In this Issue

I. Defence and Security

1. Value of Indigenous Defence Production Increased in FY 2021-22
2. Value of Defence Exports Increased to Rs 12,815 crores in FY 2021-22
3. iDEX-DIO Signs 150th Contract for Defence Innovation
4. Successful Firing of Extended Range Version of Brahmos Air Launched Missile
5. Mormugao is Being Commissioned into the Indian Navy

II. STI in Space Sector

1. Space Sector Emerging as a Major Foreign Exchange Earner
2. India’s Maiden Human Space Flight “Gaganyaan” to be Launched in 2024
3. ISRO Signs Four Cooperative Documents to Collaborate in Space Exploration

III. Emerging Technologies and Applications

1. Start-up India Seed Fund Scheme Approved for Four Years
2. Fifteen Start-ups Selected in First Cohort of NIRMAN Accelerator Programme
3. Innovation and New Technologies in Farm Sector
4. Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture
5. Use of Drones in Agriculture Sector
6. Rosatom offered a More Advanced Fuel Option to Kudankulam
7. Building Semiconductor Ecosystem in India
8. Technology Innovation Group Setup to Develop Roadmap & Action Plans for 6G
9. Improved, Heavy Rare Earth-Free, Low-Cost Magnets for EVs Fabricated
10. Public Consultation on Digital Personal Data Protection Bill 2022
11. Total IT/BPM Exports Increased to over $ 178 billion in FY 2021-22
12. India Ranks 3rd in Global Scientific Publications
13. National Conclave on Techneev@75 organized in Delhi

IV. International Cooperation

1. Collaboration with International Institutions for Conducting Research in Science
2. ASEAN India Grassroots Innovation Forum Held in Cambodia
3. India-Russia Working Group on Modernization & Industrial Cooperation
4. Netherlands Look to Deepen Technology Collaboration with India

V. Regional and Global Trends

1. US House Bans the Chinese Video App TikTok on Official Devices
2. Taiwan’s Government to Fine Foxconn for Unauthorized China Investment
3. China Seeks Self-Reliance in Agricultural Technology

I. DEFENCE AND SECURITY

Value of Indigenous Defence Production Increased in FY 2021-22

The value of indigenous defence production for Financial Year 2021-2022 reached to Rs 94,846 crore. To achieve ‘Aatmanirbharta’ and realise the goal of ‘Make in India’, the Government has established two Defence Industrial Corridors (DICs) in the country, one in Uttar Pradesh and other in Tamil Nadu. It intends to develop defence manufacturing ecosystem having conducive conditions including supply chain for giving push to production and testing & certification to create economies of scale and facilitate development of internationally competitive enterprises in the country. For more information: Click here to read…

Value of Defence Exports Increased to Rs 12,815 crores in FY 2021-22

Based on the value of Export Authorization issued by Department of Defence Production (DDP) to Private companies and actual export/contract done by DPSUs/OFB, the export value during the last three years are: Rs 9,116 crores (2019-20); Rs 8,435 crores (2020-21) and Rs 12,815 crores (2021-22) respectively. To foster defence manufacturing ecosystem in the country, the Government has taken several policy initiatives in the past few years and brought in reforms to encourage indigenous design, development and manufacture of defence equipment, thereby promoting self-reliance in defence manufacturing & technology in the country. It has brought in various reforms including ease of doing business to achieve the target of US $5 billion for defence exports by 2024-25 and to boost Defence exports. At present, the exports are being made to more than 75 countries all over the world. For more information: Click here to read…

iDEX-DIO Sign 150th Contract for Defence Innovation

Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), the flagship initiative of DDP, has reached a milestone with the signing of its 150th contract with the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO). The contract relates to an Indian Navy project of the Defence India Start-up Challenge (DISC 7) SPRINT edition. The challenge was titled ‘Expendable Mobile Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Training Target (EMATT) capable of simulating the sound and movement of a submarine’ and the winner was Altair Infrasec Pvt Ltd, Pune. The Challenge envisaged development of a training target capable of being deployed from P8I aircraft, MH60R helicopters, ships doing speed up to 10 knots and other Remotely Piloted Aircraft without undertaking any modification on the platform from which the EMATT is required to be launched. For more information: Click here to read…

