Thailand’s land bridge rail-and-port project “to be unveiled in June” | Global Construction Review

“The Thai government will reveal the location of its planned “land bridge” between the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea in June, the country’s transport minister Saksayam Chidchob has said.

The plan is to build two deepwater ports on either side of one of Thailand’s narrowest regions, linked by a 100km railway and motorway, so that cargo ships sailing between the west Pacific and the Middle East can use the land bridge as a relay, allowing them to avoid the Malacca Strait at Singapore, the world’s most congested sea corridor.

The land bridge concept has replaced the long-mulled idea of building a costly canal.”

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China Strategy 2021-2024 – A balanced, coherent and coordinated approach to China | Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

“China has developed rapidly in recent decades. Relations between Switzerland and China are becoming closer all the time, but this also means that differing values are coming to light more frequently and more clearly than before. The number of actors in Switzerland who maintain contact with China is also rising. In light of this, the Federal Council adopted a new strategy for China at its meeting on 19 March. The strategy was drafted in a process that involved all government departments.”

Read the full statement @ FDFA:

Brochure – China Strategy 2021-2024 (FDFA)

Switzerland’s China strategy put to the test | Handelszeitung

Swiss companies are disadvantaged and spied on in China. The Federal Council should finally demand equal rights, it is said from the economy.

Nobody wants to confirm it. But the case is exemplary of obstacles in China. Two Swiss baby food manufacturers have been waiting for a sales license for almost two years. These are Nestlé and Hochdorf. Nobody knows where it’s stuck. It can’t be because of the quality. “We have successfully passed Chinese audits here on site,” says a Hochdorf spokesman.

Wait, wait, and wait again.”

Switzerland and China to deepen finance fies | Finews

“Despite the increasing discord between China and the U.S., Switzerland wants to further deepen its cooperation in financial matters with the Far East nation.

Swiss Finance Minister Ueli Maurer exchanged views with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He at a virtual ministerial meeting (yesterday) Wednesday, according to a statement from the Federal Department of Finance (FDF). The two politicians each had a high-ranking delegation at their side.

Maurer and Liu He thus developed perspectives on deepening bilateral relations in the areas of stock market trading, sustainable financial services, asset management, and digital central bank money. The central banks of both countries are known to be working on projects for digital central bank money, although the respective approach differs greatly in terms of the user base.”

Read the full article @ Finews:

Rolex winners, Swatch losers after Swiss luxury watch industry’s devastating year | SCMP

“Rolex was one of the least affected by the economic crunch last year, according to a report, while the Swatch Group posted its first loss since 1983.

Chinese luxury consumers created a surge in Swiss watch exports to mainland China after starting to shop locally, with demand strong for mid-price brands.”

Read the full articlel @ SCMP (paywall):

China and Pakistan fall out over Belt and Road frameworks | Nikkei Asia

“China and Pakistan are embroiled in their most serious disagreement relating to the Belt and Road Initiative, causing the annual bilateral summit of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to be delayed.”

Read the full article @ Nikkei Asia (paywall):

Turkey, Iran, Pakistan rail link to China’s Belt and Road | Nikkei Asia

“The governments of Turkey, Iran and Pakistan will revive a transnational rail service linking Istanbul, Tehran and Islamabad in 2021. The ITI transnational railroa is expected to enhance connectivity with China’s Belt and Road initiative (BRI) by providing a rail connection between China and Turkey, Nikkei Asia has learned.”

Read the full article @ Nikkei Asia (paywall):

China has too much influence over Switzerland, finds study | swissinfo.ch

“According to Basel University, Ralph Weber’s study is the “first work to explore tactics of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) influence and United Front activities in Switzerland”. It focuses on personal and institutional networks, and lists efforts to exert influence on “issues Beijing regards as sensitive, including questions concerning Tibet, Taiwan, or Xinjiang”.

Based on the study, the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper highlights a “spin doctor” living in western Switzerland: Yuming Yang, who is currently on the board of the Bern-based Swiss China Investment Platform Association – along with Hans-Ulrich Bigler, the director of the Swiss Trade Association (SGV).”

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Why a controversial Chinese-Swiss agreement has been left to expire | swissinfo.ch

“The Swiss government has put on hold a deal that allowed agents from China to come to Switzerland to identify Chinese nationals, following public outcry and pressure from various groups. But questions about the nature and purpose of the arrangement continue to dog migration officials.”

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Unified message, rhizomatic delivery: A preliminary analysis of PRC/CCP influence and the united front in Switzerland | Sinoptic

“Documenting Overseas Chinese united front networks and contacts between Swiss social, economic and political circles and the Chinese party-state’s co-optation apparatus.

