Sweden in China’s bad books after Chinese tourists’ hostel drama
A clash between Chinese tourists and the Swedish police has caused consternation on Chinese social media and heightened tension between the Swedish and Chinese governments.
A Chinese family – an elderly couple and their adult son – arrived 14 hours early for check-in at a hostel in Stockholm. Since it was the middle of the night, they requested to sleep in the waiting area. The hostel refused permission and eventually had to call the police.
The Chinese family accused the police of mistreatment and risking the life of the sick father. The Swedish police deny the allegations and video footage appears to support the argument that they used proportionate force.
Nevertheless, the Chinese government have accused the Swedish police of human rights abuse, which comes at a time when Sweden and China are already at loggerheads over China’s treatment of a Swedish national.
US-China trade war continues to escalate
The trade war between China and the US is showing no signs of an ending yet, and experts argue it could go on for years to come.
Earlier this week the US placed new tariffs on $200bn worth of Chinese goods and China retaliated introducing taxes on $60bn worth of US products.
These measures had a negative impact on stock markets in Asia and the US and many believe the trade war has become the new normal in Sino-US relations.
While China is not ruling out trade talks with the US, its Commerce Minister said that this would not happen, while the US is “holding a knife to China’s neck”.
UK warship mission in South China Sea upsets China
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi sent a stern warning to the UK when he met UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt in the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York this month.
China is unhappy at a freedom-of-navigation exercise carried out by a UK warship in the South China Sea earlier this month. The Chinese considered the exercise to be a provocation, challenging the idea of Chinese sovereignty in the waters, which are claimed by a number of countries in the region.
Wang told Hunt that the UK should respect Chinese territory in the South China Sea and maintain a neutral stance on disputes in the region.
Such is sensitivity of the issue, analysts believe that any further tension over the issue could risk the UK’s chances of getting a strong post-Brexit free trade deal with China.
Meanwhile…
As Chinese tourists become increasingly crucial to the tourism industries of countries around the world, BBC World Service’s Business Daily produced a show earlier this month focusing on this trend.
The show features interviews with Chinese guests on a Beiwei 55 tour as well our guide Andrew Speke. You can listen in full here.
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