China’s military studies, implements spirit of key Party plenum: Xinhuanet

November 22, 2021

Two senior Chinese military officials, Xu Qiliang and Zhang Youxia, have asked all levels of the armed forces to study and implement the spirit of the sixth plenary session of the 19th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee. Xu and Zhang, both members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice chairmen of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks on Monday when meeting with members of the delegation interpreting and promoting the spirit of the plenum. Click here to read…

China to improve policy support for SMEs: People’s Daily

November 23, 2021

China will further improve supportive policies to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) tide over difficulties, according to a circular released by the General Office of the State Council. SMEs are the main force behind national economic and social development, but they are facing rising corporate costs and operational difficulties due to higher raw material prices, high logistics costs, sporadic resurgences of COVID-19, and power cuts in some areas, among other factors, the document noted. Click here to read…

China to launch pilot reform project on business environment in six cities: People’s Daily

November 23, 2021

According to a recent guideline issued by China’s State Council, Six Chinese cities will launch a pilot reform project to improve business environment. The six cities are respectively Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. Lu Xiangdong, an official from the General Office of the State Council, introduced that the guideline was issued after the State Council solicited a wide range of opinions from market entities and relevant parties and held in-depth discussions. Over 100 reform measures in 10 fields were raised, the official added. Click here to read…

Virtual currency pyramid scheme busted in east China: People’s Daily

November 23, 2021

Police in China have busted a virtual currency-themed online pyramid scheme involving some 110,000 people and 1 billion yuan (about 156.4 million U.S. dollars). In April, police in Suining, east China’s Jiangsu Province, received a tip-off from a person who claimed to be trapped in the pyramid scheme operated by an investment platform called BBGO. Click here to read…

NDRC: Price level stable, controllable: People’s Daily

November 23, 2021

China has the confidence and capability to keep prices stable within a reasonable range despite the expected inflationary pressure likely continuing globally, the country’s top economic regulator said. In recent months, prices of vegetables fluctuated periodically in some parts of China due to extreme weather such as heavy rains and low temperatures. Consumer goods prices also jumped due to rising energy and bulk commodity prices, the National Development and Reform Commission said. Click here to read…

China, ASEAN embark on new chapter with comprehensive strategic partnership: People’s Daily

November 23, 2021

China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) elevated their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership on Monday, a step forward towards building a closer community with a shared future. This milestone development in bilateral ties, announced at the ASEAN-China Special Summit to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations held virtually, is expected to promote peace, stability and prosperity not only in the region, but also across the world. Click here to read…

Greater efforts urged to encourage births as population growth slows: China Daily

November 23, 2021

Demographers have called for more efficient implementation of supportive measures to encourage births to address the country’s dwindling population growth, as indicated in the recently released China Statistical Yearbook 2021. The birthrate last year was 8.52 births per thousand people, the lowest level since 1978, according to the yearbook, which was compiled by the National Bureau of Statistics and published over the weekend. Click here to read…

Marriages in 2020 fall to 17-year low as declining trend continues: Global Times

November 22, 2021

The latest official data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that 8.14 million marriages were registered in 2020, down 1.13 million from 2019 and the lowest level in 17 years. But the divorce rate dropped last year, halting a years-long upward trend. This marks the seventh consecutive year of decline in marriages since 2013, when 13.4693 million couples were married. The number in 2020 was also the lowest since 2003, when 8.114 million marriages were registered, according to the China Statistical Yearbook 2021 published by the NBS recently. Click here to read…

China to establish negative list on celebrity-related content which promotes distorted values, hypes comeback of tainted entertainers: Global Times

November 23, 2021

China’s top internet regulator said it will establish a negative list to prohibit celebrity-related content from promoting distorted values, including abnormal aesthetics, hyping of vulgar scandals, and content that induces fans to blindly idolize celebrities or hype the comeback of entertainers who have illegal and unethical records. The notice released by Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) on Tuesday listed 15 measures in four aspects to strengthen how the online information about celebrities should be presented – content-oriented, information presentation, account management, mechanism of public opinion. Click here to read…

China to phase out less efficient electric motors in new green push: Global Times

