The free world blames a cyberattack on China

The China Letter: July 19, 2021

The persecution of Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang is gaining more attention in America, whose military might seems to be posing a threat to China’s warring intentions, while doing digital business in the U.S. seems to be a way for Beijing to make it difficult for a company to thrive. Check out the latest in this newsletter, which is easy to share.

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A new era of accusations

NPR World @nprworld

The U.S. Has Formally Accused China Of A Massive Cyberattack On Microsoft

npr.orgThe U.S. Has Formally Accused China Of A Massive Cyberattack On MicrosoftThe Biden administration, backed by European allies, is publicly calling out Beijing for an attack earlier this year on Microsoft’s Exchange email server software that targeted computers worldwide.

A historic condemnation of Chinese state-sponsored cyberattacks was issued by the U.S. with the backing of European allies, spurred by a March incident that exploited a flaw in Microsoft exchange servers. Similar statements were issued by multiple NATO members after enough evidence was gathered to link the Hafnium hackers to Beijing.

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New light on darkness

Axios @axios

China accused the Biden administration of hurting global trade following restrictions on imports from the Xinjiang region.

axios.comChina accuses Biden administration of hurting global trade“Undermined the security and stability of the global industrial chain and supply chain.”

A new round of American restrictions on imports from the Xinjiang region due to forced labour and other abuses that China denies led Beijing to fire back about risks to trade across the globe. But the plight of Muslim Uyghurs continues to gain a global profile including a first-person account of this genocide published by The Atlantic:

The Atlantic @TheAtlantic

1/9 In 2017, the Uyghur poet @HamutTahir and his family escaped Xinjiang—the region at the center of China’s genocide against the minority community. Now, he’s sharing his experiences with the world. on.theatln.tc/6tLQT5V 📹: Stephen Voss / Adam Ferriss

The excerpts of Hamut Tahir’s piece posted on Twitter touch on the Chinese government’s mass internment process, what it feels like to be under constant surveillance, being forced to repress one’s religious identity, the disappearance of friends and family and ultimately having to leave home without saying goodbye.

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Disputed claim of chasing

Stars and Stripes @starsandstripes

China’s military said it chased a U.S. warship out of a disputed area of the South China Sea on Monday after Washington warned an attack on the Philippines might activate a mutual defense treaty. The U.S. Navy rejected the Chinese statement as false.

stripes.comChina says it chased US warship out of disputed sea; US Navy rejects claimChina’s military said it chased a U.S. warship out of a disputed area of the South China Sea on Monday after Washington warned an attack on the Philippines might activate a mutual defense treaty. The U.S. Navy rejected the Chinese statement.

More conflict between the U.S. and China came with the latter claiming that it “drove away” a warship that passed through the disputed Paracel Islands. But the U.S. Navy dismissed the claim, which came after the White House reaffirmed a commitment to activate a mutual defense treaty to defend the Philippines’ armed forces from attack.

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Didi gets driven away

CNBC @CNBC

Chinese ride hailing rivals look to take advantage of Didi’s troubles

cnb.cxChinese ride hailing rivals look to take advantage of Didi’s troublesDidi’s rivals in China are trying to eat away at the company’s market share as it faces a crackdown from regulators.

After the ride-hailing app Didi was ordered removed from download in China after it raised $4.4 billion in an initial public offering the New York Stock Exchange, domestic rivals rushed in to try seizing the market. Overall, the situation that finds global tech firms subject to the whims of Beijing has drawn more attention to these policy risks:

Nikkei Asia @NikkeiAsia

GREAT WALL vs WALL STREET | THE DIDI FALLOUT American investors, who have been bullish for years on U.S.-traded Chinese companies, are starting to feel the burn of 'capitalism with Chinese characteristics.' @JackStoneTruitt reports. $DIDI

s.nikkei.comDidi IPO fallout reminds Wall Street of China policy riskInvestors start to feel the burn of ‘capitalism with Chinese characteristics’

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Worries over Wikipedia

Hong Kong Free Press HKFP @hkfp

[Recap] Hong Kong Wikipedia editors take precautions amid fears mainland peers may report users to national security police

hongkongfp.comHong Kong Wikipedia editors take precautions amid fears mainland peers may report users to national security police | Hong Kong Free Press …A group of Hong Kong Wikipedia editors have convened an urgent meeting and shared guidelines to prevent doxxing, after users from mainland China allegedly threatened to report the group to the city’s national security police. Representatives from the group told HKFP they are hoping to seek assistanc…

The war on democracy in Hong Kong has moved to Wikipedia, where battles to set the narrative about protests surround conflicting sources, after the closure of Apple Daily. Moreover, proposed laws allowing for the forcing of platforms to remove personal information has led to warnings that Amazon and Google could depart Hong Kong.

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The last words, for now

Declining birth rates might be an issue in China, but population growth has been recorded among giant pandas, who were reclassified from “endangered” to “vulnerable” as the number living in the wild reached more than 1,800. Long-term conservation efforts helped save the animal, meaning more panda diplomacy to come

BBC News (UK) @BBCNews

Giant pandas no longer endangered but still vulnerable, says China

bbc.inGiant pandas no longer endangered but still vulnerable, says ChinaTheir classification was downgraded as the number in the wild has reached 1,800, officials said.

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