Successful Firing of Extended Range Version of Brahmos Air Launched Missile

On 29 December 2022, Indian Air Force successfully fired the Extended Range Version of Brahmos Air Launched missile against a Ship Target from a SU-30MKI aircraft. The missile achieved the desired mission objectives in the Bay of Bengal region. With this, IAF has achieved a significant capability boost to carry out precision strikes from SU-30MKI aircraft against land/ sea targets over very long ranges. The extended range capability of the missile coupled with the high performance of the SU-30MKI aircraft gives the IAF a strategic reach and allows it to dominate the future battle fields. For more information: Click here to read…

Mormugao is Being Commissioned into the Indian Navy

The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Mormugao (D67), second warship of the P15B class of stealth guided-missile destroyers, was commissioned in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai on 18 December 2022. The event marked the formal induction of the second of the four ‘Visakhapatnam’ class destroyers, indigenously designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house organisation Warship Design Bureau and constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai. The majestic ship measures 163m in length, 17 m in breadth with a displacement of 7400 tonnes and can rightfully be regarded as one of the most potent warships to have been constructed in India. For more information: Click here to read…

II. STI IN SPACE SECTOR

Space Sector Emerging as a Major Foreign Exchange Earner

The Minister of Science & Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Space Sector in India is emerging as a major foreign exchange earner through the launch of a large number of foreign satellites. In an exclusive interview with SANSAD TV, Dr Singh informed that India has launched 385 foreign satellites so far, out of which 353 were launched in the last 8 years under this government, which is around 90 percent of all launches. The Minister also informed that out of total 220 million Euros earned by launch of foreign satellites, 187 million Euros generated in the last 8 years, which is around 85 percent of forex earned by launch of European Satellites. For more information: Click here to read…

India’s Maiden Human Space Flight “Gaganyaan” to be Launched in 2024

India’s maiden human space flight ‘H1’ mission is targeted to be launched in the fourth quarter of 2024, Dr Jitendra Singh said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on 21 December. In view of the paramount importance of crew safety, two Test Vehicle missions are planned before the ‘G1’ mission to demonstrate the performance of crew escape system and parachute-based deceleration system for different flight conditions. The uncrewed ‘G1’ mission is targeted to be launched in the last quarter of 2023 followed by the second uncrewed ‘G2’ mission in the second quarter of 2024, before the final human space flight ‘H1’ mission in the fourth quarter of 2024. For more information: Click here to read…

ISRO Signs Four Cooperative Documents to Collaborate in Space Exploration

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has signed four cooperative documents specifically to collaborate in space exploration in the last five years, Dr Jitendra Singh said in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha on 22 December. The agreement with the USA is for accommodating USA instruments in India’s Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3. The Minister informed that the agreement with Japan is to conduct feasibility study for a joint lunar polar exploration mission, while with UK for conducting feasibility study for collaboration in future space science missions. For more information: Click here to read…

III. EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND APPLICATIONS

Start-ups in India

Start-up India Seed Fund Scheme Approved for Four Years

The Start-up India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) has been approved for the period of four years starting from 2021-22. The Scheme aims to provide financial assistance to start-ups for proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market entry and commercialization. It is implemented with effect from 1st April 2021 with a corpus of Rs. 945 crores. In this regard, 126 incubators have been approved and these incubators have selected 656 start-ups under the Scheme as on 30th November 2022. For more information: Click here to read…

Fifteen Start-ups Selected in First Cohort of NIRMAN Accelerator Programme

Fifteen Start-ups selected in the first-of-its-kind product accelerator programme for innovators developing sustainable solutions will soon start working towards solutions in the healthcare and agriculture domains. This is the first cohort of the NIRMAN Accelerator Programme launched by Start-ups Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) IIT Kanpur. The accelerator programme supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), through its NIDHI scheme portfolio, will help solve challenges in the product development journey of indigenous innovations. For more information: Click here to read…