November 22, 2021

China aims to tap into high-efficiency, energy-saving motors to further its green drive, according to a circular released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR). The circular, an action plan that covers the period from 2021-23, stipulates that such advanced motors should account for over 20 percent of all motors in service by 2023, a move that will save 49 billion kilowatt (kW) hours of electricity a year. The annual production capacity of such motors should hit 170 million kW hours by 2023. Click here to read…

China outbound tourism set to jump more than 25% this year: Reuters

November 22, 2021

Chinese outbound tourism numbers are set to jump by more than 25% this year from 2020 but remain “basically at a standstill” compared to pre-pandemic levels, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Monday, citing official projections. The dramatic drop in travellers from China, the world’s most populous nation, since the rapid spread of coronavirus early last year, has left a $255 billion annual spending hole in the global tourism market. Click here to read…

China tests high-altitude weapons performance near border with India: South China Morning Post

November 23, 2021

China’s live-fire drills near its Himalayan border with India, revealed on Sunday by state media, showed the PLA had set up comprehensive training standards specifically designed for high-altitude artillery operations, according to military analysts. Footage broadcast by China Central Television showed infantry troops from the Xinjiang military district, part of the Western Theatre Command, conducting precision strike drills at an elevation of 5,200 metres (17,000 feet) in the Karakoram mountains. Click here to read…

Welcome to Africa Now, your weekly newsletter for Africa, presenting the most important developments in the continent – news that matters.

COMMENTARY

Scientists mystified, wary, as Africa avoids COVID disaster

When the coronavirus first emerged last year, health officials feared the pandemic would sweep across Africa, killing millions. Although it’s still unclear what COVID-19’s ultimate toll will be, that catastrophic scenario has yet to materialize in Zimbabwe or much of the continent. Click here to read…

NEWS

US State Department urges US citizens to leave Ethiopia immediately

The US State Department on Tuesday again urged US citizens in Ethiopia to leave the country immediately, adding that the United States has no plans to facilitate an evacuation via military or commercial aircraft as Washington steps up pressure to bring an end to the conflict in Ethiopia. Click here to read…

Guinea’s transitional president promises smooth transition of power

Transitional president of Guinea, Mamady Doumbouya has reiterated his vision of a successful transition to his various ministers. He said this during the first meeting of Ministers under the CNRD which took place on Thursday, November 18. Click here to read…

Document leak shows Kabila family, associates looted DRC funds

The largest leak of financial documents from Africa shows how a private bank in the Democratic Republic of Congo was used to channel at least $138 million of public funds to former President Joseph Kabila’s family and associates. Click here to read…

Blinken opens his 1st official visit to Africa in Kenya, seeks preservation of democracy in region

Unites States secretary of state Antony Blinken appealed Wednesday for the preservation of democracy in politically and ethnically fractured societies as he opened his first official visit to Africa in Kenya amid worsening crises in neighbouring Ethiopia and Sudan. Click here to read…

New Law in Kenya Allows Refugees to Work

This week, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta signed a new law that will give a half-million refugees in the country an opportunity to earn a living, instead of depending on the aid agencies that assisted them for three decades. Click here to read…

Mozambique’s Matias Guente wins International Press Freedom Award

This year’s International Press Freedom Award recipient is Matias Guente, the editor of Mozambique’s independent weekly investigative publication, Canal de Mocambique (CanalMoz — online version). Click here to read…

Completion of Somalia elections more important than ever: UN envoy

Although progress has been made in Somalia’s electoral process, it has been slow and uneven, the UN Special Representative for the country said in a briefing to the Security Council on Wednesday. Click here to read…

S Africa urged to open diplomatic mission

Bangladesh has urged the South African government to establish a diplomatic representation in Dhaka in order to facilitate consular and other cooperation as the two countries seek greater cooperation in broader areas. Click here to read…

5 dead in crackdown on protest against military coup in Sudan

At least five people were killed and dozens injured on Saturday when army chiefs in Sudan cracked down on mass rallies protesting against last month’s military coup. Click here to read…

IMF Staff Concludes Article IV Mission to Zimbabwe

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff team, led by Dhaneshwar Ghura, Mission Chief for Zimbabwe, held discussions through virtual meetings in the context of the 2021 Article IV consultation from October 25 to November 16, 2021. Click here to read…

