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Chinese Economy Watch
- Thread starter rockdog
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This situation usually occurs during holidays, such as Chinese Spring Festival, 5.1 holidays, Mid-Autumn Festival holidays, National Day holidays. This is the peak season for transportation. This is a regular train.
But it's much better than it was 30 years ago.
This is a picture taken during the Spring Festival holiday 30 years ago,
which is why China needs to build so many high-speed trains today.
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Oh so if Indian trains get overcrowded during festive season that is a norm, but excuses come when mirror is shown.
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Why are they standing on the roof of the train
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Ask the cartoonist, all lines in Indian Railways are electrified. You can't stand on their roofs. Unless you lot can't differentiate between videos from India and from Pakistan/Bangladesh.
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US study finds China's tech innovation 'much stronger' than previously understood
South China Morning Post
Thu, Sep 19, 2024, 5:30 PM GMT+87 min read
Can China innovate and outcompete the US in their pitched battle for technological supremacy?
A 20-month investigation into the innovation performance of 44 Chinese firms across key technologies - including nuclear power, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, electric vehicles and materials science - revealed a troubling yes for the US.
On Wednesday, analysts from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a Washington think tank, presented their findings at a Capitol Hill event, urging US politicians and policymakers to tackle the challenges posed by Chinese innovation.
Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.
"Overall we find that while the Chinese innovation system is not perfect, it is much stronger than it was previously understood," ITIF's Stephen Ezell told the gathering.
Evidence to date suggested China had yet to take the lead overall, but "it has pulled ahead in certain areas and in many others Chinese firms will likely equal or surpass Western firms within a decade or so", he added.
Chinese firms were performing "the best" in nuclear power, electric vehicles and batteries, Ezell said, calling its pace of innovation in advanced semiconductors modest.
The analysts assessed the companies based on their R&D investment, personnel, presence of internal innovation teams, international awards and market share, comparing these factors to global leaders in their respective fields.
China is likely 10 to 15 years ahead of the US in deploying fourth-generation nuclear reactors at scale, according to the findings compiled and written by Robert Atkinson, ITIF's president.
Now the world's second-largest economy is building more nuclear reactors than the rest of the world combined, having deployed more in the past decade than the US has in the last 30 years.
By 2030, China is expected to surpass the US in nuclear-power generation, as it already became the first country to operationally deploy advanced fourth-generation reactors with new designs and passive safety systems.
On the automotive front, Ezell described it as "amazing" that China manufactured a mere 5,200 cars in 1985 and this year is expected to churn out 26.8 million.
"That'll be 21 per cent of global share," he noted. "They're expected to hit 30 per cent of global share by the end of this decade."
China is currently manufacturing 62 per cent of the world's electric vehicles and 77 per cent of the world's EV batteries.
An employee for battery manufacturing firm Gotion High-Tech works at a plant in Hefei, Anhui province. Photo: Xinhua alt=An employee for battery manufacturing firm Gotion High-Tech works at a plant in Hefei, Anhui province. Photo: Xinhua>
In biopharmaceuticals, the ITIF probe found that while China still lagged American and Western leaders, it was rapidly catching up. Between 2002 and 2019, China's share of global value added in the biopharmaceutical industry quadrupled to nearly 25 per cent.
In robotics, Ezell said "we found that the Chinese companies themselves weren't as innovative as their American, [South] Korean or Japanese peers, with the exception of Kuka", a German manufacturer of industrial robots acquired by Chinese appliance manufacturer Midea Group in 2016.
That said, China last year deployed more industrial robots than the rest of the world combined, the ITIF chief added. "This means that they're going to see the impacts of robotics and automation catalysing across the rest of their manufacturing economy."
As for semiconductors, the investigation found that China was about two to five years behind global leaders, with the latest advanced chip made by Huawei Technologies three years off pace.