This study sets out to trace some of the personal and institutional networks used by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to influence society and economic and political circles in Switzerland. These efforts address issues sensitive from a CCP point of view (Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang etc.), but also aim to shape the image of China in Switzerland overall. The focus is on Swiss-based actors, who appear to be co-opted, and, in a classic pattern, might or might not be aware of their co-optation. The study highlights the grey zones that these tactics of influence and sometimes interference are conducted in and the rhizomatic manner by which a unified message from various actors in Beijing gets projected into a target society like Switzerland.”

Read the full text @ Sinoptic:

A preliminary analysis of PRC/CCP influence and the united front in Switzerland (PDF – Sinoptic)

The United Front: A Lesser-Known Side of Chinese Presence in Switzerland | The Geneva Observer

“The influence of China on the world economy and international politics increases from day to day. Many economic or diplomatic actors are wondering about their relationship with the Chinese state, struggling to grasp all its facets. One facet of the Chinese party-state that we have difficulty identifying, despite its presence in Switzerland, is the United Front.”

Read the full article @ The Geneva Observer:

Tale of two Belt and Road Initiative port projects in Malaysia shows limits of Chinese money | SCMP

“The Kuantan Port expansion and Melaka Deepwater Port projects show that while China may provide funds, domestic actors also play an important role.
Despite Malaysia’s political turmoil, the Kuantan project continued to receive government support, but the Melaka project is a different story.”

Read the full article @ SCMP (paywall):

More than half of Chinese acquisitions in Switzerland have state fingerprint | Swissinfo.ch

“The Chinese government has a stake in 53% of Swiss companies acquired by Chinese firms since 2010, according to a think tank study.”

Read the full article @ Swissinfo.ch:

Asian Group Takes Over Landmark Building at Zurich’s Paradeplatz | finews.asia

“Savoy Baur en Ville, one of Zurich’s top hotels, will close its doors by the end of 2022, only to reopen two-and-a-half years later under a new name and new management. The renovation is the fourth in the long history of this landmark building at Paradeplatz.

The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group will take over the management of Savoy Hotel Baur en Ville, the luxury hotel at Paradeplatz in Zurich. Even after the handover of operational responsibility, the ownership will remain the same though: Credit Suisse (CS) will retain its majority stake in the renowned hotel, according to a statement released on Monday.”

Read the full article @ finews.asia:

Did a Belt and Road project in Malaysia just crash and burn? | SCMP

“The government of the Malaysian state of Melaka has terminated an agreement with the main developer of a Belt and Road Initiative infrastructure project after years of delays, raising questions about its future and the Malaysian government’s commitment to other projects under the strategy.

The Melaka Chief Minister’s Office said in a statement that the agreement with KAJ Development on the Melaka Gateway mixed development had been ended after the developer failed to complete the 246.45-hectare maritime initiative, which it signed on to in October 2017 and was meant to include port facilities, economic parks and tourist attractions on three artificially constructed islands.”

Read the full article @ SCMP (paywall):

The plans of the new Chinese ambassador to Switzerland | NZZ

“China is said to have eliminated absolute poverty by the end of the year. This is what the head of state and party leader Xi Jinping wants. It is an area that Wang Shihting, Beijing’s new representative in Switzerland, is very familiar with.”

Read the full article @ NZZ (paywall):

China’s AI unicorns aim to reduce reliance on government surveillance business | The Star

“When Chinese AI unicorns SenseTime, Megvii and Yitu were sanctioned by the US in October last year, it looked like a major threat to the survival of their business.

Yet the supply chain impact of being added to Washington’s Entity List, which restricted their access to American products, has been less significant than originally feared. In fact, it was quickly overshadowed by the need to diversify a business model overly reliant on government orders for surveillance cameras in a market that has since become saturated.”

Read the full article @ The Star:

Coronavirus effect helps Swiss soap brand target China | swissinfo.ch

“Threatened several times with extinction, Switzerland’s oldest soap manufacturer is enjoying a new lease of life thanks to the importance of handwashing in 2020. The company’s owner, a businessman from Hong Kong, is now planning to tap into the Asian market.”

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Thailand and China sign delayed deal on Belt and Road rail line | Nikkei Asia

“Thai and Chinese official on Wednesday signed an agreement for a 50.6 billion baht ($1.62 billion) segment of a high-speed rail line, part of Beijing’s Belt and Road cross-border infrastructure initiative.”

Read the full article @ Nikkei Asia (paywall):

COVID gave China an edge in A.I. battle against the U.S. | Fortune

“The U.S. and China are battling for global supremacy in artificial intelligence. Amid the pandemic, China may have taken the lead.
“Data is what drives A.I., and China has more data than anyone else,” Kai-Fu Lee, CEO of Chinese venture capital firm Sinovation ­Ventures and author of AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order, said at the Fortune Global Forum on Tuesday.”

Read the full article @ Fortune (paywall):