Morocco Launches “Fastvolt” its First Fast Recharging Network

Electrical transportation specialist Afrimobility deployed its first network of Fastvolt fast-charging stations in Morocco. Click here to read…

INDIA IN AFRICA

Rwanda, India Sign Agreements, Explore New Areas of Cooperation

Rwanda and the India on Monday, November 15, signed several pending agreements, as the two countries welcome a fresh momentum of existing bilateral relations.The signing was held between Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Vincent Biruta, and India’s Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Shri V. Muraleedharan, on behalf of their respective countries. Click here to read…

India’s external affairs minister visits Rwanda

India’s Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs, Shri V. Muraleedharan, is in Kigali for a two-day visit, to among others give fresh momentum to the two countries’ bilateral relations. Click here to read…

MoS Meenakshi Lekhi Discusses Bilateral Ties with Egypt Ambassador

Union Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi met Egypt’s Ambassador Wael Hamed to discuss ongoing bilateral cooperation and initiatives in many fields. Lekhi took to Twitter to wish Egypt’s Ambassador a successful stay in India. Click here to read…

India committed to partner Ghana for development- High Commissioner

Mr Sugandh Rajaram, the Indian High Commissioner to Ghana, has reiterated the Government of India’s commitment in partnering Ghana for development. He noted that India had been the largest development partner over the years with a lot of businesses in Ghana over the decades. Click here to read…

Cultural ties between Tunisia, India are deep: Ambassador Hayet Talbi

Tunisian Ambassador to India, Hayet Talbi talks about how the scenic locations of Tunisia can cater to the needs of the Indian filmmakers looking to shoot outside India, and the need to make Tunisian cinema more accessible to the Indian audiences. Click here to read…

India’s Jindal plans to start building Botswana coal mine in 2022

India’s Jindal Steel & Power will start building a coal mine in Botswana’s southeastern Mmamabula coalfields in 2022, aiming to supply the export market and a planned coal power plant, a company official said. The Indian industrial giant aims for the mine to produce 4.5 million tonnes of coal per year. Click here to read…

Indian Navy to commission two new platforms next week

To deal with the growing Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), the Indian Navy is getting ready to enhance its capability at sea when it commissions two new platforms in service next week. Click here to read…

India-UN Development Partnership Fund Supports Smallholder Farmers of Zimbabwe

India has handed over small grains production inputs and training material to the World Food Programme (WFP) for building resilience of smallholder farmers in Mangwe and Chiredzi districts in Zimbabwe.Click here to read…

Kenyan imports hurting quality of Indian tea

Higher imports of Kenyan Tea have started denting the quality of Assam orthodox, Nilgiri orthodox, Kangra and Darjeeling teas owing to a section of blenders’ illegal blending. This, the Tea Board of India (TBI) fears, would adversely affect the brand name of Indian tea in the global market. Click here to read…

Indian sugar enters Egyptian market to fill Brazil’s void

Indian sugar has found its way into the Egyptian market, filling the space left empty by Brazil, according to traders. The transcontinental nation is probably buying sugar for the first time in decades from India after having sourced it from the Latin American country till now. Click here to read…

India, 12 nations vow to tackle emerging common maritime threats

Adopting a common stance at the Goa Maritime Conclave, 13 nations, including India, vowed to prioritise key maritime interests in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) with an emphasis on capacity building to tackle emerging common maritime threats. The Declaration of Common Maritime Priorities was unveiled on the final day of the Goa Maritime Conclave by chief of naval staff Admiral Karambir Singh and the naval chiefs of the eight other nations.Click here to read…

China Coast Guard holds first high-level meeting with Pakistani counterpart: Xinhuanet

November 10, 2021

The China Coast Guard (CCG) and the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency have held their first high-level meeting, via video link, with both sides vowing further cooperation for maritime law enforcement. During their virtual meeting on Monday, both sides reviewed the gains from their cooperation in recent years, discussed the direction for future cooperation and exchanged views on issues of mutual concern, according to a CCG statement. Click here to read…

China reiterates crackdown on advertising off-campus tutoring: Xinhuanet

November 10, 2021

Chinese authorities have issued a notice on regulating the advertisement of off-campus tutoring, making clear work plans on the issue, according to the State Administration of Market Regulation (SAMR) on Tuesday. The notice was jointly published by nine regulators, including the SAMR, the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the Cyberspace Administration of China and the Ministry of Education. Click here to read…

