中國新一輪逮捕使到外國公司緊張，對富士康展開調查(2/2)

Recently Yahoo News on-line reported the following:

China Rattles Foreign Firms with New Arrests, Foxconn Probe (2/2)

Bloomberg News

Tue, October 24, 2023 at 2:46 a.m. GMT+8

(continue)

Foxconn billionaire founder Terry Gou resigned from the company’s board last month as he campaigns to become president of Taiwan. The campaign referred questions to Foxconn. He previously dismissed claims he would be susceptible to Chinese pressure, were he to win January’s election.

“I will not bow to China’s threats,” Gou said at the August briefing announcing his presidential bid. Name-checking key customers including Apple, Tesla and Amazon.com Inc., he said any halt to production due to political pressure would disrupt supply chains — something China would need to explain to the world.

Xiaomeng Lu, director of Geo-Technology at Eurasia Group, said the probe may be China’s way of seeking influence in the Taiwanese election, where the island’s relationship with the mainland will be a central issue.

“I think Beijing definitely has an incentive to weigh in and have a chat with Terry Gou about this presidential race,” she said on Bloomberg Television.

To Teneo’s Wildau, the “crackdown is surprising because Gou has strong relationships with mainland leaders, and Foxconn has played an important role in establishing China as the world’s largest exporter and manufacturer”. However, “top leaders are probably unhappy that Gou is poised to play spoiler in Taiwan’s presidential campaign. The actions against Foxconn look like they’re intended to send a message to Gou that he should consider the broader political situation rather than indulging his own ambitions,” he added.

Lai Ching-te, Taiwan’s vice president and presidential election frontrunner, voiced support for Hon Hai at a campaign event Sunday.

“China shouldn’t force Taiwanese companies to declare their position whenever an election is taking place,” he said. “China should acknowledge Taiwanese companies contribute to its economy greatly.”

On Monday, Taiwanese Premier Chen Chien-jen told reporters in Taipei that the government has kept in touch with Hon Hai and will offer assistance depending on the situation.

The Foxconn probe likely contributed to the weakness in the Taiwan stock market and put pressure on the local currency, according to Khoon Goh, head of Asia research at Australia & New Zealand Banking Corp. The Taiwan dollar slid toward a seven-year low against the greenback.

Beijing has been intensifying its scrutiny of Western businesses amid growing geopolitical tensions. In March, authorities raided New York-based due diligence firm Mintz Group’s office in Beijing and detained five of its Chinese employees. In April, Bain & Co. confirmed that Chinese authorities had questioned staff at its Shanghai office.

The following month, Chinese state security officials visited a branch of Capvision, a consulting firm with headquarters in New York and Shanghai.

At a forum last week in Beijing, Takehiko Nakao, chairman of Mizuho Research & Technologies, said that arrests with no public clarity over the reasons have added to a sense of unease among international companies. Seventeen Japanese have been detained in China since May 2015, the country’s foreign ministry said in a September email.

“Japanese companies want to expand but are also somewhat cautious,” said Nakao, who previously ran the Asian Development Bank, adding that the caution was partly due to China’s detention of an executive without public explanation. “If there’s even one person like that, people become very worried.”

The Foxconn case, however, is unique in to Wildau. “The fact that Foxconn’s founder is running for president in Taiwan puts his company more squarely in the political spotlight than the typical multinational operating in China,” he said. “Moreover, the mainland leaders don’t consider Taiwan a foreign country, so they are likely more willing to use leverage over Foxconn to influence Taiwanese politics than they would for an unambiguously foreign company.”

--With assistance from Thomas Seal, Mark Bergen, Gao Yuan, Cindy Wang, Jasmine Ng, Wenjin Lv and Jacob Gu.

（繼續）

富士康億萬富翁創辦人郭台銘上月因競選台灣總統而從公司董事會請辭。 競選活動把問題指向富士康。 他此前否認如果他贏得一月份的選舉，他將容易受到中國壓力的說法。

郭台銘在八月宣布競選總統的記者會上表示: 「我不會屈服於中國的威脅」。 他列舉了蘋果、特斯拉和亞馬遜等主要客戶的名字，表示任何因政治壓力而停產的行為都會擾亂供應鏈 - 中國是需要向世界解釋這一點。

歐亞集團地質技術總監 Xiaomeng Lu 表示，調查富士康可能是中國在台灣選舉中尋求影響力的一種方式，台灣與大陸的關係將成為這次選舉的核心議題。

她在彭博電視台上表示: 「我認為北京肯定有動力參與並與郭台銘相談這次總統競選」。

對Teneo’s Wildau來說，「這次打擊行動令人驚訝，因為郭台銘與大陸領導人關係密切，富士康在中國成為全球最大出口國和製造商的過程中發揮了重要作用」。 然而，他補充道: 「高層領導人可能對郭台銘準備在台灣總統競選中做搞事者感到不滿。 針對富士康的行動看起來是為了向郭台銘傳遞一個訊息，即他應該考慮更廣泛的政治局勢，而不是沉迷於自己的野心」。

