Ћина-Средње Краљевство

Chinese groups go from fish to chips in new ‘Great Leap Forward’

Beijing semiconductor push draws companies from sectors such as seafood and autoparts


Chinese companies are rushing into the country’s semiconductor sector, spurred by a multibillion-dollar government plan to boost the industry to counter growing technological pressure from the US.

More than 13,000 Chinese enterprises registered as semiconductor companies in the first nine months of this year, according to data from Qichacha, a Chinese companies information provider.

The numbers are double the monthly average of last year, with registrations jumping more than 30 per cent in September alone. Many companies entering the industry have no experience in semiconductors, coming from sectors such as auto parts or seafood.

Beijing is expected to sharply increase financial support for the chip industry as part of its 14th Five-Year Plan, to be announced at the end of October, in response to US efforts to block China’s development as a technology power.

Some state media have dubbed this push the “Great Semiconductor Leap Forward”, referring to the 1957 order by Mao Zedong to surpass western industrial nations by producing steel in backyard furnaces — an effort that eventually led to history’s largest famine.

President Xi Jinping has pledged to invest $1.4tn in the six years to 2025 to build high-tech industries from mobile networks to artificial intelligence.

Douglas Fuller, a professor at City University in Hong Kong and an expert on China’s industrial policy in the chip sector, said the wave of new entrants into the industry was being driven by “subsidies, or the hope for even more subsidies”.

“There have always been waves of state activism in this industry but the possibility that companies completely outside this sector are jumping in is a departure from history,” added Prof Fuller.

China imports more than $300bn of semiconductors a year, above any other product including oil. A significant amount of those chips are for China’s export industry.

The latest push is partly in response to US president Donald Trump’s efforts to squeeze China’s technology sector. Washington has imposed sanctions on Huawei, China’s largest technology company, and more recently on Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation, the country’s biggest chipmaker.

Public records show that Chinese companies with no known experience of semiconductors are moving into the sector.

Shanghai Xinpeng Industry Co, an auto parts maker, registered as a semiconductor producer in July. Since the end of last year, it has invested more than Rmb400m ($59m) in semiconductor factories in Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Tianjin and Foshan.

Dalian Morningstar Network Technology Co, a seafood maker turned online gaming company, said in May it planned to pay Rmb230m for a 51 per cent stake in a lossmaking Shanghai-based semiconductor group.

DMNT lost Rmb1bn last year but shares of the Shenzhen-listed company have more than doubled since it announced the Shanghai semiconductor investment. “Our gaming business is languishing,” said an official at the company. “Semiconductors have a better future.”

Shanghai Xinpeng did not reply to emailed requests for comment.

While China has spent billions trying to create its own semiconductor industry over the past 40 years, the scale of the latest push — and the rhetoric surrounding it — are unprecedented.

Chinese state media describe developing the semiconductor industry as an “all-nation effort”, phraseology previously reserved for tasks such as the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the fight against coronavirus.

Bai Chunli, president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told reporters last month China needed to invest more in advanced semiconductors and equipment for manufacturing integrated circuits to avoid being “strangled” technologically by the US.

While there have been public warnings in China against a blind rush into chips, many downplay the risks.

“Of course, looking at how we now have more than 10,000 projects, definitely a large number will run into problems,” Lu Lei, secretary-general of the Shanghai Information Services Association, an industry group, said in a TV interview last month. “We must not view that as waste. We must look at it as the price you have to pay to develop an industry. It’s a natural process that has to happen, you must have quantity to arrive at quality.”

https://www.ft.com/content/46edd2b2-1734-47da-8e77-21854ca5b212

China snaps up Japanese scientists, sparking fears of technology outflow

Government must urgently improve domestic research environment to stem brain drain

TOKYO -- For Japanese scientists, China's attraction as an ideal place to pursue scientific research seems to only get stronger.

The trend is gathering steam as the Chinese government proactively invites top-caliber scholars from around the world. Japanese academics, meanwhile, often experience difficulty in finding posts at domestic universities and other institutions, underscoring an urgent need to improve how scholars, especially young ones, are treated in order to apply the brakes to an exodus of critical talent.

"I wanted to work in Japan but found no post," said Toru Takahata, who researches primate brains at China's Zhejiang University.

Takahata, 43, earned his doctorate from Japan's Graduate University for Advanced Studies in 2005 and began his research career as a postdoctoral fellow at Vanderbilt University in the U.S. in 2008. He sought a position in Japan starting around 2013 but to no avail.