In 2020, Huawei faced severe US sanctions that cut off its access to key chip supplies. Yet last year it surprised Washington by launching a new smartphone powered by a domestically produced advanced semiconductor.
This month the US Commerce Department announced new export controls on quantum computing and advanced chipmaking tools to protect American tech superiority. The interim rule included exemptions for countries that implement similar measures.
This followed the department's enactment of export controls in 2022 aimed at limiting China's access to advanced computing chips, hindering its development and maintenance of supercomputers and restricting its semiconductor-manufacturing capabilities.
And since the US government banned stateside chip makers from selling advanced semiconductors to China, American firms like Nvidia have created low-end versions of their most superior chips for the mainland market.
American software firm Nvidia, headquartered in Santa Clara, California, relies heavily on China for revenue. Photo: AP alt=American software firm Nvidia, headquartered in Santa Clara, California, relies heavily on China for revenue. Photo: AP>
The Chinese economy represented about 17 per cent of Nvidia's revenue for the year ending in January, down from 26 per cent two years earlier. Companies like Huawei have proved stiff competition.
Huawei's new Mate XT smartphone is challenging Apple's recently debuted iPhone 16 series in China. The device, billed as triple-foldable, has been in high demand, reportedly forcing Apple to sell its newest mobile products at lower prices.
Rick Switzer, who formerly worked on tech policy at the US State Department, warned on Wednesday that China was keeping pace on legacy chips used to make everything from washing machines to refrigerators to defence systems.
"If you don't control the legacy chips, you lose control of the entire fundamental foundation of technology," he said.
Switzer asserted that ITIF's report burst some myths about Chinese innovation hingeing on stolen tech from the West.
He cited a recent trip to the mainland by senior executives of American auto giant Ford, saying they found that Chinese EVs were not just cheaper but also "more innovative".
China "can innovate. They innovate all the time. They didn't steal their way there. They actually worked very hard to get there", Switzer said.
Tesla can attest to the challenge. In 2023, China's BYD emerged as the world's top EV manufacturer, selling about 3 million cars. In the same year, Elon Musk's firm sold 1.81 million vehicles globally, and in the first half of 2024, its China sales fell by 5 per cent.
Washington has paid heed. In May, US President Joe Biden imposed 100 per cent tariffs on Chinese EVs. He also said he wanted America by 2030 to produce EV batteries free of Chinese input such as critical minerals.
A Tesla Model X is positioned on a truck at a logistics drop zone in Seattle, Washington, in August. Although Tesla is one of the world's largest sellers of EVs, this year it is well off its 2023 pace of 1.8 million deliveries. Photo: Bloomberg alt=A Tesla Model X is positioned on a truck at a logistics drop zone in Seattle, Washington, in August. Although Tesla is one of the world's largest sellers of EVs, this year it is well off its 2023 pace of 1.8 million deliveries. Photo: Bloomberg>
Switzer noted that US researchers and research institutions have jointly published more papers with Chinese nationals and institutions than with any other country.
About 70 per cent of mainland students from the science and tech field do not stay in the US after studying in American universities, he added, as they end up working at Chinese companies and state-run labs.
"The ability to recycle innovation antibodies from recent graduates and postdocs who run through our system is one of the key elements" enabling China to stay innovative and be "a fast follower, a peer or an actual industry leader across the board", said Switzer.
Delivering closing remarks at the event, US congressman John Moolenaar, a Michigan Republican and chair of the House select committee on China, said outbound capital and export controls remained critical to America's defensive strategy against China.
"Export and outbound capital restrictions are a necessary condition for our victory over the CCP [Chinese Communist Party], and by combining these types of tools with investments in our own innovation, we can achieve victory," he said.
Biden in August 2023 signed an executive order banning the flow of American capital to Chinese firms involved in advanced tech sectors such as chips, AI and quantum computing.
Emily Jin of Datenna, a Dutch-based data-intelligence platform firm focusing on the mainland, cautioned that China was "rapidly advancing and even leading in several cutting-edge fields to turn technological leadership into economic growth and geopolitical power".
