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July 14, 2021

- What's Going On? -

Developments Regarding Taiwan

Taipei City (Source: Unsplash)

– Japan’s deputy prime minister Taro Aso said that “a major problem” in Taiwan would trigger Japan’s right of collective self-defense. China “resolutely opposed” the remarks and said the remarks “harmed the political foundation of China-Japan relations.”

– The American Institute in Taiwan announced on July 6 that Sandra Oudkirk, a U.S. Foreign Service veteran with over 30 years of experience, will be the new Director of the institute’s Taipei Office. 

– The U.S. and Taiwan resumed the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) Council meeting on June 30, 2021, where the two sides agreed to convene further meetings on agriculture, intellectual property, investment and technical barriers to trade.

Building Towards Global Cooperation

Chairman and CEO of The Asia Group, Kurt Campbell, discusses the U.S.-China-India relationship on a foreign policy panel at Brookings on February 12, 2020. (Source: Brookings Institution, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

– Kurt Campbell, White House coordinator for the Indo-Pacific said he believes that China and the United States can co-exist peacefully, but “the challenge is going to be enormously difficult for this generation and the next.”

– Chinese President Xi Jinping, French President Macron and German Chancellor Merkel expressed their respective support for deeper cooperation and the EU-China Investment Agreement, according to China’s readout of a video call between the three. 

– More than 130 countries, including all G20 countries, agreed on July 1 to a U.S.-proposed outline to ensure that companies headquartered in these countries pay a tax rate of at least 15% whenever they operate.

Statements and Discussions on International Security

South China Sea, April 7, 2021. Aircrafts fly above the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. (Source: U.S. Pacific Fleet, CC BY-NC 2.0)

– U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken reaffirmed the July 13, 2020 U.S. policy statement regarding China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea as well as U.S. commitments to the U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty on the fifth anniversary of the South China Sea ruling. 

– China’s Southern Theater Command said it “drove away” a U.S. warship near the Paracel Islands in South China Sea. The U.S. 7th Fleet later said that the PRC statement was “false” and that USS Benfold “asserted navigational rights and freedoms” through its freedom of navigation operation (“FONOP”).

– A commercial satellite image revealed that China is constructing at least 119 nuclear missile silos in its northwest region, according to a report by The Washington Post. U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said the report is “concerning” but some Chinese defense analysts and commentators considered the report unfounded.

Human Rights Concerns and Related Actions

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin. (Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China)

– The U.S. Department of Commerce added 14 more Chinese companies to its Entity List, claiming to target “enablers of China’s human rights abuses and military modernization.”

– When asked about the Biden administration’s plan to sanction more Chinese companies,  Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said China will “take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests” of its companies.

– The United States’ Congressional-Executive Commission on China released a letter on July 1 to UN Secretary General António Guterres, calling for “immediate measures” to monitor and assess alleged human rights violations in China.

Increased Chinese Scrutiny Over Tech Companies

(Source: Unsplash)

– On July 2, China’s Cyberspace Administration launched a cybersecurity review into Didi and blocked the company’s app from accepting new users days after Didi’s U.S. IPO. The Cyberspace Administration had suggested that Didi delay its IPO and conduct a thorough self-examination of its network security. 

– On July 6, China said it will strengthen cybersecurity oversight of Chinese firms listed offshore. 

– On July 8, Chinese medical data group LinkDoc decided to postpone its U.S. IPO.

– Also on July 8, Reuters reported that the China Securities Regulatory Commission is establishing a team to review the offshore IPOs of Chinese companies, potentially increasing its scrutiny over the variable interest equity (VIE) structures that have been popular among big Chinese tech companies.

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- What's Happening Around Town? -

- What ICAS Is Up To -

ICAS Events and Co-Sponsored Events

ROUNDTABLE: The Global Race for S&T Innovation Amidst East-West Tensions

Thursday, July 22, 2021 — 9:30am-11:00am — Virtual (Zoom)

The deployment of many technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, and cloud computing is embroiled in multifaceted challenges, ranging from a market shortage of semiconductor chips to politically motivated calls to decouple the sectoral supply chains that bind the United States and China.The U.S. belief that China poses a grave competitive challenge continues to ripple across this highly sensitive area. For its part, China seeks to lessen its reliance on American chipmakers and software so as to deny the U.S.—and the West overall—the capability to place a chokehold on its technological development. And Canada, which faces its own security challenges in this field, continues to be deeply impacted by the U.S.-China competition.

To explore the evolving dynamics between China, the United States and Canada, ICAS is delighted to jointly host its latest China-U.S.-Canada Trilateral Relations Roundtable Discussion Series on the global race for science and technology innovation amidst East-West tensions. Join us virtually on Thursday, July 22, 2021 by signing up through the link below!

ICAS Special Announcement

Announcing the Newly Renovated ICAS Bulletin Format

To our Readers,

As we reach the halfway point of 2021 and prepare for an upcoming expansion in our programs, the Institute for China-America Studies has decided to take a fresh look at its materials in an effort to identify areas of improvement and renovation.

As part of this self-review, the ICAS Team has decided to reinvigorate the ICAS Bulletin–our longest-running serial publication–into a more engaging and audience-oriented design. It is our hope that this new format will both better serve our readers in understanding the current trends in the U.S.-China relationship and inform our readers of our activities at the Institute.

We are very excited to share this renovation with our readers and would like to extend our gratitude for your continued support! Keep an eye out for other upcoming announcements as we continue to grow in our goal to promote greater understanding between these two countries and societies.

Sincerely,

The ICAS Bulletin Editors

ICAS Special Announcement

ICAS is Looking for a Part-Time Research Intern!

Competitive candidates will have a keen interest in U.S.-China relations and be pursuing a master’s degree, or have recently obtained a bachelor’s degree, from an accredited institution. We are looking for problem solvers who can think on their feet and anticipate tasks ahead of time. Candidates with previous research experience at a D.C. think tank are preferred. Professional fluency in English is required. Professional fluency in Mandarin Chinese is desirable. Both in-person and remote work are acceptable. The candidate must be available for a minimum four-month period starting in July 2021.

Specific duties, qualifications, benefits and the application process can be found on the ICAS Internships page.

ICAS In the News

On Thursday, July 1, 2021, Research Associate Matt Geraci was quoted by Newsweek on the 100th Anniversary of the Communist Party of China.

On Friday, July 9, 2021, Senior Fellow Sourabh Gupta discussed U.S.-China geopolitical competition in Southeast Asia on CGTN America’s “The Heat”.

On Tuesday, July 6, 2021, Senior Fellow Sourabh Gupta appeared on RT America‘s “News with Rick Sanchez” discussing U.S.-China strategic competition in the area of missile and nuclear deterrence.

Sourabh Gupta on RT America, July 6, 2021
Sourabh Gupta on CGTN America's The Heat, July 9, 2021