台灣副總統、總統選舉領跑者賴清德在周日的競選活動中表達了對鴻海的支持。

他說:「中國不應該在選舉時強迫台灣企業表明立場」;「中國應該承認台灣企業對其經濟做出了巨大貢獻 」。

週一，台灣行政院院長陳建仁在台北告訴記者，政府一直與鴻海保持聯繫，並將根據情況提供協助。

澳洲和紐西蘭銀行亞洲研究主管 Khoon Goh 表示，富士康調查可能導致台灣股市疲軟，並對當地貨幣造成壓力。新台幣兌美元匯率跌至七年來的最低點。

在地緣政治緊張局勢日益加劇之際，北京方面一直在加強對西方企業的審查。 今年三月，當局突襲搜查了總部位於紐約的盡職調查公司Mintz Group在北京的辦公室，並拘留了其五名中國員工。 在4 月， Bain & Co 證實，中國當局對其上海辦事處的工作人員進行了詢問。

接下來的一個月，中國國家安全官員參觀了總部位於紐約和上海的顧問公司Capvision的一家分公司。

上週在北京舉行的一個論壇上，Mizuho Research & Technologies 董事長 Takehiko Nakao 表示，在沒有公開說明原因的情況下進行逮捕，加劇了國際公司的不安感。 中國外交部在 9 月的一封電子郵件中表示，自 2015 年 5 月以來，已有 17 名日本人在中國被拘留。

曾任亞洲開發銀行行長的 Nakao表示：「日本企業希望擴張，但也有些謹慎。」他補充說，這種謹慎的部分原因是中國在沒有公開解釋的情況下拘留了一名高階主管。 「即使有一單這樣的事，人們也會變得非常擔心」。

然而，對於Wildau來說富士康案是獨一無二的。 他說： “富士康創始人正在台灣競選總統，這一事實使他的公司比在中國經營的典型跨國公司更直接地處於政治焦點下” 。 “此外，大陸領導人並不認為台灣是外國，因此他們可能更願意利用富士康的影響力來影響台灣政治，而不是用一家徹头徹尾的外國公司。”

         So, China often does not publicly explain the actions taken by its regulators, leaving companies operating in the country to guess the ultimate goals of the government. China’s investigation into Foxconn Technology Group is shaking the confidence of foreign companies in the country. It is worth noting that the part of the leadership dealing with the economy and attracting foreign capital is not in the driving seat, and they can only watch and hope to minimize the damage by announcing the opening of certain sectors to appease investors. The fact that Terry Gou is running for president in Taiwan puts his company squarely in the political spotlight.

中國新一輪逮捕使到外國公司緊張，對富士康展開調查 (1/2)

 Recently Yahoo News on-line reported the following:

China Rattles Foreign Firms With New Arrests, Foxconn Probe (1/2)

Bloomberg News

Tue, October 24, 2023 at 2:46 a.m. GMT+8

(Bloomberg) -- Chinese authorities are again shaking the confidence of foreign companies in the country with a series of arrests across industries and an investigation into Foxconn Technology Group, Apple Inc.’s most important partner and one of the largest employers in China.

Over the weekend, state media said that regulators are conducting tax audits and reviewing land use by Foxconn, the Taiwanese company that makes the vast majority of iPhones at factories in China. Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Foxconn’s public arm, said it will collaborate with authorities.

Meanwhile, an executive and two former employees of WPP Plc, one of the world’s biggest advertising companies, have been detained in China, people familiar with the matter said. WPP said Monday it has fired the executive on bribery charges, and had opened an internal investigation into the incident and cut ties with an unnamed business party that is also part of the police investigations.

The government detained a local employee of a Japanese metals trading company in March, the Nikkei newspaper reported Sunday. And this month, a court formally charged an Astellas Pharma Inc. executive on suspicion of espionage.

Hon Hai, Foxconn’s main listed arm, fell the most in more than three months Monday. Foxconn Industrial Internet Co., a major Shanghai-listed subsidiary, plunged its 10% daily limit — its biggest loss on record. Luxshare Precision Industry Co., a Foxconn rival based in China, gained as much as 4.9%.

China often doesn’t publicly explain the actions taken by its regulators, leaving companies with operations in the country guessing at the ultimate goals of the government. Given the Communist Party’s immense power, that opaque approach to oversight of the economy has unsettled foreign executives. The Japanese trading company worker was detained in March and there is still no public acknowledgment of or clarity about the specific charges.

“My sense is that the core of the leadership really worries about foreign influence as dissent, among elites, is growing,” said Alicia Garcia Herrero, chief Asia Pacific economist at Natixis SA. “It is not a signal for foreigners. It is a signal for the elites: don’t follow that path.”

 With China struggling through a housing crisis, Xi Jinping and his administration have been trying to signal support for the private sector, seeking help in stabilizing the world’s second-largest economy. Perceptions of the party’s economic stewardship suffered during years of Covid lockdowns and a brutal crackdown on the technology industry, including Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and co-founder Jack Ma.

Foxconn is a similarly surprising — and enormous — target. The company has been at the foundation of China’s growth as a high-tech manufacturing base and, with the Apple halo, a symbol of the opportunities for other companies in the country. Tesla Inc., for example, has now made China a key base for its electric-vehicle production.

Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook visited China last week, meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao to declare their support for “win-win” collaborations. The Apple chief’s rare visit follows a move by Beijing to ban some staff at government agencies and state-owned companies from using Apple’s marquee iPhone for security reasons. The latest iPhone 15 is also off to a disappointing start in China after Huawei Technologies Co. stunned the market with the 5G-capable Mate 60 phones.

“The part of the leadership dealing with the economy and attracting foreign capital is not in the driving seat,” said Garcia Herrero. “So they can only watch and hope to minimize the damage by announcing opening of certain sectors.”

In the current investigation, tax authorities are conducting checks on Foxconn subsidiaries in Guangdong and Jiangsu provinces, the state-run Global Times said Sunday, citing unidentified people with knowledge of the matter. The report also said natural resources officials are looking into the company’s use of land in Henan and Hubei provinces.

No further details of the investigations and tax checks were provided in the Global Times report. But the newspaper cited Zhang Wensheng, deputy dean of the Taiwan Research Institute at Xiamen University, as saying companies from Taiwan, including Foxconn, should “actively contribute to promoting peaceful cross-Strait relations and play a positive role” while benefiting from the development opportunities in mainland China.

Hon Hai didn’t give specifics either in a filing with Taiwan’s stock exchange. Foxconn’s Zhengzhou plant, known as iPhone City, is located in Henan.

“The actions against Foxconn have all the hallmarks of a political crackdown. This kind of concerted action in multiple provinces would almost certainly need be approved by top party leaders,” said Gabriel Wildau, managing director at advisory firm Teneo Holdings LLC in New York.

(to be continued)

Translation

（彭博）—中國當局對各行業進行了一系列逮捕，再次動搖了外國公司在華的信心。再者中國當局對蘋果最重要的合作夥伴和中國最大的雇主之一富士康科技集團進行了調查。

週末，官方媒體稱，監管機構正在對富士康進行稅務審計並審查土地使用。富士康是一家在中國大陸工廠生產絕大多數 iPhone 的台灣公司。 富士康的公共部門鴻海精密工業有限公司表示，將與當局合作。

同時，知情人士稱，全球最大廣告公司之一 WPP Plc 的一名高管和兩名前員工在中國被拘留。 WPP 週一表示，已因受賄指控解雇了這名高管，並已對該事件展開內部調查，亦與一個未具名的商業團體斷絕關係，該商業團體也是警方調查的一部分。

根據《日經新聞》週日報道，中國政府於三月拘留了一家日本金屬貿易公司的一名當地員工。 本月，中國法院正式以涉嫌間諜罪對日公司Astellas Pharma Inc. 的一名高層提出指控。

富士康主要上市公司鴻海週一股價創下三個多月來最大跌幅。其在上海上市的主要子公司富士康工業互聯網股價暴跌10%到每日止跌位，是有紀錄以來的最大跌幅。 富士康在中國的競爭對手立訊精密工業有限公司 (Luxshare Precision Industry Co.) 股價上漲 4.9%。

中國通常不會公開解釋其監管機構所採取的行動，這使得在該國開展業務的公司只能猜測政府的最終目標。 鑑於共產黨的巨大權力，這種不透明的經濟監管方式讓外籍高階主管感到不安。一 名日本貿易公司員工於三月被拘留，中國目前尚未公開承認或表明具體指控。

法國外貿銀行首席亞太經濟學家 Alicia Garcia Herrero表示： “我的感覺是，領導層核心確實擔心外國影響，而在精英中的異議正在增長。” 「這不是對外國人的一個訊號。 這是對精英們的一個信號：不要跟隨那條路。”

在中國艱難應對住房危機之際，習近平及其政府一直試圖發出對私部門的支持訊號，尋求協助穩定世界第二大經濟體。 在多年的新冠疫情封鎖和對科技業的殘酷鎮壓期間，人們對黨的經濟管理能力的看法受到了影響，其中包括阿里巴巴集團控股有限公司及其聯合創始人馬雲。

富士康也是一個同樣令人驚訝且巨大的目標。 該公司一直是中國作為高科技製造基地發展的基礎，並憑藉蘋果的光環成為中國其他公司機會的象徵。 例如，特斯拉公司現已將中國作為電動車生產的重要基地。

蘋果執行長Tim Cook上週訪問中國，會見了商務部長王文濤，表達了對「雙贏」合作的支持。 在這位蘋果公司執行長罕見的訪問之前，北京出於安全原因禁止政府機構和國有企業的部分員工使用蘋果公司的大螢幕iPhone。 在華為技術有限公司憑藉支援 5G 的 Mate 60 手機震驚市場後，最新的 iPhone 15 在中國的開局也令人失望。

Garcia Herrero表示：“領導層處理經濟和吸引外資的部分並不處於主導地位”; “所以他們只能觀望，希望通過宣布開放某些部份來將傷害降到最低。”

官方媒體《環球時報》週日引述未透露姓名的知情人士的話稱，在目前的調查中，稅務機關正在對富士康位於廣東省和江蘇省的子公司進行檢查。 報導還稱，自然資源官員正在調查該公司在河南和湖北省的土地使用。