Furthermore, she believed the country's ideological environment was "less contested than the one in the United States today".
Specifically, China's approach to industrial policy and tech upgrading "is backed by an almost unified ideological fervour that the United States currently cannot match".
This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2024 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
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At the same time, the safety performance of Chinese EV has passed the inspection of Mossad.
Chinese automaker BYD leads Israel's electric car sales in Jan–Aug
Updated: Sep 5, 2024 XinhuaPrint
JERUSALEM -- Chinese auto giant BYD has sold the highest number of electric cars in Israel from January to August, totaling 12,890 units, according to figures released by the Israel Vehicle Importers Association on Monday.
BYD's top sellers in Israel during this period were the Atto 3 crossover, Dolphin hatchback, and Seal fastback sedan.
Meanwhile, BYD ranked fifth in overall vehicle sales in Israel, which includes both gasoline and electric cars.
In the Israeli electric car market, BYD was followed by MG Motor, which sold 5,784 units, and American carmaker Tesla, which sold 4,549 cars.
In the first eight months of the year, Chinese brands accounted for 68.3 percent of Israel's electric car sales, totaling 33,753 units.
With 44,683 units sold, Chinese brands also topped the overall car sales list in Israel. South Korea ranked second with 34,825 units sold, while Japan came in third with 32,235 units.
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I don't get this. Are people in the Middle East still using pagers & China's manufacturing them ??? And you're proud of this piece of information ? Are you alright ?
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Why would Mossad inspect & certify Build Your Deathmobile EVs ? Besides where in the article is it mentioned ?
At the same time, the safety performance of Chinese EV has passed the inspection of Mossad.
Chinese automaker BYD leads Israel's electric car sales in Jan–Aug
Updated: Sep 5, 2024 XinhuaPrint
Two of BYD's new-energy vehicle models stand on display at the company's new dealership in East London's Canary Wharf. [Photo provided to China Daily]
JERUSALEM -- Chinese auto giant BYD has sold the highest number of electric cars in Israel from January to August, totaling 12,890 units, according to figures released by the Israel Vehicle Importers Association on Monday.
BYD's top sellers in Israel during this period were the Atto 3 crossover, Dolphin hatchback, and Seal fastback sedan.
Meanwhile, BYD ranked fifth in overall vehicle sales in Israel, which includes both gasoline and electric cars.
In the Israeli electric car market, BYD was followed by MG Motor, which sold 5,784 units, and American carmaker Tesla, which sold 4,549 cars.
In the first eight months of the year, Chinese brands accounted for 68.3 percent of Israel's electric car sales, totaling 33,753 units.
With 44,683 units sold, Chinese brands also topped the overall car sales list in Israel. South Korea ranked second with 34,825 units sold, while Japan came in third with 32,235 units.
That's not the point, Mideadt peoole will trust more Chinese supply chain and brands.
They will ask to buy brands, components, assembly, patterns all from China, to avoid same thing happened on pager, walkie talkie...
Big money on the way.
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You mean those walkie talkies used in the Middle East wasn't mfgd in China ? I'm not referring to this particular incident in question but I can't figure out which other source would they get their walkie talkies from ?
Btw I think this bit of news like most of what you post here is propaganda. It's not as if Israel's targeting every Arab country in the ME.
They're targeting only those who're targeting them which essentially are the Palestinian groups like Hamas , Iran , the Houthis from Yemen , Hezbollah & Syria . So essentially these are your customers who may have already been your customers.
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Added to the above were other equations, with political and economic overtones. Finally, in September 2009, the FAW logos and any trace of its presence in the Elektra chain of stores furtively disappeared, leaving more than 5,000 owners helpless, who were left alone, without support from the brand and without knowing what to do in the event of a breakdown of their Chinese car.