S&T in Agriculture Sector

Innovation and New Technologies in Farm Sector

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)/ National Agricultural Research System (NARS) has taken initiatives for innovation/ development of new technologies in the farm sector across the country like Genetic enhancement of plants/ animals/ fish for higher productivity under increased intensity of biotic and abiotic stresses, productivity enhancement through sustainable intensification, productivity enhancement through mechanization of agriculture and food system, enhancing value, safety and income through food processing, development of energy efficient technologies, farming practices, and promoting technology transfer to the farmers and stake holders. For more information: Click here to read…

Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture

Various activities have been taken up by the government, using Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in agriculture. Some of the activities include: the DST is implementing a National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems (NM-ICPS); and, Technology and Innovation Foundation in technology vertical of “Technologies for Agriculture and Water” set up at IIT, Ropar. The applications of AI and IoT in Agriculture are in the areas of Precision Farming, Agricultural Drones and Hopping systems, Livestock Monitoring, Monitor Climate Conditions, Smart Greenhouses, AI and IoT based Computer imaging etc. For more information: Click here to read…

Use of Drones in Agriculture Sector

Scientific studies are carried out and data supporting the drone application are generated. Pilot studies with different approaches like use of remote sensing technology including satellite data and drone based images especially for crop cutting experiments planning, direct yield estimation at Gram Panchayat level, risk mapping of district and for dispute/area discrepancy resolution etc. have been conducted through Mahalanobis National Crop Forecasting Centre (MNCFC). The use of drone in agriculture is helpful to farmers as it has some distinct advantages. For more information: Click here to read…

S&T in Energy Sector

Rosatom offered a More Advanced Fuel Option to Kudankulam

Russian State-owned nuclear energy corporation, Rosatom has offered a more advanced fuel option to Kudankulam Nuclear power plant, Dr Jitendra Singh said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on 21 December. The first lot of TVS-2M fuel assemblies has been received in May-June 2022 from Russian Federation and loaded in Unit-1 and they are performing satisfactorily. Use of TVS-2M fuel assemblies in KKNPP reactors will allow 18-month operating cycles as against 12-month operating cycle with UTVS Fuel Assemblies presently in use in Unit-2. For more information: Click here to read…

Emerging Technologies in Other Sectors

Building Semiconductor Ecosystem in India

The Government of India is very focused on its important objective of building the overall semiconductor ecosystem and ensure that, it in-turn catalyses India’s rapidly expanding electronics manufacturing and innovation ecosystem. It has approved the Semicon India programme with a total outlay of INR 76,000 crore for the development of semiconductor and display manufacturing ecosystem in the country. The programme has further been modified in view of the aggressive incentives offered by countries already having established semiconductor ecosystem and limited number of companies owning the advanced node technologies. The modified programme aims to provide financial support to companies investing in semiconductors, display manufacturing and design ecosystem. For more information: Click here to read…

Technology Innovation Group Setup to Develop Roadmap & Action Plans for 6G

The Department of Telecommunications has constituted a Technology Innovation Group on 6G (TIG-6G) on 1st November 2021 with members from various Ministries/Departments, research and development institutions, academia, standardization bodies, Telecom Service Providers and industry to develop Vision, Mission and Goals for the 6G and also develop roadmap and action plans for 6G in India. The TIG-6G has constituted six Task Forces with industry, academia, R&D institutions and Government as members. For more information: Click here to read…

Improved, Heavy Rare Earth-Free, Low-Cost Magnets for EVs Fabricated

Scientists have fabricated improved low cost heavy rare earth-free high Nd-Fe-B magnets, which are in high demand for Electric Vehicles and can make them more affordable. More than 90 percent of EVs use brushless DC (BLDC) motors made up of rare earth Neodymium Iron Boron (Nd-Fe-B) magnets. The International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy & New Materials (ARCI) has ventured into setting up of pilot plant for manufacturing of near net shaped Nd-Fe-B magnets through a major project funded by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) in line with the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission. The new strategy could also be used for commercial production of Nd-Fe-B magnets in India, reducing imports that meet the major requirements of the automotive sector. For more information: Click here to read…