He then looked abroad and landed a place at Zhejiang University in 2014. Research environments are favorable at the school, where Takahata has his own laboratory at a newly built institute. In addition to compensation, he has received the equivalent of 50 million yen ($478,652) for five years of research activity with no restrictions.

Although research achievement requirements are tough, "compensation to scholars for successful results is overwhelmingly higher than in Japan," Takahata said.

China has been attracting veteran Japanese academics as well.

Toshitaka Kajino, 64, professor at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, in October 2016 became the first director of the International Research Center for Big-Bang Cosmology and Element Genesis at the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Known as an authority in theoretical physics, Kajino accepted an ardent invitation from the Chinese government that offered annual compensation higher than that for other professors working in China.

Simultaneously retaining his position in Japan, Kajino conducts half of his research work in China. "Teaching Chinese students is worthwhile as they are highly motivated," he said.

The number of Japanese scholars working in China has steadily increased. Some 8,000 of them were in China as of October 2017, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The number of Japanese academics who stayed in China for less than a month in fiscal year 2018 came to 18,460, up about 25% from fiscal 2014 and marking an increase for the fourth consecutive year, according to Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

By country, China has the second-largest number of Japanese scholars. But the number of Japanese academics in the U.S. and South Korea, ranked first and third, respectively, has decreased.

The increasing presence of academics from Japan in China has drawn attention as Japanese media recently reported that China's "Thousand Talents Plan," under which it recruits leading international experts in scientific research to harness their technological prowess, poses a national security threat to the country. And in the spring of 2016, Kajino was put on the plan's list of desired scholars.

There is no doubt that China is actively recruiting scholars. According to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, China has more than 600 "overseas talent-recruitment workstations," including 46 in Japan. These are often run by groups sympathetic to Beijing, around the world.

In many cases, scholars are officially invited to Chinese universities to work after relations are established with them during business or other short-term visits to China, said Miho Funamori, an associate professor at the National Institute of Informatics.

Experts point out that Japanese academics seek research bases in China despite the risk of technology outflow because of poor working conditions in Japan. "It seems that talented scholars who are struggling to secure research funds or suffering from the shortage of posts often receive offers from China," said Eisuke Enoki, a Japanese specialist familiar with the Chinese recruitment of talent.

China set aside the equivalent of 28 trillion yen [225 billion euros] for its science and technology budget in fiscal 2018, compared with Japan's 3.8 trillion yen [30.5 billion euros]. Scholars below the age of 40 accounted for 23.4% of faculty at Japanese universities, the lowest on record, in 2016, testifying to the difficulty of younger people securing teaching and research positions.

The number of doctorate holders has continued to decrease in Japan. However, Takahata said, "The degree is highly popular in China as it guarantees high positions and pay."

rumbeando wrote:

China snaps up Japanese scientists, sparking fears of technology outflow

Government must urgently improve domestic research environment to stem brain drain

TOKYO -- For Japanese scientists, China's attraction as an ideal place to pursue scientific research seems to only get stronger.

The trend is gathering steam as the Chinese government proactively invites top-caliber scholars from around the world. Japanese academics, meanwhile, often experience difficulty in finding posts at domestic universities and other institutions, underscoring an urgent need to improve how scholars, especially young ones, are treated in order to apply the brakes to an exodus of critical talent.

"I wanted to work in Japan but found no post," said Toru Takahata, who researches primate brains at China's Zhejiang University.

Takahata, 43, earned his doctorate from Japan's Graduate University for Advanced Studies in 2005 and began his research career as a postdoctoral fellow at Vanderbilt University in the U.S. in 2008. He sought a position in Japan starting around 2013 but to no avail.

He then looked abroad and landed a place at Zhejiang University in 2014. Research environments are favorable at the school, where Takahata has his own laboratory at a newly built institute. In addition to compensation, he has received the equivalent of 50 million yen ($478,652) for five years of research activity with no restrictions.

Although research achievement requirements are tough, "compensation to scholars for successful results is overwhelmingly higher than in Japan," Takahata said.

China has been attracting veteran Japanese academics as well.

Toshitaka Kajino, 64, professor at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, in October 2016 became the first director of the International Research Center for Big-Bang Cosmology and Element Genesis at the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Known as an authority in theoretical physics, Kajino accepted an ardent invitation from the Chinese government that offered annual compensation higher than that for other professors working in China.

Simultaneously retaining his position in Japan, Kajino conducts half of his research work in China. "Teaching Chinese students is worthwhile as they are highly motivated," he said.