Today, those cars that were once sold in Grupo Salinas warehouses can be found on internet sites with costs that vary from 30 to 60 thousand pesos and in conditions that vary from regular to very poor. There are even models that are sold as scrap metal so that you can rescue the parts you need.
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www.motorpasion.com.mx
A court ruling on Friday announced that indebted Huachen Automotive Group, parent company of BMW's Chinese joint venture partner Brilliance Automotive Holdings, will undergo bankruptcy restructuring.
Huachen Auto, parent of BMW's Chinese JV partner, goes into bankruptcy restructuring
A court ruling on Friday announced that the indebted Huachen Automotive Group, parent company of BMW's Chinese joint venture partner Brilliance Automotive Holdings, will undergo bankruptcy restructuring.
news.cgtn.com
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L4ryQcEFfI
(Yicai Global) March 2 -- No bidders came forward in the third auction of some of Zotye Automobile’s equity, even though the Chinese carmaker, which has come through bankruptcy restructuring, knocked 40 percent off the stock’s market value.
The 50 million Zotye shares previously owned by former largest shareholder Tech-New Group, equal to 1 percent of the firm’s total share capital, were put up for sale at CNY132 million (USD19.1 million) on Alibaba Group Holding’s auction platform on Feb. 27. The equity also failed to sell at a previous auction last month and in January.
(Yicai Global) Dec. 30 -- Renault Brilliance Jinbei Automotive, the joint venture between French carmaker Groupe Renault and China’s insolvent Brilliance Auto, has filed for bankruptcy, just a week after Yicai Global reported that the JV was no longer able to pay its staff’s salaries.
The bankruptcy case is being handled by the Intermediate People’s Court of Shenyang in northeastern Liaoning province, according to corporate data platform Qichacha. It is the French vehicle manufacturer’s second failed venture in China after it sold its stake in its loss-making JV with Dongfeng Motor in April last year.
Renault’s China JV With Brilliance Auto Goes Bust
www.yicaiglobal.com
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View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L4ryQcEFfI
In this video from Autorank, we present to you the 6 Chinese car brands that you should not consider buying in 2025. If you are thinking of buying a new vehicle, it is crucial that you know which are the cars with problematic engines and the brands with the worst engines on the market. The worst Chinese cars have flooded some markets, and it is essential to be informed to avoid bad investments.
Among the brands that stand out for having low-quality engines and recurring problems are BYD and Changan. These manufacturers have gained popularity for their competitive prices, but many users have reported that their cars are easily damaged and have serious mechanical failures. Poor quality cars can be a danger on the roads and generate unexpected expenses in repairs.
The worst cars of 2024 and 2025 include poor quality SUVs that, despite their attractive appearance, hide poor engines and unreliable technology. In Colombia and other countries, consumers have expressed their dissatisfaction with these vehicles, reporting engine problems and unsatisfactory performance. If you're wondering which car not to buy, it's essential that you avoid these 6 bad car brands that we detail in the video.
Chevrolet, although not a Chinese brand, has also had questionable models in terms of quality. It's important to distinguish between the available options and opt for vehicles that offer reliability and safety. The worst car engines can cause frustration and put your well-being at risk.
The worst Chinese engines are characterized by their lack of durability and efficiency. Cars with bad engines often have poor performance, high fuel consumption, and polluting emissions. In the video, we analyze the worst Chinese brands and provide you with detailed information about each one, so that you can make an informed decision.
In addition, it is important to note that cars with problematic engines not only cause mechanical problems, but can also depreciate quickly. Poor quality cars often lose value in the second-hand market, making it difficult to sell them in the future. The worst cars Colombia have left many drivers dissatisfied, so it is vital to consider all options before making a purchase.
At Autorank, we're dedicated to analyzing and evaluating vehicles available on the market to help you make the best decision. The worst engines 2025 could come from different manufacturers, so research is key. Cars that break down frequently represent a constant expense in maintenance and repairs.