Public Consultation on Digital Personal Data Protection Bill 2022

On 23 December, the Minister of State for E&IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar met over 200 stakeholders from various walks of life to discuss and deliberate on the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Bill 2022, public consultations for which are open till 2 January 2023. The attendees included representatives from industry, think-tanks, law firms, consumer and citizen rights group & discussed the crucial role that the provisions of the Bill are going to play for data protection. The stakeholders came up with various suggestions related to different clauses of the Bill including the penalty regime for data fiduciaries, regarding obtaining parental consent for children, cross border data flows and about consent managers and how the government intends on regulating them and many others. For more information: Click here to read…

Total IT/BPM Exports Increased to over $ 178 billion in FY 2021-22

As per National Association of Software & Services Companies (NASSCOM), total exports from Indian Information Technology/ Business Process Management (IT/ BPM) sector in the FY 2019-20 and FY 2020-21 stood at US $ 149 and US $ 152 respectively. It is estimated that total IT/BPM exports already reached at US $ 178 billion for FY 2021-2022. The Government has been undertaking steps to promote broad based growth across a wide range of high potential services sectors including Information Technology/Information Technology Enabled Services (IT/ITES). It had also launched Software Technology Park (STP) that is a 100 percent export-oriented scheme for the development and export of computer software using communication links or physical media and including export of professional services. For more information: Click here to read…

India Ranks 3rd in Global Scientific Publications

India has jumped from 7th to 3rd global ranking in scientific publications. Dr Jitendra Singh informed that as per the National Science Foundation (NSF)’s Science & Engineering Indicators 2022 report of the United States, India’s position globally in scientific publications, has improved from 7th position in 2010 to 3rd position in 2020. He added that India’s scholarly output increased from 60,555 papers in 2010 to 1,49,213 papers in 2020. For more information: Click here to read…

National Conclave on Techneev@75 organized in Delhi

The need to build on the strength of the community and customize the role of technology according to the systemic needs of the community for changing their life and livelihood was highlighted at the National Conclave on Techneev@75, organized in Delhi on 22 December. The National Conclave is the culmination of the yearlong Techneev@75 programme organised jointly by the DST, DBT, CSIR, and the MoES to bring together communities, societal change makers, and experts on one platform, showcased the significant outcomes and discussed key learnings and the way forward to explore how absorption of science and technology could be augmented at the _community level. It set a framework for strengthening the local innovation system in collaboration with the formal innovation System. For more information: Click here to read…

IV. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

Collaboration with International Institutions for Conducting Research in Science

The Government of India has collaborated with a number of international institutions to facilitate Indian students for their research in science. The collaboration has been established with select institutions, viz. European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva; Brookhaven National Laboratory, USA; Elettra Sincrotrone, Trieste, Italy; Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), USA; Norwegian Polar Institute, Norway; Purdue University, USA; University of Alberta, Canada; Large Heavy Ion National Accelerator, France; Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions (FLNR), Joint Institute of Nuclear Research (JINR), Russia and Facility for Anti proton and Ion Research (FAIR), Germany. So far 363 research scholars pursued their research in science during the last three years in these institutions. For more information: Click here to read…

ASEAN India Grassroots Innovation Forum Held in Cambodia

The three-day 3rd ASEAN India Grassroots Innovation forum was held at Phnom Penh, Cambodia where Ms Shalini Kumari from India received first prize in the Grassroots Innovation Competition at the 3rd ASEAN India Grassroots Innovation forum for her innovation ‘Modified walker with adjustable legs’. The technology which was transferred to the industry, Vissco Rehabilitation Aids, a leading manufacturer of orthopaedic products in the country, is available for purchase through Brick and Mortar stores and also through marketplaces like Amazon India for purchase by common people of the country. For more information: Click here to read…