《環球時報》的報導並沒有提供更多有關調查和稅務檢查的細節。 但該報引述廈門大學台灣研究院副院長Zhang Wensheng的話說，包括富士康在內的台灣企業在在中國大陸受益於發展機會的同時，應「積極為促進兩岸關係和平作出貢獻，發揮積極作用」。

鴻海在向台灣證券交易所提交的文件中也沒有給出具體細節。 富士康鄭州工廠位於河南，有「iPhone城」之稱。

在紐約的顧問公司 Teneo Holdings LLC 的董事總經理Gabriel Wildau表示: 「針對富士康的行動具有政治鎮壓的所有特徵。這種多省的協調行動幾乎肯定需要得到黨的最高領導人的批准」。

(待續）

10 foreign Catholic leaders signed a petition urging the release of Jimmy Lai. The Hong Kong government: a smear campaign that may constitute contempt of court

 Recently Sing Tao Toutiao in Hong Kong reported the following:

The petition (source: catholicherald.co.uk)

10名外國天主教領袖聯署促放黎智英 港府批抹黑：極可能構成藐視法庭

星島頭條

 更新時間：19:21 2023-11-09

發佈時間：19:21 2023-11-09      

特區政府指十名外國天主教領袖聯署涉誤導和抹黑言論，表示堅決反對和強烈不滿。

壹傳媒創辦人黎智英涉串謀勾結外國勢力案，經三名法官討論後案件押後至12月18日開審，黎智英還押至今已超過1000日。根據外媒報道，共10位天主教樞機及總主教聯署，呼籲香港特區政府即時無條件釋放黎智英。特區政府今日（9日）指，10名外國天主教領袖聯署涉誤導和抹黑言論，表示堅決反對和強烈不滿。

香港天主教區 : 沒有人邀請周守仁樞機聯署

香港天主教社會傳播處回覆《星島頭條》查詢表示，沒有人邀請周守仁樞機聯署；基於事件仍在司法程序中，樞機個人也不理解相關案情，所以天主教香港教區沒有進一步回覆，惟表示「周樞機祝願黎弟兄（黎智英）內心平安。」

 特區政府發言人指，特區政府堅決反對和強烈不滿該等外國天主教領袖作出顛倒是非的言論，對香港特區內部事務和香港特區法院行使獨立審判權作出不當干預。任何人不論其身分為何，企圖干預香港特區的司法程序，以促使任何被告人逃避應有的司法審判，都是公然破壞香港特區法治，「作出任何有意圖干擾或妨礙司法公正的行為或發表該等言論，或作出有同樣意圖的行為，極有可能構成刑事藐視法庭罪或妨礙司法公正罪。」

發言人重申，本港是法治社會，《基本法》第25條保障香港居民在香港法律面前一律平等，特區執法部門一直根據證據、嚴格依照法律，以及就有關人士的行為而採取執法行動，與其職業、政治理念或背景無關。「任何人倡議某類人可以因其身分享有特權，縱使犯法亦無須被拘捕或面對法律制裁，是完全違反法治精神。包括新聞從業員在內的任何人都必須遵守法律。」

發言人指，《基本法》第85條訂明，香港特區法院獨立進行審判，不受任何干涉。香港特區司法機關依法獨立行使審判權，而所有面對刑事指控的人都享有接受公平審訊的權利。法院嚴格按照證據和所有適用法律判案，案件不會因涉案者的職業、政治理念或背景而在處理上有所不同；而控方有責任在毫無合理疑點下證明被告人犯罪，被告人才可被法庭定罪。就所有涉及黎智英的案件，他充分行使其辯護權和上訴權，由擁有獨立審判權的法庭在公開審訊及聆訊後基於適用法律、事實和證據作出裁決和判刑（如有），而判刑理據亦已在公開的判刑理由書中詳細解釋。

港府強烈敦促外國天主教領袖停止干預內部事務

發言人強調香港特區定當繼續依法有效防範、制止和懲治危害國家安全的行為和活動，同時依法保障香港市民的權利和自由。特區政府強烈敦促該等外國天主教領袖認清事實，立即停止干預香港特區內部事務和特區法院行使獨立審判權。

聯署於11月1日由10名天主教樞機及總主教發起，要求港府即時無條件釋放黎智英。10名天主教樞機及總主教所屬地區包括美國、印度、澳洲、立陶宛、英國等地。

My Translation:

The Special Administrative Region (SAR) government pointed out that ten foreign Catholic leaders signed a joint statement involving misleading and slanderous remarks, expressing firm opposition and strong indignation.

Next Media founder Jimmy Lai (黎智英)was involved in a case of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces. After discussion by three judges, the case was adjourned to December 18. Jimmy Lai had been remanded in custody for more than 1,000 days. According to foreign media reports, a total of 10 Catholic cardinals and archbishops signed a petition calling on the Hong Kong SAR government to immediately and unconditionally release Jimmy Lai. The SAR government said today (9th) that 10 foreign Catholic leaders signed a joint statement that involving misleading and slanderous remarks and because of that expressed firm opposition and strong indignation.

Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong: No one invited Cardinal Chow Shouren to sign

The Catholic Social Communications Office of Hong Kong responded to an inquiry by "Sing Tao Toutiao " and stated that no one invited Cardinal Chow Shouren (周守仁)to co-sign. Since the matter was still in judicial proceedings and the cardinal personally did not understand the related circumstances, the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong did not reply further, but stated that "Chow Shouren the Cardinal wishes Brother Lai (Jimmy Lai) peace of mind."

A spokesman for the Hong Kong SAR government said that the government was firmly opposed to and strongly dissatisfied with the confusing remarks made by these foreign Catholic leaders, and also their inappropriate interference in the internal affairs of the Hong Kong SAR, and in the exercising of independent judicial power by Hong Kong SAR courts. Any person, regardless of his or her identity, who attempted to interfere with the judicial proceedings of HKSAR to enable any defendant to evade due justice would be a blatant violation of the rule of law in the Hong Kong SAR, “attempts to interfere with the judicial proceedings, or to make such statements to that effect, or to perform acts with the same intention, are likely to constitute criminal contempt of court or obstruction of justice."

The spokesman reiterated that Hong Kong was a society governed by the rule of law. Article 25 of the Basic Law guaranteed that Hong Kong residents were equal before Hong Kong law. The SAR law enforcement agencies had always taken law enforcement actions based on evidence in strict accordance with the law, and on the behavior of relevant persons regardless of his or her profession, political beliefs, or background. "Anyone suggesting that a certain category of people should be entitled to privileges because of their status, even if breaking the law will not need to be arrested or face legal sanctions, is completely contrary to the spirit of the rule of law. Everyone, including journalists, must abide by the law."

The spokesman pointed out that Article 85 of the Basic Law stipulated that the courts of the Hong Kong SAR shall conduct trials independently without any interference. The judicial authorities of the Hong Kong SAR independently exercise judicial power in accordance with the law, and all persons facing criminal charges had the right to a fair trial. The court would judge the case strictly in accordance with the evidence and all applicable laws. The case would not be handled differently based on the occupation, political philosophy or background of the person involved; and the prosecution had the responsibility to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant had committed the crime and only than the defendant would be convicted by the court. In all cases involving Jimmy Lai, he had fully exercised his rights of defense and appeal, and a court with independent trial power had made a decision and sentencing (if any) based on applicable law, facts and evidence after public trials and hearings. The reasons for the sentencing had also been explained in detail in the “Letter of reasons for sentencing”.

Hong Kong government strongly urged foreign Catholic leaders to stop interfering in internal affairs

The spokesman emphasized that the Hong Kong SAR would continue in accordance with the law to effectively prevent, stop and punish behaviors and activities that endangered national security, while protecting the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong citizens in accordance with the law. The SAR government strongly urged these foreign Catholic leaders to recognize the facts and immediately stopped interfering in the internal affairs of the Hong Kong SAR and the Hong Kong SAR courts’ exercising of independent judicial power.

The joint signature was launched on November 1st by 10 Catholic cardinals and archbishops, demanding that the Hong Kong government to immediately and unconditionally release Jimmy Lai. The 10 Catholic cardinals and archbishops came from the United States, India, Australia, Lithuania, the United Kingdom, and other places.

So,10 overseas Catholic cardinals and archbishops launch a joint petition demanding the Hong Kong government to release Jimmy Lai on humanity grounds as he is now 75 years old. It is interesting to note that such a petition is seen by HKSAR as an attempt to interfere with its judicial proceedings, and says that “attempts to interfere with the judicial proceedings, or make such statements to that effect, or perform acts with the same intention, are likely to constitute criminal contempt of court or obstruction of justice." To me its seems that the petition merely expresses the wish of the petitioners and reflects their perspective in what Jimmy Lai has gone through. Probably the cardinals and archbishops will be surprised to know that they are liable to be arrested by the HKSAR for their petition.

Note:

"Sing Tao Toutiao" 《星島頭條》is an all-in-one mobile application that integrates news, videos/live broadcasts etc. to allow readers to browse diversified information launched by the Sing Tao News Group Co., Ltd. (星島新聞集團有限公司). In its web-site this group positions itself as a media company in Hong Kong that aims to become the leading cross-media content and service provider in the global Chinese region. It is listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (stock code: 1105). The group's newspaper business now includes paid and free newspapers in Chinese and English, targeting local and overseas Chinese readers. Recently, the group focuses on the development of new media business, combining traditional media and new media to build a more competitive multimedia platform. In this respect it launched a new all-in-one mobile application "Sing Tao Toutiao" 《星島頭條》APP that integrates news, videos/live broadcasts etc. to allow readers to browse diversified information at any time. (Source: https://www.stheadline.com/aboutus)