That's why, in the video we also discuss the features you should avoid when choosing a new vehicle. Poor quality SUVs may seem attractive for their price and design, but it's essential to evaluate their long-term performance and reliability. The 6 brands with the worst engines we mentioned in the video are the result of a thorough analysis of reports from users and experts in the automotive industry.
By knowing which are the worst Chinese cars, you can avoid falling into marketing traps and focus on safer and more reliable options. If you're considering buying a new car in 2025, we recommend doing your research thoroughly and not just being carried away by price or appearance. Cars with bad engines can pose a risk to your safety and that of your loved ones.
At Autorank, we are committed to providing you with accurate and useful information so you can make informed decisions. Don't forget to subscribe to the channel for more content like this, where we analyze the best and worst cars on the market. Share this video with your friends and family so they too are aware of the brands and models to avoid.
Together, we can create a community of drivers who are well-informed and prepared to face the challenges of today's automotive market. Stay tuned for our upcoming posts, where we will continue to explore industry trends and developments, helping you find the vehicle that best suits your needs without compromising quality or safety.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XHHBR4sVSw
Chinese car market does not meet quality standards: Index Chihuahua
“Buying a Chinese vehicle is like buying a Chinese item of another kind: it is a cheap product, of poor quality and manufactured without standards”: Index Chihuahua
Mercado automotriz chino no cuenta con los estándares de calidad: Index Chihuahua
“Comprar un vehículo chino es como adquirir un artículo chino de otro tipo: es un producto barato, de mala calidad y fabricado sin estándares": Index Chihuahua
www.elheraldodechihuahua.com.mx
An evaluation carried out by the leasing company BitCar rated the reliability of 25 Chinese brands present in the country.
Of the 25 car brands from China with a presence in Mexico, only 13 are reliable, according to the BitCar 2024 Chinese Heat Map analysis
Estas son las 13 marcas de autos chinos en México más confiables
Una evaluación realizada por la compañía de leasing BitCar calificó la confiabilidad de 25 marcas chinas presentes en el país.
www.forbes.com.mx
Last edited:
View attachment 10082
View attachment 10081
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L4ryQcEFfI
In this video from Autorank, we present to you the 6 Chinese car brands that you should not consider buying in 2025. If you are thinking of buying a new vehicle, it is crucial that you know which are the cars with problematic engines and the brands with the worst engines on the market. The worst Chinese cars have flooded some markets, and it is essential to be informed to avoid bad investments.
Among the brands that stand out for having low-quality engines and recurring problems are BYD and Changan. These manufacturers have gained popularity for their competitive prices, but many users have reported that their cars are easily damaged and have serious mechanical failures. Poor quality cars can be a danger on the roads and generate unexpected expenses in repairs.
The worst cars of 2024 and 2025 include poor quality SUVs that, despite their attractive appearance, hide poor engines and unreliable technology. In Colombia and other countries, consumers have expressed their dissatisfaction with these vehicles, reporting engine problems and unsatisfactory performance. If you're wondering which car not to buy, it's essential that you avoid these 6 bad car brands that we detail in the video.
Chevrolet, although not a Chinese brand, has also had questionable models in terms of quality. It's important to distinguish between the available options and opt for vehicles that offer reliability and safety. The worst car engines can cause frustration and put your well-being at risk.
The worst Chinese engines are characterized by their lack of durability and efficiency. Cars with bad engines often have poor performance, high fuel consumption, and polluting emissions. In the video, we analyze the worst Chinese brands and provide you with detailed information about each one, so that you can make an informed decision.
In addition, it is important to note that cars with problematic engines not only cause mechanical problems, but can also depreciate quickly. Poor quality cars often lose value in the second-hand market, making it difficult to sell them in the future. The worst cars Colombia have left many drivers dissatisfied, so it is vital to consider all options before making a purchase.