India-Russia Working Group on Modernization & Industrial Cooperation

The 9th Session of the India Russia Working Group on Modernization & Industrial Cooperation of the India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation was held in New Delhi on 23 December 2022. The Working Group reviewed the results of the eighth session of the working group in the focus sub-groups identified, namely modernization, mining and mineral fertilizers & chemicals. The two sides highlighted the excellent bilateral relations between the two countries and reiterated their commitment to deepen and strengthen mutual cooperation in several areas. For more information: Click here to read…

Netherlands Look to Deepen Technology Collaboration with India

As the next G20 Presidency, India has invited the Netherlands as a guest country. The Netherlands is looking towards India to deepen technology collaboration beyond the water, agriculture and health agenda. In an exclusive interaction with Financial Express Online, ambassador of the Netherlands in India Marten van den Berg said that “There is already a strong collaboration between the Netherlands and India in R&D… But now we are looking at space technologies, as we have a huge space ecosystem, and the European Space Agency is based in the Netherlands.” He added, “We are very much focusing also to connect start-ups here with our technology programmes.” For more information: Click here to read…

V. REGIONAL AND GLOBAL TRENDS

US House Bans the Chinese Video App TikTok on Official Devices

The popular Chinese video app TikTok has been banned from all U.S. House of Representatives-managed devices, according to the House’s administration arm, mimicking a law soon to go into effect banning the app from all U.S. government devices. The new rule follows a series of moves by U.S. state governments to ban TikTok, owned by Beijing-based ByteDance Ltd, from government devices. So far 19 states have at least partially blocked the app from state-managed devices over concerns that the Chinese government could use the app to track Americans and censor content. For more information: Click here to read…

Taiwan’s Government to Fine Foxconn for Unauthorized China Investment

Taiwan’s Government has said that it would fine Foxconn, the world’s largest contract electronics maker, for an unauthorized investment in a Chinese chip maker even after the Taiwanese firm said it would be selling the stake. Taiwan has turned a wary eye on China’s ambition to boost its semiconductor industry and is tightening legislation to prevent what it says is China stealing its chip technology. Foxconn, a major Apple Inc. supplier and iPhone maker, disclosed in July it was a shareholder of embattled Chinese chip conglomerate Tsinghua Unigroup. The company has been seeking to acquire chip plants globally as a worldwide chip shortage rattles producers of goods from cars to electronics. Taipei prohibits companies from building their most advanced foundries in China to ensure they do not site their best technology offshore. For more information: Click here to read…

China Seeks Self-Reliance in Agricultural Technology

President Xi Jinping wants China to accelerate efforts to achieve self-reliance in agricultural technology, identifying seed development and core equipment among areas to focus on. The central leadership had said in 2020 that the country’s seed industry was a weak link in the food chain and needed to make better use of science and technology to achieve a turnaround. “It is necessary to keep an eye on the frontiers of the world’s agricultural science and technology,” the official Xinhua news agency quoted Xi as saying at the central rural work conference held in Beijing. President Xi urged China’s agricultural sector to “vigourously improve” its science and technology, with more efficient innovation. For more information: Click here to read…

Former Supreme court official arrested for taking bribes: Xinhuanet

February 10, 2022

Meng Xiang, former chief of the enforcement bureau of the Supreme People’s Court, has been arrested on suspicion of taking bribes, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP) said Thursday. The National Supervisory Commission has completed the investigation into his case and handed it over to prosecuting agencies, the SPP added. Click here to read…

China’s former banking regulatory official arrested for suspected bribery, power abuse: Xinhuanet

February 10, 2022

Cai Esheng, former vice chairman of the now defunct China Banking Regulatory Commission, was arrested on suspicion of bribery and abuse of power, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP) said Thursday. Click here to read…

China rebukes U.S. for cobbling together cliques by drawing ideological line: Xinhuanet

February 10, 2022

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on Wednesday said that the United States forces other countries to accept its democratic standards and cobbles together cliques by drawing the ideological line, which is sheer betrayal to democracy. According to reports, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is going to attend the fourth ministerial-level meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) foreign ministers in Australia. At a press briefing via teleconference, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink said that part of that discussion will relate to the challenges that China poses to democratic values and the international order. Click here to read…

