- Iran as an example of bypassing sanctions
- How does the West’s response to Russia affect China?
- Concerns about lockdown in Shanghai
- Chinese students criticize delayed evacuation
- EV Sales triple
- Tibetan singer Tsewang Norbu
- Yale economist Stephen Roach: Only China can stop Russia
China will not supply aircraft components to Russia for the time being. That was an important piece of the larger political puzzle on Thursday. While Beijing pays lip service to Russia’s support, there has been precious little tangible action so far. Yet anything that cushions Western sanctions would be extremely valuable to Russia. Using China’s trade with Iran as an example, Michael Radunski analyzes how a boycott can be undermined – and why China will not make use of these options to aid Russia. After all, the country does not want to be drawn into a sanctions spiral.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the likelihood that China will reach for Taiwan has been a major discussion topic. Couldn’t it be an example for China if Russia takes back its supposedly own territory? Are Western sanctions perhaps so half-hearted that Beijing feels vindicated in its invasion plans?
However, the Taiwan situation can hardly be compared with the Ukraine situation, argues Frank Sieren. The threshold for military action is much higher for China because it stands to lose much more than Russia. It is strongly internationally integrated and has achieved great things in the past decades during its technological and economic catch-up. China is far too smart to sacrifice all that – especially since the modern battlefield is the hunt for the most advanced technology, believes Sieren. That doesn’t mean China won’t keep trying to take over Taiwan without bloodshed.
Shanghai is facing a potential lockdown. Marcel Grzanna has gathered all the evidence that points to the city’s plans to nip an incipient Omicron outbreak in the bud. Many citizens are already preparing for extended isolation at home. Some companies, however, are doing the opposite: They want their employees to move nice and productive to the workplace for the lockdown and even spend their nights there. Work-life balance? Not in the pandemic.
Finn Mayer-Kuckuk
Feature
Example Iran: How China could help Russia
The West is showing rare unity in the Ukraine war. It wants to persuade Russia to give in by imposing tough sanctions. But the success of these punitive measures depends on China’s behavior. Will Beijing undermine the West’s sanctions to help its partner in Moscow? While Beijing performs a breathtaking balancing act politically, it supposedly sides firmly with Moscow on economic issues. “China and Russia will continue to conduct normal trade cooperation in the spirit of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit,” a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
But experts agree that China will not dare to violate Western sanctions openly. Instead, both countries could use less obvious channels to significantly weaken the impact of sanctions on Russia’s financial and real economy. A look at China’s attitude toward Iran shows exactly how this could unfold.
China’s greed for Iranian oil
Hardly any country in the world is subject to sanctions as severe as Iran. What is currently being called the “mother of all sanctions” on Russia has long since struck Iran. The Islamic republic was excluded from the Swift international payments system. Since then, transfers to or from the country are no longer possible. Yet, Iran is still unwilling to relent in the nuclear row. This has several reasons. One of them is China, or more precisely, China’s hunger for Iranian oil.
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