New-type militia groups in Xizang help enhance defense capabilities: China Military

November 9, 2021

In late autumn, a joint search and rescue task was carried out on Kuoqiong Gangri glacier in Southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region. At an altitude of 5,500 meters, members of the Snow Wolf Mountaineering Expedition, a new-type militia group founded just one year ago, collaborated with the mobile rescue troops under the Xizang Contingent of the People’s Armed Police Force (PAP) and an aerial rescue squadron of an army aviation brigade for a joint search and rescue task. Click here to read…

Companies respond to US chip survey but withhold key data: People’s Daily

November 10, 2021

More than 30 foreign and domestic chip companies have submitted data as requested by the United States government to address a chip shortage crisis, but they withheld key information that they consider sensitive. In September, the US Commerce Department, in a move described by one observer as “counterproductive”, asked major semiconductor manufacturers and buyers, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, or TSMC, Samsung, Intel and Apple, to provide information on inventories and sales of chips by Monday. Click here to read…

PLA at China-India border has upgraded logistics to brave winter: Global Times

November 9, 2021

Chinese frontline troops at the China-India border are getting prepared in logistics for the upcoming winter, with several new measures and facilities revealed for the first time to improve the living and working condition of officers and soldiers, which have further boosted their morale as well as the capability to patrol and execute tasks in the high-altitude region during harsh weather.Click here to read…

Hydrogen cars to take off despite high costs, lack of infrastructure: Global Times

November 9, 2021

As electric car companies continue to grow rapidly in China, another type of new-energy vehicle (NEV) – hydrogen-powered vehicles, are also starting to join the race. Alongside a silver-colored NEXO car at the Hyundai booth during the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE), a representative from the South Korean car giant is besieged by all kinds of questions from a gathering crowd of onlookers. Click here to read…

Beijing responds to US lawmakers’ Taiwan visit with joint forces patrol: South China Morning Post

November 10, 2021

Beijing staged a joint combat readiness patrol towards Taiwan on Tuesday, coinciding with the arrival of a US congressional delegation – on board a military aircraft – to the self-ruled island. According to a brief notice issued by the PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command, the patrol was conducted near the Taiwan Strait to further improve the joint combat capability of “multiple military services and branches”. Click here to read…

COP26: China says it does not want climate solutions held up by disagreement over global warming goal: South China Morning Post

November 9, 2021

China does not want differences over specific climate targets to hold up action on bigger issues at COP26, according to Chinese climate envoy Xie Zhenhua. Xie said a major hurdle at the talks had been the suggestion by some countries to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of this century. That target is more ambitious than the one laid out in the 2015 Paris Agreement – to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius and pursue efforts to control it within 1.5 degrees. Click here to read…

Taiwan defense report focuses on China’s “grey zone” coercion: Kyodo News

November 9, 2021

China is becoming more diversified in its threat against Taiwan through military and nonmilitary means such as the “grey zone” threats to secure a strategic advantage, Taiwan’s defense ministry said in its biennial defense white paper. The 2021 National Defense Report was referring to Chinese activities that involve military and nonmilitary forms of assertiveness and coercion aimed at achieving strategic goals without provoking actual conflict. Click here to read…

Cross-strait education exchanges must adhere to Taiwan law, says MOE: Focus Taiwan

November 10, 2021

Minister of Education Pan Wen-chung on Tuesday warned all Taiwan-based colleges and universities that they are not permitted to engage in activities with Chinese individuals, groups or agencies outside the confines of Taiwan law. Citing the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has warned tertiary institutions that any exchanges with China deemed as non-academic are unlawful, Pan said. Click here to read…

China’s factory inflation hits 26-year high as power crunch bites: Reuters

November 10, 2021

China’s factory gate inflation hit a 26-year high in October as coal prices soared amid a power crunch in the country’s industrial heartland, further squeezing profit margins for producers and heightening stagflation concerns. The producer price index climbed 13.5% from a year earlier, faster than the 10.7% rise in September, the National Bureau of Statistics said in a statement. Click here to read…