Nokia to cut up to 14,000 jobs

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

ノキア、最大１万４０００人の人員削減へ

2023.10.23 Mon posted at 09:34 JST

香港（ＣＮＮ） フィンランドの通信機器大手ノキアは、市場環境の「軟化」に対応するため、従業員を最大１万４０００人削減し、大規模なコスト削減を行うと発表した。

ノキアの従業員数は８万６０００人だが、広範なリストラの一環として、これを７万２０００～７万７０００人規模へと削減する。

ノキアの試算によれば、今回の人員削減により、人件費を１０～１５％減らすことができ、２０２４年だけでも少なくとも４億ユーロ（約６３０億円）の節約につながるという。

ノキアによれば、全体として２６年末までに累計で最大１２億ユーロの削減が行える見通し。ノキアは変革のために迅速に行動すると述べた。

ノキアは人員削減と同日に発表した業績で市場予測を下回る数字を明らかにしていた。ノキアは売り上げの落ち込みついて、マクロ経済の不確実性と金利の上昇が、通信事業者の支出に対して圧力になっていると説明した。

Translation

Hong Kong (CNN) Finnish telecommunications equipment giant Nokia had announced that it would cut up to 14,000 employees and make major cost cuts in response to a "softening" market environment.

Nokia's 86,000 employees would be cut to between 72,000 and 77,000 as part of a broader restructuring.

Nokia estimated that the latest job cuts could reduce personnel costs by 10 to 15 percent, leading to savings of at least 400 million euros (approximately 63 billion yen) in 2024 alone.

Overall, Nokia expected to achieve cumulative savings of up to 1.2 billion euros by the end of 2026. Nokia said it would act quickly to make changes.

On the same day as the job cuts, Nokia released its business performance that were lower than market expectations. Nokia explained that a drop in sales was related to macroeconomic uncertainty and rising interest rates, and pressure that came from making payment to Telecommunications carriers.

So, Nokia has announced that it will cut up to over tens thousand employees in response to a "softening" market environment. Nokia explains that a drop in sales is related to macroeconomic uncertainty and rising interest rates etc. I think high interest rate is affecting the performance of many businesses globally, including the sales of EV in some countries.

Note:

Telecommunications carriers (通信事業者)are companies that provide telecommunications services such as landline telephones, mobile telephones, and providers. They are called "telecommunications carriers" under the Telecommunications Business Law in Japan, and are often simply called "carriers."

Elucidating the genetic mechanism that increases Alzheimer's disease risk

Recently NHK News on-line reported the following:

アルツハイマー病 リスク高める遺伝子のメカニズムを解明

2023年10月22日 4時40分

アルツハイマー病のリスクを高めることが知られているものの、詳しい仕組みが分かっていなかった特殊な遺伝子が、神経細胞の働きを妨げるメカニズムを慶応大学のグループが、iPS細胞を使った実験でつきとめたと発表しました。

この研究は、慶応大学の岡野栄之教授らのグループが国際的な科学雑誌の「ステムセル・リポーツ」で発表しました。

アルツハイマー病は「APOE4」と呼ばれる遺伝子を持っている人では発症のリスクが3.5倍以上に高まりますが、詳しいメカニズムはこれまで分かっていませんでした。

グループでは人工的に「APOE4」を持たせたヒトのiPS細胞を神経系の細胞に変化させたうえで、正常な神経細胞と一緒に培養しました。

その結果、一緒に培養した神経細胞は、表面にある情報伝達の役割を担う「スパイン」と呼ばれる突起が成長しにくくなり、突起の長さが通常よりおよそ20％短くなっていたということです。

この遺伝子を持つ細胞から多く分泌されるたんぱく質の1つが、スパインの成長を妨げることも確認できたということで、グループでは、このたんぱく質が神経のシナプスの障害を引き起こすことで、アルツハイマー病のリスクを高めている可能性があるとしています。

岡野教授は「アルツハイマー病の起きる重要な過程が分かった研究成果で、新たな治療薬の開発にもつながると考えている」と話していました。

Translation

A group from Keio University announced that a special gene, which was known to increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease but whose detailed mechanism in interfering with the functioning of nerve cells was not understood, had been identified through experiments using iPS cells.

This research was published in the international scientific journal ``Stem Cell Reports'' by a group led by Professor Hideyuki Okano (岡野栄之)of Keio University.

In people who were carrying a gene called "APOE4", the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease was more than 3.5 times higher, yet the detailed mechanism had not been understood until now.

The group artificially transformed human iPS cells containing APOE4 into nervous system cells and then cultured them together with normal nerve cells.

As a result, the nerve cells cultured together had difficulties in growing protrusions known as ``spines'' on their surfaces that would play a role in information transmission, and the length of the protrusions was approximately 20% shorter than normal.

It was able to confirm that one of the proteins secreted in large quantities by cells carrying this gene would inhibit spine growth, and the group believed that this protein could cause damage to nerve synapses, and suggested that it might increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Professor Okano said, ``This research result reveals an important process that causes Alzheimer's disease, and I believe it will lead to the development of new therapeutic drugs.''

So, a special gene which is known to increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease has been identified  and probably this will lead to the development of new therapeutic drugs. This is good news for patients with Alzheimer's disease.

印度拒絕俄羅斯要求以人民幣支付石油費用

Recently Yahoo News on-line reported the following:

India Pushes Back Against Russia Demands to Pay for Oil in Yuan

Anup Roy, Sudhi Ranjan Sen and Rakesh Sharma

Fri, October 20, 2023 at 9:45 a.m. GMT+8

(Bloomberg) -- India is rejecting pressure from Russian oil suppliers to pay for crude imports in the Chinese currency as tensions between New Delhi and Beijing continue to simmer.

