Trump-Xi call, China-Japan tensions, and Hong Kong's deadliest fire in decades
Welcome back to What’s Happening in China, your weekly China brief.
Jumping straight in this week.
— PC
Through the Lens
In Focus
I. Trump-Xi call
President Trump and China’s top leader Xi Jinping held a phone call Monday, the latest in a flurry of diplomatic and trade parries between the two countries over tariffs and technology export restrictions.
In a post about the call on Truth Social, President Trump said: “We discussed many topics including Ukraine/Russia, Fentanyl, Soybeans and other Farm Products, etc. We have done a good, and very important, deal for our Great Farmers — and it will only get better. Our relationship with China is extremely strong!”
A statement from China’s state news agency said both countries should “keep up the momentum, keep moving forward in the right direction on the basis of equality, respect and mutual benefit, lengthen the list of cooperation and shorten the list of problems, so as to make more positive progress, create new space for China-U.S. cooperation and bring more benefits to the people of both countries and the world.”
Read: Trump and China’s Xi Jinping discuss trade, Taiwan, Ukraine in call (NPR)
Related:
Xi says China, U.S. should keep up momentum in ties, move forward in right direction (Xinhua)
Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) (Truth Social)
II. China-Japan tensions
U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi have discussed Takaichi’s recent comments on Taiwan, people familiar with the matter said.
Sources close to the prime minister said Thursday that she and Trump had agreed to “cooperate to calm” China’s anger over Takaichi’s remark this month that an invasion of Taiwan could escalate into a situation that requires Japan to mobilize its defense forces.
Neither Takaichi’s government nor the Trump administration have said publicly that the Taiwan comments were discussed in the call.
Trump spoke with Takaichi on Tuesday, a day after he held a call with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
A senior Japanese official said Takaichi and Trump had discussed trade issues, including soybean exports to China, a priority for Trump. The president conveyed that positive ties between U.S. and China benefit Japan, the official said.
[…]
In a news conference Thursday, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara denied the Wall Street Journal’s reporting that Trump had “advised her [Takaichi] not to provoke Beijing on the question of Taiwan’s sovereignty.”
After learning of the report, Takaichi told aides that she did not think Trump had said anything along those lines.
Takaichi herself is trying to calm the turbulence stirred up by her remarks. When asked Wednesday in a debate with party leaders about a potential Taiwan crisis, the prime minister said, “The government would make a decision after considering all of the information together.”
Read: Trump and Takaichi discussed Taiwan remarks, how to calm China: sources (Nikkei Asia)
Related:
Japan PM highlights Trump bond after first talks since China clash (Reuters)
Spat With China Becomes an Asset for Japan’s New Leader (The New York Times)
China turns to familiar playbook in dispute with Japan over Taiwan (AP)
Chinese Airlines Slash Hundreds of December Flights to Japan After Travel Warning (Caixin)
China slams Japan’s plans to deploy missiles near Taiwan (HKFP)
Japan will pay ‘painful price’ if steps out of line over Taiwan, China military says (Reuters)
If China can bully Japan, it can bully anyone (The Japan Times)
III. Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades
Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades has raised questions about corruption and negligence in the renovations of the apartment complex where at least 128 people died.
An intense fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court complex in Hong Kong’s northern suburbs Wednesday afternoon, with flames covering seven of the eight towers. The complex was home to some 4,800 residents, some of whom had raised safety concerns about the renovations more than year before the fire.
Police on Wednesday arrested three men from a construction company on suspicion of manslaughter and gross negligence. They are now out on bail. Authorities then arrested seven men and one woman, including scaffolding subcontractors, directors of an engineering consultancy company and project managers supervising the renovation, in a corruption probe.
Read: Hong Kong authorities investigate corruption, negligence in deadliest fire in decades (AP)
Related:
Three days of mourning begins after Hong Kong apartment fire (BBC)
HK blaze: China launches campaign against fire hazards in high-rise buildings (HKFP)
Hong Kong community groups deliver aid to survivors of Wang Fuk Court fire (The Guardian)
Portraits of courage: domestic helpers who stayed with their wards during Hong Kong fire (SCMP)
Of 243 animals trapped in Tai Po fire, 92 recovered, NGO says (HKFP)
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