19th CPC Central Committee holds sixth plenary session: Xinhuanet

November 8, 2021

The 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) started its sixth plenary session in Beijing on Monday. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, delivered a work report on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and made explanations on a draft resolution on the major achievements and historical experience of the CPC’s 100 years of endeavors. Click here to read…

China’s passenger car sales down, but new-energy sector thrives: Xinhuanet

November 8, 2021

China’s passenger car production declined 4.1 percent year on year in October while sales fell 13.9 percent from a year earlier, data from an industry association showed Monday. Bucking the trend, the country’s sales of new-energy passenger vehicles soared 141.1 percent year on year to 321,000 units in October, according to the China Passenger Car Association. Click here to read…

China’s central bank rolls out new lending tool for carbon reduction: Xinhuanet

November 8, 2021

The People’s Bank of China (PBOC), the nation’s central bank, said on Monday that it has rolled out a supporting tool for carbon reduction as part of efforts to facilitate the country’s goal of carbon neutrality. The bank will provide low-cost loans for financial institutions through the carbon-reduction supporting tool, and will guide those institutions to provide loans to firms in key carbon-reduction fields on the premise of independent decision-making and risk-taking, according to a statement released by the PBOC. Click here to read…

China to promote TCM accessibility for children: Xinhuanet

November 8, 2021

China’s health authority has issued a document on plans to promote children’s health over the next five years. The document includes measures to provide better traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) services for kids at community clinics and home. The document, issued and published by the National Health Commission, said medical and health institutions have been encouraged to use TCM techniques in basic medical treatment, disease prevention and healthcare services for children. Click here to read…

Nation to share its Beidou expertise: China Daily

November 9, 2021

China and Africa will strengthen their communication and cooperation in promoting and using the Beidou Navigation Satellite System, according to participants at an international forum that was held in Beijing on Friday. Officials, industry leaders and researchers from China, several African nations and the African Union shared their thoughts at the First China-Africa Beidou System Cooperation Forum and agreed to take advantage of the Beidou system to further social and economic development in Africa. Click here to read…

New COVID cases surpass 1,000 in less than one month: China Daily

November 9, 2021

After 65 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases were reported on Monday, the overall number of locally transmitted confirmed coronavirus patients during the latest outbreak that started on Oct 17 on the Chinese mainland has reached 1,067, according to the Beijing Daily newspaper. The new locally transmitted cases reported by the National Health Commission were scattered across 11 provincial-level regions, including 20 reported in Liaoning province. During the latest outbreak, all the local cases in Liaoning were reported in the port city of Dalian, according to the provincial health commission. Click here to read…

China delivers largest, most advanced warship to Pakistan: Global Times

November 8, 2021

China on Monday delivered to Pakistan the largest and most advanced warship China has ever exported, in a move that highlights the friendship between the two countries and will contribute to the two countries’ all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. Designed and built by China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited (CSSC), the frigate was delivered to the Pakistan Navy in a commissioning ceremony in Shanghai, CSSC announced in a statement on Monday. The Type 054A/P frigate was named the PNS Tughril, according to a statement the Pakistan Navy sent to the Global Times on Monday. Click here to read…

PLA conducts multiple drills in western plateau after India’s exercises ‘targeting China’: Global Times

November 8, 2021

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) revealed it conducted multiple drills in its western plateau over the past week. This comes after the Indian military launched a major exercise along the border with China at the start of the month. Chinese experts said on Monday that the response displays the PLA’s capabilities in safeguarding national sovereignty and security as it faces India’s provocations. An artillery regiment affiliated with the PLA Xinjiang Military Command recently conducted a comprehensive, cross-day-and-night exercise in a high-altitude region, involving live-fire shooting of PCL-181 155mm self-propelled howitzers and PHL-11 122mm multiple rocket launchers, as the drill tested the troops’ fire strike efficiency and combat capabilities under the harsh cold in plateau regions, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Saturday. Click here to read…

China’s new J-16D electronic attack jet joins combat training with other warplanes: South China Morning Post