Military issues new set of rules for honor system: China Military

February 10, 2022

China overhauled its military honor system recently by issuing a set of rules. The Regulation on the Armed Forces’ Honor System sets three major categories of honor－one for service members’ exploits during wartime, another for their work during peacetime and the third for efforts during massive noncombat operations－and also establishes special honors for commanding officers. Click here to read…

China’s shipbuilding industry keeps global lead in 2021: People’s Daily

February 10, 2022

China’s shipbuilding industry continued to take the lead globally last year, with three major indicators in the sector – completion volume of ships, new shipbuilding orders and holding order volumes – all in leading positions worldwide. The country’s completion volume of ships rose by 3 percent year on year to 39.7 million deadweight tons (dwt) in 2021, data from the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry (CANSI) showed. The 2021 shipbuilding output accounted for 47.2 percent of the world’s total, 4.1 percentage points higher than that in 2020. Click here to read…

BBC’s China-Nepal border dispute hype a ‘smear campaign’: Global Times

February 10, 2022

The BBC recently hyped the baseless claim of China encroaching on Nepal’s territory, which has been repeatedly denied by both countries, with observers saying the BBC’s report is part of a smear campaign against China amid applause for the Beijing Winter Olympics. Click here to read…

Regular appearances of improved J-11B fighter indicate massive upgrade program: analysts: Global Times

February 10, 2022

The upgraded version of China’s J-11B fighter jet, characterized by its white radar dome compared with the original version’s black one, has featured in several recent official reports, with analysts saying that this could be an indication that more original J-11Bs will be upgraded to the latest variant in the near future. Click here to read…

China and Russia accelerate energy cooperation with Eastern Gas Pipeline in full swing: Global Times

February 10, 2022

The underwater shield crossing project that passes through the Yangtze River of China-Russia Eastern Gas Pipeline is in full swing, which is the key project of the southern section of the China-Russia Eastern Gas Pipeline, with a total length of 10.226 kilometers, the longest tunnel under construction across the Yangtze River. Click here to read…

China revises draft rules on data security for business sectors: Reuters

February 10, 2022

China’s industry ministry published revisions to draft rules on Thursday dictating how companies and localities should manage data, bringing more specificity to the country’s evolving data governance regime. Click here to read…

China hopes U.S. will remove tariffs, end sanctions to create conditions for trade: Reuters

February 10, 2022

China hopes the United States will remove additional tariffs on Chinese goods and end its sanctions and crackdowns as soon as possible to create conditions for trade cooperation, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday. Gao Feng, ministry spokesman, made the comments at a regular briefing. Click here to read…

China’s digital yuan not a backup amid a financial crisis, and there’s ‘no incentive’ to move money: South China Morning Post

February 10, 2022

China will not be pressured into raising the limit on the amount of money that can be held within its central bank digital currency even in the face of a financial crisis, according to the head of its e-CNY department within the central bank. Use of the yet-to-be launched digital yuan is currently limited to 11 cities plus inside venues used for the ongoing Winter Olympics as part of a pilot programme, which will soon also include Hong Kong. Click here to read…

Race to 6G: Chinese researchers declare data streaming record with whirling radio waves: South China Morning Post

February 10, 2022

Chinese researchers say they have achieved a record data streaming speed using a revolutionary technology that could help China take the lead in the global race for next-gen wireless communication, or 6G. Using vortex millimetre waves, a form of extremely high-frequency radio wave with rapidly changing spins, the researchers transmitted 1 terabyte of data over 1km (3,300 feet) in a second. Click here to read…

China resumes R&D push with record US$441b outlay in 2021: South China Morning Post

February 9, 2022

China spent a record 2.79 trillion yuan (US$441.3 billion) on research and development last year, an increase of more than 14 per cent over 2020 – when nationwide lockdowns to contain the coronavirus pandemic saw the country post its lowest GDP growth in decades. The R&D spending growth rate in 2021 was more than 40 per cent higher than in the previous year, China’s National Bureau of Statistics said in releasing the data. Click here to read…