The number of Japanese scholars working in China has steadily increased. Some 8,000 of them were in China as of October 2017, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The number of Japanese academics who stayed in China for less than a month in fiscal year 2018 came to 18,460, up about 25% from fiscal 2014 and marking an increase for the fourth consecutive year, according to Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

By country, China has the second-largest number of Japanese scholars. But the number of Japanese academics in the U.S. and South Korea, ranked first and third, respectively, has decreased.

The increasing presence of academics from Japan in China has drawn attention as Japanese media recently reported that China's "Thousand Talents Plan," under which it recruits leading international experts in scientific research to harness their technological prowess, poses a national security threat to the country. And in the spring of 2016, Kajino was put on the plan's list of desired scholars.

There is no doubt that China is actively recruiting scholars. According to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, China has more than 600 "overseas talent-recruitment workstations," including 46 in Japan. These are often run by groups sympathetic to Beijing, around the world.

In many cases, scholars are officially invited to Chinese universities to work after relations are established with them during business or other short-term visits to China, said Miho Funamori, an associate professor at the National Institute of Informatics.

Experts point out that Japanese academics seek research bases in China despite the risk of technology outflow because of poor working conditions in Japan. "It seems that talented scholars who are struggling to secure research funds or suffering from the shortage of posts often receive offers from China," said Eisuke Enoki, a Japanese specialist familiar with the Chinese recruitment of talent.

China set aside the equivalent of 28 trillion yen [225 billion euros] for its science and technology budget in fiscal 2018, compared with Japan's 3.8 trillion yen [30.5 billion euros]. Scholars below the age of 40 accounted for 23.4% of faculty at Japanese universities, the lowest on record, in 2016, testifying to the difficulty of younger people securing teaching and research positions.

The number of doctorate holders has continued to decrease in Japan. However, Takahata said, "The degree is highly popular in China as it guarantees high positions and pay."

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/China-snaps-up-Japanese-scientists-sparking-fears-of-technology-outflow?fbclid=IwAR19XHyu7FC6mb0-kDw0b9Sw2u27TeQE7sxIMGJmp1nFuZllTAPjTR1tans

buffalo bill wrote:Ja se malo šalim ali ne baš. Jel smo učeni da je sve to liberalno i prirodno, jesmo. Ja duboko verujem da oni koji sada pomalo gube "tržišnu utakmicu" (tzv zapad) nemaju nikakvo pravo da se ljute i da imaju moralnu obavezu da žive svoju veru koju su drugima propovedali decenijama, tj da trpe gubitke u novcu, talentima i potencijalima jer ima neko "uspešniji", i da pritom sve vreme budu mirni i krotki i da obezbede razumnu tranziciju moći bez ratova i sranja.

Ili ćemo biti prinuđeni da odbacimo ceo etos liberalizma pa onda anything goes.

China rejects Australian PM's call to apologise for 'repugnant' tweet with fake image of soldier


China’s foreign ministry has rejected calls from the Australian prime minister to apologise over an inflammatory tweet over war crimes allegations, insisting it is Australia that should be saying sorry for the loss of life in Afghanistan.

The Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, had demanded the Chinese government apologise and take down a “repugnant” foreign ministry tweet that depicted an Australian soldier cutting the throat of a civilian in Afghanistan.

As the outrage over the digitally altered image threatened to sink already tense relations between the two countries to a new low, Morrison said on Monday the Chinese government “should be totally ashamed of this post”, which he said diminished Beijing on the world stage.

He said his government – which has been at odds with Beijing over a range of trade actions taken by China against Australian exports over the course of this year – was conveying its outrage directly to the Chinese ambassador to Australia and would also contact Twitter to demand it take down the post “in the interest of decency”.

Monday’s tweet from Zhao Lijian, a spokesman with China’s foreign ministry, seized on a recent report from a four-year-long official investigation into the conduct of Australian special forces soldiers in Afghanistan.

Zhao wrote that he was “shocked by murder of Afghan civilians & prisoners by Australian soldiers” and he called for accountability.

The tweet was accompanied by an inflammatory image that appears to depict an Australian soldier cutting the throat of a young civilian holding a sheep, together with the words “Don’t be afraid, we are coming to bring you peace!”

Shocked by murder of Afghan civilians & prisoners by Australian soldiers. We strongly condemn such acts, &call for holding them accountable. pic.twitter.com/GYOaucoL5D

— Lijian Zhao 赵立坚 (@zlj517) November 30, 2020

The digitally altered image also shows a large Australian flag behind the soldier covering what appears to be a number of body shapes.