November 9, 2021

China’s new J-16D electronic attack jet has begun combat training alongside other advanced warplanes, according to state television, a dogfight strategy said to be inspired by that of the US Air Force. The J-16D – an electronic warfare version of the J-16 multirole strike fighter – was part of a joint combat drill soon after it made its public debut at the Zhuhai Airshow in late September, CCTV reported on Saturday. Wang Mingliang, a researcher at the PLA Air Force Command College in Beijing, told the state broadcaster that the new aircraft – which can carry a range of weapons, interference and surveillance devices – would be more effective when working with other warplanes like the J-20 stealth fighter jet. Click here to read…

China’s ruling party begins key meeting with Xi aiming to boost clout: Kyodo News

November 8, 2021

China’s Communist Party kicked off a key four-day meeting in Beijing on Monday to discuss a pivotal resolution on the nation’s history, state-run media reported, as President Xi Jinping has been paving the way for a controversial third term as its leader. The sixth plenary session of the 19th Central Committee of the ruling party is expected to end Thursday after a resolution is adopted on the major achievements and historical experiences of its 100 years of endeavors. Such a resolution would mark the first declaration on Chinese history in 40 years and only the third by the party founded in 1921. Click here to read…

China state council think-tank met developers, banks, says source, as debt woes mount: Reuters

November 9, 2021

A think-tank of China’s powerful state council met real estate developers and banks in Shenzhen city, a source with direct knowledge of the meeting told Reuters, amid intensifying worries over a liquidity crisis in the country’s property sector. Participants at the meeting, which took place on Monday, included China Vanke, Kaisa Group, Ping An Bank, China Citic Bank , China Construction Bank and CR Trust, according to the source. Investors are concerned about liquidity woes spreading in China’s property sector, with a string of offshore debt defaults, credit rating downgrades and sell-offs in some developers’ shares and bonds in recent weeks. Click here to read…

China’s power supply back to normal, says State Grid: Xinhuanet

November 7, 2021

The State Grid Corporation of China on Sunday said that the supply and demand of power in areas operated by the company have returned to normal. The thermal coal inventory in the company’s operating area has rebounded to 99.32 million tonnes, while the available days of consumption has risen to 20, said the company. Click here to read…

China firmly opposes U.S. report on Chinese military and security developments: China Military

November 7, 2021

“China is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposed to the report on Chinese military and security developments released by the U.S. Department of Defense,” said Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense (MND) on November 5, 2021. Click here to read…

U.S. vicious slanders on China over COVID-19 origins tracing and the truth: People’s Daily

November 7, 2021

For some time, various lies and rumors concocted by the U.S. side against China on origins tracing have been repeatedly refuted by China and the international community with detailed facts and data. So far, more than 80 countries and over 300 political parties, social organizations and think tanks have opposed the politicization of COVID-19 origins tracing in various ways. The U.S. intelligence department recently released a declassified version of its assessment report on COVID-19 origins. Continuously disregarding science-based origins tracing, the report insinuated that “the Wuhan Institute of Virology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences leaked the virus”, and accused China of lacking transparency and obstructing international investigations. Click here to read…

China loads fuel at nuclear unit equipped with home-grown reactor: People’s Daily

November 8, 2021

Fuel loading has started at China’s second nuclear power unit using Hualong One technology, a domestically developed third-generation reactor design, after the first one entered commercial operations earlier this year. The loading started on Saturday at the No. 6 nuclear power unit in the city of Fuqing, in east China’s Fujian Province, bringing the unit one step closer to operation, according to the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC). Click here to read…

Senior Chinese lawmakers hear reports on draft laws: China Daily

November 6, 2021

The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) held a meeting of its Council of Chairpersons on Friday afternoon to hear reports on draft laws and draft law amendments. Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over the meeting. Click here to read…

Stand News editor-in-chief steps down, signaling end of anti-govt media: Global Times

November 7, 2021

Chung Pui-kuen, editor-in-chief of Hong Kong digital news outlet Stand News, announced he stepped down from the position for family reasons, local media reported on Sunday. Experts in Hong Kong said the decision was not surprising and signals the end of an anti-government media whose legacy is its infamous role in the social unrest in Hong Kong. Citing a post on Chung’s social media account, Hong Kong news outlet RTHK said the deputy chief of Stand News, Patrick Lam, had taken over the position from November 1. Click here to read…