At Autorank, we're dedicated to analyzing and evaluating vehicles available on the market to help you make the best decision. The worst engines 2025 could come from different manufacturers, so research is key. Cars that break down frequently represent a constant expense in maintenance and repairs.
That's why, in the video we also discuss the features you should avoid when choosing a new vehicle. Poor quality SUVs may seem attractive for their price and design, but it's essential to evaluate their long-term performance and reliability. The 6 brands with the worst engines we mentioned in the video are the result of a thorough analysis of reports from users and experts in the automotive industry.
By knowing which are the worst Chinese cars, you can avoid falling into marketing traps and focus on safer and more reliable options. If you're considering buying a new car in 2025, we recommend doing your research thoroughly and not just being carried away by price or appearance. Cars with bad engines can pose a risk to your safety and that of your loved ones.
At Autorank, we are committed to providing you with accurate and useful information so you can make informed decisions. Don't forget to subscribe to the channel for more content like this, where we analyze the best and worst cars on the market. Share this video with your friends and family so they too are aware of the brands and models to avoid.
Together, we can create a community of drivers who are well-informed and prepared to face the challenges of today's automotive market. Stay tuned for our upcoming posts, where we will continue to explore industry trends and developments, helping you find the vehicle that best suits your needs without compromising quality or safety.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XHHBR4sVSw
View attachment 10083
Chinese car market does not meet quality standards: Index Chihuahua
“Buying a Chinese vehicle is like buying a Chinese item of another kind: it is a cheap product, of poor quality and manufactured without standards”: Index Chihuahua
These are the 13 most reliable Chinese car brands in MexicoMercado automotriz chino no cuenta con los estándares de calidad: Index Chihuahua
“Comprar un vehículo chino es como adquirir un artículo chino de otro tipo: es un producto barato, de mala calidad y fabricado sin estándares": Index Chihuahua
An evaluation carried out by the leasing company BitCar rated the reliability of 25 Chinese brands present in the country.
Of the 25 car brands from China with a presence in Mexico, only 13 are reliable, according to the BitCar 2024 Chinese Heat Map analysis
Estas son las 13 marcas de autos chinos en México más confiables
Una evaluación realizada por la compañía de leasing BitCar calificó la confiabilidad de 25 marcas chinas presentes en el país.
sometimes, large part of those brands still come from China.
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13 brands of 25 are only reliable. many companies go bankrupt and their services for spares are bad, have high fuel consumption why you did not mention it?
Bad engine according to the review mention it
bad engine BYD ZL3Q
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XHHBR4sVSw
Last edited:
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The British travel bloggers ‘sugarcoating’ China’s Uyghur problem to the delight of Beijing
Nicola SmithSat, September 21, 2024 at 10:23 PM GMT+9·7 min read
82
In the heart of Xinjiang, the Chinese region where more than one million Uyghurs are believed to be detained in re-education camps, two carefree British travel vloggers cheerfully introduce their viewers to “one of the most controversial areas” of the country.
Journalists are harassed and heavily monitored in the rugged western province, where Western governments and rights groups have accused the authorities of suppressing Muslim minorities through mass surveillance, abuse and political indoctrination.
But foreign YouTube influencers are warmly welcomed by the normally censor-happy Chinese government, which seizes on their happy-go-lucky content to legitimise its own narrative that no human rights abuses are taking place.
“Nice, fancy Mustangs,” says one of the British vloggers, admiring sports cars on the streets of Xinjiang’s capital Urumqi. “It’s like a normal city, so what’s all the hype about? Negative hype as well. I don’t understand that,” he says.
It’s a message that chimes well with China’s own state propaganda machine.
As the country reopens for travel after years of pandemic isolation, foreign influencers, including many Brits, are heading East armed with cameras and tripods, eyeing an increasingly lucrative YouTube market with an eager audience ready to increase their ratings.