Some Russian oil suppliers are demanding payment in yuan, according to a senior Indian official directly involved in the negotiations and another senior person at a state-owned oil refiner. The two people asked not to be identified as the discussions are private.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government won’t agree to those requests, according to the two people and two other Indian government officials. Almost 70% of India’s refiners are government-owned, which means they would need to follow orders on payment instructions from the Ministry of Finance.

Indian Oil Corp., the biggest state refiner, had made a yuan payment for Russian crude in the past, although the government has since clamped down on that. Private refiners could also settle payment in yuan, although there are no official or industry figures to show the magnitude.

Russia has an excess supply of rupees, which it’s struggling to use, while at the same time its demand for yuan has grown sharply in the past year as the economy becomes more reliant on China for imports. Russian businesses have been settling more of their trade in yuan, with the Chinese currency this year replacing the dollar as the most traded currency in Russia.

Indian refiners mostly pay for Russian oil imports in dirhams — the currency of the United Arab Emirates — US dollars, and a small amount of rupees, if oil prices are above the $60 a barrel cap imposed by the US and its allies on Russian oil. While the yuan is sometimes used in smaller transactions, Russian oil suppliers are requesting that the Chinese currency be the main unit of transaction for oil trade, according to the senior Indian government official.

Delayed Payments

An executive from an Indian oil refiner, who asked not to be identified, said payment for about four to five cargoes had recently been delayed because the parties involved failed to agree on the currency of exchange.

Spokespeople at the Reserve Bank of India, Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas didn’t immediately respond to email requests for information. State-owned refiners Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum Corp and Hindustan Petroleum Corp also didn’t respond. A spokesperson at Nayara Energy, whose single biggest shareholder is Russia’s Rosneft PJSC, declined to comment.

India’s resistance to transacting in yuan underscores its difficulty in balancing relations between Russia, an important economic ally, and China, a geopolitical rival. Russia is now the top crude supplier to India, making up almost half of the South Asian nation’s purchases.

At the same time, relations between India and China have remained strained as border disputes in the Himalayas continue to simmer and as the world’s two most populous nations vie for global influence, especially in the developing world.

Popularizing the yuan at the expense of the rupee also hurts India’s own efforts to internationalize its currency and would risk a backlash against Modi and his government as he seeks a third term in office in elections next year. India was the only nation in the BRICS bloc — comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — which opposed the introduction of a common currency, fearing it would eventually favor the yuan.

Russia’s Excess Rupees

Russia has accumulated billions of dollars worth of rupee assets given its wide trade surplus with India, but it’s struggling to use the funds. The rupee isn’t a fully convertible currency internationally, making it difficult to use in global trade.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in May the build-up of rupees is a “problem” and discussions were taking place on how the funds can be transferred into another currency.

Indian refiners want to use dirhams over yuan in order to comply with the government’s instructions, according to one of the people familiar with the matter. However, some suppliers of Russian oil are not in favor of using the UAE’s currency since it requires them to conduct the transactions out of Dubai, which would result in more scrutiny of the funds, the person said.

Translation

（彭博）—隨著新德里和北京之間的緊張局勢持續發酵，印度抗拒俄羅斯石油供應商要求以人民幣支付原油進口費用的壓力。

據直接參與談判的印度高級官員,和國有煉油廠的另一位高級人士透露，一些俄羅斯石油供應商要求以人民幣付款。 由於討論是私下進行，兩人要求匿名。

兩人和另外兩名印度政府官員表示，總理莫迪的政府不會同意這些要求。 印度近 70% 的煉油廠都是政府所有，這意味著它們需要遵守財政部的付款指示。

最大的國有煉油商印度石油公司過去曾以人民幣支付俄羅斯原油，但政府後來對此進行了限制。 私人煉油廠也可以用人民幣結算，但沒有官方或產業數據顯示其規模。

俄羅斯有過剩的盧比供應，正掙扎去使用它，同時隨著經濟對中國進口的依賴程度加大，其對人民幣的需求在過去一年急劇增長。 俄羅斯企業越來越多的貿易以人民幣結算，今年人民幣取代美元成為俄羅斯交易量最大的貨幣。

如果油價高於美國及其盟國對俄羅斯石油施加的每桶 60 美元的上限，印度煉油廠主要以迪拉姆（阿拉伯聯合酋長國的貨幣）、美元和少量盧比支付俄羅斯石油進口費用。 印度政府高級官員表示，雖然人民幣有時用於較小規模的交易，但俄羅斯石油供應商要求人民幣成為石油貿易的主要交易單位。

延遲付款

一位不願透露姓名的印度煉油商高層表示，由於相關各方未能就兌換貨幣達成一致，大約四到五批貨物的付款最近被推遲。

印度儲備銀行、財政部、以及石油和天然氣部的發言人沒有立即回覆索取資訊的電子郵件請求。 國營煉油商印度石油公司、巴拉特石油公司,和印度斯坦石油公司也沒有回應。 納亞拉能源公司的發言人拒絕置評，該公司的單一最大股東是俄羅斯石油公司 Rosneft PJSC。