19th CPC Central Committee kicks off sixth plenary session, to table landmark resolution: Global Times

November 8, 2021

The sixth plenary session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) kicked off on Monday. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, delivered a work report on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and made explanations on a draft resolution on the major achievements and historical experience of the CPC’s 100 years of endeavors. The sixth plenary session will conclude on Thursday. Click here to read…

Innovation of twin-seat J-20 stealth fighter to lead world, military experts say after reported maiden flight: Global Times

November 7, 2021

China has reportedly conducted the maiden flight of the twin-seat variation of the J-20 recently, as the aircraft became the world’s first stealth fighter jet with two seats to fly. Chinese military analysts said on Sunday that the new warplane uses innovations that could potentially change warfare and lead the world. A two-seat prototype of the J-20 fifth-generation multirole fighter aircraft has conducted what appears to have been its maiden flight, UK-based Jane’s Defence Weekly reported on Friday, citing an image that emerged on the same day on social media platforms. Click here to read…

China to strictly curb coal by 2025 and raise the share of consumption of non-fossil energy to about 20%: Global Times

November 8, 2021

On the premise of ensuring energy security, China will accelerate the pace of coal reduction during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25) and raise the share of non-fossil energy consumption to about 20 percent, according to a document released on Sunday. The guidelines published on Sunday by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the State Council on further promoting the battle against pollution, accelerating green and low-carbon development was among the main drivers. Click here to read…

China-India trade in 2021 exceeds $100 billion for the first time in October: Global Times

November 7, 2021

The General Administration of Customs (GAC) of China revealed on Sunday the country’s international trade data for October with a year-on-year increase of 22.2 percent. GAC’s data also shows that the international trade volume between China and India reached $102.29 billion, exceeding the milestone of $100 billion for the first time in 2021.Qian Feng, Director of the Research Department of the National Strategy Institute of Tsinghua University, told the Global Times on Sunday that the surge in bilateral trade demonstrates the complementarity of two major developing economics. Click here to read…

Chinese vice premier stresses efforts to ensure energy supply: Xinhuanet
November 2 2021

Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng on Tuesday stressed efforts to ensure the supply of energy this winter and next spring under the new concept for development. Han, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when chairing a symposium during an inspection trip to the State Grid Corporation of China. Click here to read…

Chinese premier urges efforts to foster, strengthen market entities: Xinhuanet
November 2 2021

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has underlined the importance of work to foster and strengthen market entities to stimulate market vitality and social creativity. Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks while chairing a symposium during an inspection trip to the State Administration for Market Regulation on Monday. Click here to read…

China bans private contact between judges and lawyers to uphold judicial integrity: Xinhuanet
November 2 2021

Private contact has been banned between judges and lawyers, and between prosecutors and lawyers, according to newly introduced Chinese regulations aimed at better safeguarding judicial integrity and justice. Click here to read…

China steps up development of subsidized rental housing: Xinhuanet
November 2 2021

China has accelerated the development of government-subsidized rental housing as part of the country’s efforts to better meet people’s housing needs. In the first nine months, 40 cities across the country have started the construction of 720,000 government-subsidized apartment units, accounting for 76.9 percent of their full-year target of 936,000 units, showed data from the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development. Click here to read…

Senior CPC official calls for imbibing revolutionary history to advance national rejuvenation: People’s Daily
November 3 2021

Wang Huning, senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC), on Tuesday emphasized learning from the country’s revolutionary history and pushing forward the great cause of national rejuvenation. Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks in Beijing while attending a symposium marking the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Soviet Republic and the central revolutionary base. Click here to read…

Hacking from India rose in past 2 years, targeted China’s medical industry using forged physical examination forms at the beginning of epidemic: Global Times
November 2 2021

Hackers from India have been caught actively launching cyberattacks targeting China’s multiple sectors as well as individuals in the past two years during the epidemic, and their attacks are largely on the rise in the first half of 2021, the Global Times learnt from an exclusive interview with Chinese tech giant 360 Security Technology on Tuesday. Click here to read…

China rolls out largest integrally formed propellant tank bottom of new launch vehicle: Global Times
November 3 2021