The Chinese government has given them a helping hand with a raft of new visa-free policies, and the country received over 17 million foreign travellers in the first seven months of this year, up by almost 130% year-on-year, according to foreign ministry figures.
“I myself have watched a good number of videos by foreign vloggers sharing their trips in China. I’m happy to see more and more foreign friends come to China and fall in love with China,” said Lin Jian, a foreign ministry spokesperson in August.
Many marvel at the bright lights of Shanghai’s skyline, Beijing’s imperial palaces and the impressive high speed rail network.
But a growing number are entering lesser-known regions including Xinjiang, which for years has been beset by allegations of severe human rights abuses and repression that Beijing justifies as necessary to fight terrorism.
Some YouTubers setting foot in the rugged region attempt to draw viewers with sensational titles about exposing Western media “lies” about Xinjiang or by alluding to the risks of travelling there.
But they often stress they are not pushing any narrative other than to see Xinjiang with their own eyes and to offer their viewers authentic firsthand accounts.
In a video titled “This is the XINJIANG the Western Media DON’T want you to see”, young Scottish couple Alan and Shannon explore Kashgar’s tourist district and dress in Uyghur traditional outfits for a photoshoot.
Another Briton, Mike Okay, 28, offers a grittier, and at times humorous experience as he hitchhikes through the province in search of a toilet or a carpark or campsite to sleep in. He documents multiple identity checks by police officers, surprised by his travel methods, but not unfriendly.
Some videos have more political undertones, explicitly contrasting their content with media reports.
In Urumqi, Tauseef Ahmed, with partner Libby Collins, comments that “if you relied on the Western media..then you wouldn’t normally hear anything positive,” and cites the oppression of Muslims as an example of typical accusations.
As the couple walk through Urumqi, they point out mosques. They also comment on the higher number of surveillance cameras, but add: “if you haven’t done anything wrong then there is nothing to be worried about.”
There is no suggestion any of the vloggers are acting at the behest of the Chinese government or receiving its money, but titles about media deception echo official state messaging about the West’s perceived anti-China narrative, particularly on fundamental rights.
For China, the influx of influencers offers the opportunity to rebut overseas criticisms and reinforce its stance through highlighting the unimpeded visits of awestruck foreigners.
The footage, amplified by Chinese social media platforms and state-run outlets, receive hundreds of thousands of views and screeds of favourable comments.
An increasing number of international vloggers were visiting Xinjiang “with great curiosity,” noted a recent article in the Global Times.
“A somewhat remote and mysterious region in China, Xinjiang is nonetheless a name constantly spotlighted in many Western media stories, which are usually filled with misinformation.”
It namechecks Mike Okay among several vloggers, highlighting a conversation with a campsite owner who says police checks are for his own safety.
It then rams home the government line that enhanced security in Xinjiang “is not an overreaction” due to the threat of terrorism from religious extremists and ethnic separatists.
Mike Okay, who described his trip as a “wild adventure” with “incredible people” said he had tried hard to avoid politics and focus on simply showing a “relatively unexplored” part of the world.
“As a content creator when you sign up..you are putting your content out into the world. People are going to read it however they like. So of course it concerns me,” he said.
“My intention was not to go there and disprove anything. My intention was ‘what does it look like if a clueless relatively uneducated foreigner walks around Xinjiang with a camera’?”
Daria Impiombato, a cyber analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, has co-written several reports on China’s multilayered ways of folding local and foreign influencers into its propaganda strategy.
She said vloggers with large platforms had a responsibility to inform themselves and to be sceptical.
“There needs to be a reckoning with that type of platform,” she said. “It’s like influencers who are going to Syria, just doing travel vlogs from Syria without talking about years and years of war and devastation. You can’t do that, and you can’t do that in Xinjiang either.”
But she stopped short of saying influencers should not go to Xinjiang, adding that some videos offered nuggets of valuable information.
