct an ongoing monopoly investigation.The warning came less than a week after the United States company’s two flagship software products became the subjects of antitrust investigations in China.The State Administration for Industry and Commerce said it had questioned Microsoft’s Deputy General Counsel Mary Snapp on issues related to the monopoly investigation.Microsoft was asked to obey Chinese laws.”The SAIC formally told Microsoft not to interfere in the investigation process,” said an announcement on the administration’s website.”Microsoft promised to respect Chinese law and fully cooperate with the SAIC’s investigation,” it said.The formal investigation began on July 29 when nearly 100 investigators from the administration swooped on four Microsoft offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu. They took away internal documents and two desktop computers.The regulator said later that Microsoft’s Windows operating system and Office business software were under monopoly investigation because of compatibility, bundling and document authentication problems.Bryan Wang, principal analyst at Forrester Research Inc, said the investigation reflects China’s tightening grip on overseas-made information technology products after former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden leaked a year ago the massive surveillance program led by the US government.”Growing information security concerns have given China a perfect reason to oust overseas-made IT products from key sectors such as energy, banking and government use,” Wang said.Microsoft is the second foreign IT vendor to come under a monopoly investigation in China.Last year, US chip maker Qualcomm Inc was investigated by the National Development and Reform Commission – another antitrust agency – over abuse of market dominance status.Qualcomm could face up to $1.2 billion in fines under China’s 6-year-old anti-monopoly law. The investigation is in the final stage and a decision will be announced soon, according to an NDRC official.Wang Jingwen, an analyst at international research company Canalys, told China Daily that if Microsoft is given a big fine in China, it could lead to increased prices for its devices, which may undermine the company’s smartphone sales.Microsoft is trying hard to increase the market share of phones using the Windows operating system in China, where Google Inc’s Android holds a more than 85 percent share.Microsoft is also cutting jobs worldwide at the newly purchased Nokia handset group. Android phones are a key product line for Nokia.gaoyuan@chinadaily.com.cn

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An antitrust regulator warned Microsoft Corp in a strongly worded announcement on Monday not to obstruct an ongoing monopoly investigation.The warning came less than a week after the United States company’s two flagship software products became the subjects of antitrust investigations in China.The State Administration for Industry and Commerce said it had questioned Microsoft’s Deputy General Counsel Mary Snapp on issues related to the monopoly investigation.Microsoft was asked to obey Chinese laws.”The SAIC formally told Microsoft not to interfere in the investigation process,” said an announcement on the administration’s website.”Microsoft promised to respect Chinese law and fully cooperate with the SAIC’s investigation,” it said.The formal investigation began on July 29 when nearly 100 investigators from the administration swooped on four Microsoft offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu. They took away internal documents and two desktop computers.The regulator said later that Microsoft’s Windows operating system and Office business software were under monopoly investigation because of compatibility, bundling and document authentication problems.Bryan Wang, principal analyst at Forrester Research Inc, said the investigation reflects China’s tightening grip on overseas-made information technology products after former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden leaked a year ago the massive surveillance program led by the US government.”Growing information security concerns have given China a perfect reason to oust overseas-made IT products from key sectors such as energy, banking and government use,” Wang said.Microsoft is the second foreign IT vendor to come under a monopoly investigation in China.Last year, US chip maker Qualcomm Inc was investigated by the National Development and Reform Commission – another antitrust agency – over abuse of market dominance status.Qualcomm could face up to $1.2 billion in fines under China’s 6-year-old anti-monopoly law. The investigation is in the final stage and a decision will be announced soon, according to an NDRC official.Wang Jingwen, an analyst at international research company Canalys, told China Daily that if Microsoft is given a big fine in China, it could lead to increased prices for its devices, which may undermine the company’s smartphone sales.Microsoft is trying hard to increase the market share of phones using the Windows operating system in China, where Google Inc’s Android holds a more than 85 percent share.Microsoft is also cutting jobs worldwide at the newly purchased Nokia handset group. Android phones are a key product line for Nokia.gaoyuan@chinadaily.com.cn

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Microsoft gets warning: Don’t block watchdog

China

New Report from Dezan Shira & Associates: China Takes the Lead in Emerging Asia Manufacturing Index 2024

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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.

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Is journalist Vicky Xu preparing to return to China?

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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. 

Rumors surfaced on X and Weibo at the end of March that Vicky Xu – a Chinese-born Australian journalist who exposed forced labor in Xinjiang – was returning to China after becoming an “outcast” in Australia. (Screenshots / X & Weibo)

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?

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Guide for Foreign Residents: Obtaining a Certificate of No Criminal Record in China

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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.

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