At the ministry of foreign affairs’ regular press conference on Monday, Zhao did not appear. Instead Huan Chunying, director of the ministry’s department of information, addressed media, doubling down on Zhao’s tweet.

“The Australian side is reacting so strongly to my colleague’s tweet - Does this mean they think the cruel killing of Afghan lives is justified? Afghan lives matter ... shouldn’t the Australian soldiers feel ashamed?” Hua said, according to the ABC’s Bill Birtles.

Hua said Australian soldiers committed “serious crimes”, detailing some of the more graphic findings from the Brereton report, and the Australian government “should apologise”.

Prior to the release of the Brereton report earlier this month, Morrison called Afghanistan’s president, Ashraf Ghani, and “expressed his deepest sorrow over the misconduct by some Australian troops”, Ghani’s office said at the time.

Releasing the report, the chief of the Australian defence force, General Angus Campbell, said he “sincerely and unreservedly” apologised to the people of Afghanistan on behalf of the defence force.

Earlier, Morrison told reporters in Canberra: “The Chinese government should be totally ashamed of this post. It diminishes them in the world’s eyes.

“It is a false image and a terrible slur on our great defence forces and the men and women who have served in that uniform for over 100 years. There are undoubtably tensions that exist between China and Australia, but this is not how you deal with them.”

Morrison again called for a resumption of talks between Australian and Chinese government ministers, which have been frozen since earlier this year, after Beijing objected to the Morrison government’s forthright calls for an independent global investigation into Covid-19 origins and handling.

Morrison indicated he had also sought talks with the Chinese president, Xi Jinping. He said he hoped “this rather awful event” might “lead to the type of reset where this dialogue can be restarted, without condition – that we can sit down and start talking sensibly”.

He said the dispute was not just about the two countries involved, but that other nations were watching how China was treating Australia’s efforts to protect its sovereignty and stand up for its values.

Hu Xijin, the editor-in-chief of China’s nationalistic state media outlet the Global Times, said Morrison had no right to feel angry over “the use of this cartoon” and the calls for an apology were “ridiculous and shameless”.

Comment has been sought from the Chinese embassy in Australia and the foreign ministry in Beijing.

The latest intervention comes amid worsening trade tensions between China and Australia, with the Morrison government giving the strongest sign yet that it is planning to launch a complaint to the World Trade Organisation over hefty tariffs on Australian barley.

Beijing has repeatedly objected in the past to the Australian government speaking up over the Chinese government’s human rights record, including the mass incarceration of Uighurs in Xinjiang province.

After a four-year inquiry, Maj Gen Paul Brereton found credible information to substantiate the alleged murder of 39 Afghans – prisoners, farmers and other civilians – by 25 Australian special forces soldiers, either as principals or accessories.

The Australian government has set up an office of special investigator to build briefs for potential prosecution through Australian courts.

Morrison said the Australian government was dealing with the allegations in accordance with the rule of law and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, but reaffirmed that “the actions of a few … do not reflect on the many thousands of others” who had served in Afghanistan.

Morrison said a decision had not yet been made on whether to revoke the meritorious unit citation awarded to special forces who served in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2013.

The removal of this citation was a step that the defence force chief, Gen Angus Campbell, had previously said he would recommend to the governor general.

The prime minister said the Australian defence force had earned the respect it was afforded “and there can be no taking away from that - and that is certainly my view and the government’s view”. Governors general always took advice from the prime ministers, Morrison said.

Zhou had raised the Brereton report at a regular press conference in Beijing last Friday, when he said: “The facts revealed by this report fully exposed the hypocrisy of the ‘human rights’ and ‘freedom’ these western countries are always chanting.”

It is not the first time the image attached to Zhou’s tweet has been posted online. Someone who describes themselves as a “China affiliated netizen” posted the image on Twitter on 25 November as part of a tweet complaining about Australia’s previous criticism of the Chinese government over human rights.

The Labor opposition leader, Anthony Albanese, backed Morrison’s stand against the tweet, arguing the post was gratuitous, inflammatory and deeply offensive.

“Australia’s condemnation of this image is above politics,” Albanese told the lower house of parliament.

The Labor foreign affairs spokesperson, Penny Wong, told the Senate the tweet was “not the behaviour of a responsible, mature international power”.

China has a 5,000 year history of cheating and stealing. Some things will never change...

— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) December 3, 2020

buffalo bill wrote:

China has a 5,000 year history of cheating and stealing. Some things will never change...

— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) December 3, 2020