Australian couple Michael and Josie, the creators of “josieliftsthings”, a YouTube channel with nearly 1m followers, raise questions in their Xinjiang video about the destruction of historical buildings in Kashgar and observe that the town centre appears to be set up for tourists.
They said their frankness had generated “heat” from viewers and made the video less popular as it wasn’t purely positive.
YouTubers had realised that “pro-China” content attracted more views, making it more profitable, they said.
“It’s a business decision and it comes down to whether you are honest about what you see or you are doing it for the cash,” said Michael.
“The reality of it is that it is a bit of a gold rush at the moment,” he said, adding that the couple were unlikely to return soon as the influencer scene had turned “a little bit ugly”.
“I do get very disappointed when I see a lot of YouTubers who use human rights as bait for their content and then say something in their video like ‘I’m here and..it looks completely normal,” he said.
“We never say everything is fine because we don’t know that,” added Josie. Scottish YouTubers Alan and Shannon did not respond to requests for comment.
Tauseef Ahmed and Libby Collins declined an interview and permission to feature their content. In a previous interview with the New York Times, Mr Ahmed said he did not worry about how their content was used by Chinese propaganda or others.
“At the end of the day, people can give it any narrative they want. It’s just two people going around and recording their travel adventures,” he said.
Maya Wang, the associate China director at Human Rights Watch, urged travellers to be more aware in societies suffering human right abuses and “not be complicit in the censorship and disinformation that the Chinese government hopes to achieve.”
But Prof Steve Tsang, the director of the SOAS China Institute, said vlogger videos were unlikely to sway already entrenched opinions about the Uyghurs.
The top priority for Chinese officials was how everything was seen in Beijing, he said.
“The propaganda machinery will be able to report back up the chain of command all the way through .. to Xi Jinping that we are doing it and doing it well, we are seizing and controlling the narrative.”
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The British travel bloggers ‘sugarcoating’ China’s Uyghur problem to the delight of Beijing
In the heart of Xinjiang, the Chinese region where more than one million Uyghurs are believed to be detained in re-education camps, two carefree British travel vloggers cheerfully introduce their viewers to “one of the most controversial areas” of the country.
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Chinese technology boost uptake of e-mobility in Africa: experts
(Xinhua) 10:38, September 22, 2024NAIROBI, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese green vehicle technology is boosting the adoption of e-mobility in Africa, experts said Friday.
Warren Ondanje, managing director of the Africa E-mobility Alliance, said in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, that Chinese e-vehicle manufacturers have positioned themselves as key partners for the growing number of e-mobility startups on the continent.
"Chinese firms have played a key role in accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles in Africa," Ondanje said during the Africa E-Mobility Week 2024 conference.
The five-day event brought together more than 200 delegates, including representatives from United Nations agencies, senior government officials and innovators from across Africa, to foster collaboration and advance the sustainable mobility movement on the continent.
Michael Muchiri, deputy superintending engineer at Kenya's Ministry of Roads and Transport, said that Chinese e-vehicle brands are attracting significant interest from environmentally conscious Kenyan consumers due to their high-quality, clean transportation solutions offered at affordable prices.
Muchiri said that taxi and public transport operators have embraced Chinese e-vehicles because their low operational costs make them more competitive than conventional fossil-fueled cars.
According to the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Kenya currently has an estimated 5,000 e-vehicles, comprising two-wheel, three-wheel, passenger and commercial vehicles.
Hilina Legesse, president of the Addis Ababa E-mobility Association, said that Chinese e-vehicles had facilitated Ethiopia's enforcement of its ban on importing fossil-fueled cars, which took effect in January, by providing affordable green vehicles.
Legesse said that several Chinese e-vehicle manufacturers have set up local assembly plants to meet the growing demand for clean modes of transport.
Claire Liu, sales manager at Chogori Technology, a Chinese manufacturer of e-vehicle accessories, said her firm has partnered with e-mobility companies in Africa to expand access to and affordability of electric-powered cars on the continent.
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