印度抵制以人民幣交易, 凸顯了其平衡重要經濟盟友俄羅斯,和地緣政治對手中國之間關係的困難。 俄羅斯現在是印度最大的原油供應國，佔這個南亞國家採購量的近一半。

同時，中印由於喜馬拉雅山的邊界爭端持續發酵，以及作為世界上兩個人口最多的國家爭奪全球影響力，特別是在發展中國家的影響力，使印度和中國之間的關係仍然緊張。

以犧牲盧比為代價來普及人民幣也會損害印度自身貨幣國際化的努力，並可能在明年的選舉中尋求第三次連任的莫迪及其政府到時面臨強烈反對。 印度是金磚國家（由巴西、俄羅斯、印度、中國和南非組成）中唯一反對引入共同貨幣的國家，擔心最終這將有利於人民幣。

俄羅斯有過剩的盧比

鑑於與印度的巨額貿易順差，俄羅斯累積了價值數十億美元的盧比資產，但它在使用這些資金方面遇到了困難。 盧比不是一種在國際上完全可兌換的貨幣，因此很難在全球貿易中使用。

俄羅斯外交部長拉夫羅夫在五月表示，盧比的積累是一個 “問題” ，正在討論如何將資金轉換為另一種貨幣。

一位知情人士透露，印度煉油商希望使用迪拉姆代替人民幣，以遵守政府的指示。 然而，該人士表示，一些俄羅斯石油供應商不贊成使用阿聯酋貨幣，因為這需要他們在杜拜境外進行交易，這將導致這筆錢會受更嚴格的審查。

              So, India is rejecting pressure from Russian oil suppliers to pay for crude oil imports in Chinese currency. India’s resistance to transacting in yuan highlights the difficulty in balancing relations between Russia as an important economic ally, and China as a geopolitical rival.

The arrest of male Japanese by China may further agitate fleeing among foreign companies

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

中国当局の日本人男性逮捕、外国企業に一段の動揺走る可能性

2023.10.21 Sat posted at 12:30 JST

 Tweet

東京（ＣＮＮ） 中国当局が、３月に拘束していた日本人男性を正式に逮捕した。外務省と北京の日本大使館の当局者らが２１日までに明らかにした。

逮捕されたのは東京に拠点を置くアステラス製薬の５０代の社員と報じられている。これを受け、中国国内で事業展開する外国企業は一段の混乱に陥る可能性もある。

松野博一官房長官は、当該の日本人男性の逮捕を確認。中国側に早期の釈放を強く求めているとした。１９日の記者会見で述べた。男性が逮捕されたのは今月中旬だという。

ＮＨＫによると男性は３月、中国の治安機関に北京で拘束された。容疑は同国の刑法と反スパイ法に対する違反。男性は中国に合わせて２０年ほど住んでいたという。

ＣＮＮはこれらの情報を独自に確認できなかった。

外務省は男性の氏名や勤務先の企業、容疑の内容、拘束された場所の詳細について情報を公表していない。ＣＮＮはより多くの情報を求めたが、同省から返答はない。

アステラスの広報担当者は２０日、ＣＮＮの取材に答え、現在は外務省から一段の情報を求めているところであり、声明は発表できないと述べた。

７月、中国は既に広範囲に及んでいた反スパイ法の領域を拡大。専門家らは外国の企業やジャーナリスト、学者らにとって法律上のリスク並びに不透明性が一段と高まる恐れがあると警告していた。

Translation

Tokyo (CNN) Chinese authorities had officially arrested a Japanese man who was detained in March. Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Japanese Embassy in Beijing announced this on the 21st.

The person arrested was reported to be an employee in his 50s from the Tokyo-based Astellas Pharma (アステラス製薬). As a result, foreign companies operating in China might find themselves in further  confusion.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno (松野博一)confirmed the arrest of a Japanese male. He strongly urged the Chinese side to release him as soon as possible. He said this at a press conference on the 19th. The man was arrested in the middle of this month.

According to NHK, the man was detained in Beijing by Chinese security agencies in March. The charges were violations of the country's criminal law and anti-espionage law. The man reportedly lived in China up 20 years in total.

CNN was unable to independently verify this information.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had not released information about the man's name, the company he works for, the nature of the charges, or details of where he was detained. CNN had requested more information, but the department did not respond.

Astellas spokesperson told CNN on the 20th that the company was currently seeking further information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and could make an announcement.

In July, China expanded its already far-reaching anti-espionage law. Experts had warned that this move could further increase legal risks and uncertainty for foreign companies, journalists, and academics.

              So, this arrest reflects China’s new focus on national security amid tightening relations with the West. It seems that Beijing is increasingly paranoid about the threat of espionage infiltration by other countries. My observation is that American company personnel are rarely arrested for espionage.

Note:

Astellas Pharma Inc. (アステラス製薬) is a Japanese multinational pharmaceutical company, formed on 1 April 2005 from the merger of Yamanouchi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and Fujisawa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Wikipedia)