The China Letter is back to catch you up on news you need to know, which includes the most detailed evidence yet of how Muslim Uyghurs are treated. Also, what we learned about the fighting words from Joe Biden about Taiwan, why Airbnb is leaving China, a long-awaited ban in Canada, and the story of an expensive toy store statue crash in Hong Kong.
Xinjiang Police Files
German anthropologist Adrian Zenz released images discovered in a hacking of police computer files in Xinjiang—from between the years 2000 and 2018—which have provided the most thorough portrait to date of individuals being held in Uyghur detention camps. Chinese state media continues to dispute the characterizations.
“Strategic ambiguity”
Joe Biden said America would intervene if China invaded Taiwan, but the U.S. president subsequently clarified that the “strategic ambiguity” approach remained intact. Nonetheless, some fellow Democrats hope the initial comments weren’t accidental, but a sign that the White House is willing to fight for democracy no matter what Beijing thinks.
Another technology exit
The decision by Airbnb to stop listing rental properties in China was spurred by the ongoing lockdowns, but domestic competition from “super-apps” is also cited as a reason. Meanwhile, ride-hailing service Didi is delisting from the New York Stock Exchange as Beijing’s tech crackdown coincides with American regulatory concerns over Chinese firms.
Canada’s decision made
The formal banning of Huawei and ZTE from Canada’s fifth-generation networks over security concerns was the culmination of a drawn-out drama. The federal government claimed the detention of the “two Michaels” after the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou wasn’t a contributing factor.
The accidental refund
Worldwide attention came to a Hong Kong toy store that forced the father of a five-year-old to pay HK$33,600 ($4,255 U.S.) after a six-foot Teletubby statue crashed to the floor, claiming it was kicked. But the uproar led the China-based chain Kidsland to issue a refund based on the video evidence that the fall was because the boy accidentally leaned against it.