China’s new yuan loans rise in 2021: Xinhuanet

January 12, 2022

China’s new yuan-denominated loans totaled 19.95 trillion yuan (3.13 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2021, up 315 billion yuan year on year, central bank data showed Wednesday. In December alone, new yuan loans stood at 1.13 trillion yuan, down 123.4 billion yuan year on year, according to the People’s Bank of China (PBOC).Click here to read…

China unveils plan to boost digital economy in 2021-2025 period: Xinhuanet

January 12, 2022

China’s State Council on Wednesday rolled out a plan to facilitate the development of the digital economy in the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025). The country aims to raise the proportion of the added value of core digital economy industries in its GDP to 10 percent in 2025, up from 7.8 percent in 2020, according to the plan.Click here to read…

China’s NEV sales top globally for 7 consecutive years: Xinhuanet

January 12, 2022

China ranked first globally in terms of the sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) for a seventh straight year in 2021, despite economic uncertainties and supply-chain pressure, official data showed Wednesday. The country’s NEV sales came in at 3.52 million units last year, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).Click here to read…

China aims high in agricultural sci-tech innovation: Xinhuanet

January 13, 2022

China is striving to beef up its innovation capacity in agricultural science and technology to further safeguard food security of the country, according to a five-year development guideline of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) released on Wednesday.Click here to read…

Xi’s Party school lecture highlights CPC’s historical confidence: China Military

January 12, 2022

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, called on Tuesday for efforts to deepen the review, study, education and promotion of the CPC’s history so as to better understand and make good use of the historical experience of the Party over the past century.Click here to read…

Foreign car companies record mixed performances in Chinese market in 2021 with chip shortage becoming a headache for some firms: Global Times

January 12, 2022

Foreign car companies showed a mixed performance in the Chinese market last year with some brands, like BMW and Porsche, recording a surge in sales, while some companies are facing the challenge of a widespread chip shortage. According to a report by the Securities Times, sales of German automaker BMW in China hit a historical record in 2021. The company delivered 846,237 units in China last year, up 8.9 percent on a yearly basis. Following the same trend, Porsche delivered 95,671 cars in China in 2021, up 8 percent from the previous year, the report showed. Click here to read…

Nation to ramp up 6G innovations, satellite-empowered networks: Global Times

January 12, 2022

China vowed to increase support for 6G innovations and promote 6G international standardization in a digital economy development plan for 2021-25 released on Wednesday, reiterating the country’s ambition of maintaining its edge in the ultrafast 6G era, despite challenges and hurdles.Click here to read…

China steps up construction along disputed Bhutan border, satellite images show: Reuters

January 13, 2022

China has accelerated settlement-building along its disputed border with Bhutan, with more than 200 structures, including two-storey buildings, under construction in six locations, according to satellite image analysis conducted for Reuters. The images and analysis supplied to Reuters by U.S. data analytics firm HawkEye 360, which uses satellites to gather intelligence on ground-level activities, and vetted by two other experts, provide a detailed look into China’s recent construction along its frontier with Bhutan.Click here to read…

New US report dismisses Beijing’s claim to South China Sea ‘historical rights’: South China Morning Post

January 13, 2022

The US government stepped up its criticism of China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea on Wednesday, issuing a report that declares “historical rights” a meaningless term.
Referencing the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) and an international ruling dismissing most of China’s claims in the South China Sea, the US State Department said in its report, titled Limits in the Seas, that they “gravely undermine the rule of law in the oceans”.Click here to read…

China to further implement administrative penalty law: Xinhuanet

December 8, 2021

The State Council, China’s cabinet, has issued a circular calling for effective and concrete measures to implement the revised administrative penalty law. Training concerning the law for current administrative law-enforcement personnel should be completed by June, the circular required, urging wider publicity for the law. Click here to read…

China unveils 5-year plan to advance agricultural, rural modernization: Xinhuanet

December 8, 2021

China has released a plan to advance agricultural and rural modernization during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), Deng Xiaogang, vice minister of agricultural and rural affairs, told a press conference on Wednesday. Click here to read…

Guangdong forms China’s largest fuel cell vehicle industry cluster: Xinhuanet

December 9, 2021

South China’s Guangdong Province has attracted more than 300 hydrogen energy enterprises with the total value of its hydrogen energy industry surpassing 10 billion yuan (about 1.57 billion U.S. dollars), local authorities said Wednesday. The province is taking the lead in China’s burgeoning fuel cell-powered vehicle industry and has formed the country’s largest fuel cell vehicle industry cluster, according to data released Wednesday during the UNDP Hydrogen Industry Conference 2021 in Guangdong’s Foshan City. Click here to read…

Chinese scientists develop legless robot capable of rapid jumping, shifting directions: Xinhuanet

December 8, 2021

A team of Chinese researchers has developed a legless soft robot capable of rapid jumping and agile turning. The robot, measuring 6.5 cm in length and 1.1 grams in weight, can jump 7.68 times its body height and hop forward continuously at a speed of 6.01 times its body length per second. Click here to read…

Board director of China’s banknotes printer surrenders to police: Global Times

December 9, 2021

The Board Director of the China Banknote Printing and Minting (CBPM), China’s official currency printing company, surrendered to the police, an official statement said on Wednesday. Chen Yaoming, board director and member of the Party committee at the company, is suspected of serious legal and disciplinary violations, according to a statement published Wednesday on the website of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China and the National Supervision Commission of the People’s Republic of China. Click here to read…

Chinese internet giants race to the metaverse: Global Times

December 8, 2021

Chinese internet giants scrambled to snag a spot in the metaverse, a concept that has gone viral this year. The country’s three online behemoths or “BAT” for Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent, which have reaped large profits from the development of the internet over the past decades, have got a head start towards the metaverse, which is widely defined as an alternative digital reality where people work, play and socialize. Click here to read…

Courts have stepped up to foster safe environment in cyberspace: China Daily

December 9, 2021

China has continued to strengthen legal protections for netizens to create a better internet environment and ensure their information is secure. Information technology, as represented by the internet, has created a large space for people’s lives, expanded the scope of national governance and elevated the development of China’s rule of law in cyberspace to a new stage, said Yang Linping, vice-president of the Supreme People’s Court. Click here to read…

China surpasses US in frontier research: China Daily

December 9, 2021

China led the world in seven out of 11 research areas this year in terms of active frontier research, surpassing the United States for the first time, according to a report published on Wednesday. The 2021 Research Fronts report, jointly published by the Institutes of Science and Development of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and global analytics firm Clarivate, identified 171 frontier research topics. Click here to read…

Small cliques counterproductive to 6G development: People’s Daily

December 8, 2021

With major tech power houses worldwide drawing blueprints for the development of 6G — the next-generation wireless technology, Washington has been in too much of a hurry to form a small clique of allies in a frantic attempt to exclude and suppress China. The curb on China’s hi-tech research and innovation is not a fresh story. It clearly exposed Washington’s selfish purpose — to prevent Chinese tech firms from progressing and maintain its long-standing global technological dominance. Click here to read…

Hypersonic flight: Chinese scientists create prototype with an engine design abandoned by Nasa: South China Morning Post

December 9, 2021

A research team in China has built and tested a prototype hypersonic flight engine based on a bold design by a Nasa scientist more than two decades ago.
Unlike most hypersonic aircraft with an engine at the belly, the Two Stage Vehicle (TSV) X-plane proposed by Ming Han Tang – then chief engineer of Nasa’s hypersonic programme in the late 1990s – was driven by two separate engines on the sides.
The engines could work as normal turbine jet engines at lower speed and then switch to a high-speed mode which has no moving parts as the aircraft accelerates to five times the speed of sound, or beyond. Click here to read…

Australia, Britain to join diplomatic boycott of Beijing Olympics: Kyodo

December 8, 2021

Australia and Britain will not send government officials to next year’s Beijing Olympics, the two country’s prime ministers said Wednesday, joining the United States in a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Games. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters in Sydney he decided to bar officials from attending as his government has been rebuffed in its attempts to discuss with China its alleged human rights abuses in its far-western Xinjiang region, as well as various other issues of concern. Click here to read…