China rolled out the largest integrally formed propellant tank bottom of the new launch vehicle in the country, which was built using new spinning technology developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST) with a diameter of 3.8 meters, The Paper published on Tuesday. The entire length of the tank is 21 meters, which is one of the longest units to launch vehicles in China, according to the report. Click here to read…

Beijing stock market publishes draft rules for trading and membership management: Global Times
November 3 2021

The Beijing Stock Exchange published on Tuesday the draft rules for trading and management of its membership. This is one step closer to the opening of the third stock exchange in the A-share market just over two months after it was announced. The draft rules that add to the 31 specific rules that provide guidance for IPOs, fundraising and mergers and acquisitions, company regulations, securities trading, and membership management, among others will be effective on November 15, the Beijing stock said in a late-night statement on its website. Click here to read…

China considers new mix of tax, fee reductions for small, micro-sized businesses: Global Times
November 3 2021

China is mulling a new mix of tax and fee reductions to address hardships confronting small and micro-sized businesses and self-employed people, Premier Li Keqiang said during an inspection tour to the country’s top market regulator, the Securities Times reported Tuesday. Click here to read…

Chinese firm to build Tiansuan satellite constellation to support 6G development: Global Times
November 2 2021

Chinese private satellite company Spacety and Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications (BUPT) have inked a deal to jointly launch a series of satellites to build an open-source platform that could support the development of 6G network, satellite internet and other technologies. The project, the Tiansuan Constellation, is a satellite constellation targeting computing software and algorithms. Combining computing software – the core network systems of 5G and 6G, as well as artificial intelligence (AI) – with satellites has become a popular scientific research topic, Fu Yunhao, an employee from Spacety told the Global Times on Tuesday. Click here to read…

Shenzhen relaxes rules for developers buying land, backing away from the cap that sent real estate auctions into a tailspin: South China Morning Post
November 3 2021

Shenzhen has relaxed the conditions for taking part in land sales, one of the first among China’s local authorities to backtrack from the draconian measures that have sent the entire country’s real estate industry into a tailspin. According to the new rules laid out by the Planning and Natural Resources Bureau of China’s technology metropolis, more than one developer will be allowed to bid for land at the same price, where the competition will be based on how many homes they can build under the “affordable” price category. The bureau put 11 plots on the market last week, the third land sale this year. Click here to read…

China to strengthen personal data protection in fintech sector: Reuters
November 3 2021

China will strengthen personal protections in the financial technology sector to curb unauthorised data collection and abuses, the country’s central bank chief said on Wednesday. Beijing will improve the legal frameworks in the sector and countries should jointly set standards for personal data protection, People’s Bank of China Governor Yi Gang said via video at the Hong Kong Fintech week. Click here to read…

China’s COVID-19 cases spike ahead of Communist Party conclave: Reuters
November 3 2021

China’s new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases spiked to a near three-month high and tighter curbs to contain the spread are expected in the capital Beijing ahead of a key gathering of the highest-ranking members of the Communist Party next week.The National Health Commission confirmed on Wednesday 93 new local symptomatic cases for Nov. 2, up from 54 a day earlier and the highest daily count since Aug. 9 at the peak of China’s last major outbreak. Click here to read…

Zheng Shanjie elected as Party chief of Anhui: Xinhuanet
November 1, 2021

Zheng Shanjie was elected secretary of Anhui Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Monday. Zheng was elected to the post at the first plenary session of the 11th CPC Anhui Provincial Committee. Click here to read…

China’s personal information law comes into effect: Xinhuanet
November 1, 2021

China’s law on personal information protection came into effect on Monday. The law, adopted at the 30th session of the 13th National People’s Congress Standing Committee in August, has detailed provisions to strengthen the protection of personal information, especially that of online platform users. Click here to read…

Xi calls for stronger actions to jointly tackle climate challenge: Xinhuanet
November 1, 2021

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday called on all parties to take stronger actions to jointly tackle the climate challenge. Xi made the remarks in a written statement for the World Leaders Summit at the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which is being held in Glasgow from Monday to Tuesday. Click here to read…

China’s tight coal supply easing, prices stabilizing, says NDRC: Xinhuanet
November 1, 2021

China has seen significant improvement in its coal supply as production has significantly expanded and prices have stabilized, according to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). Since mid-October, the country’s average daily coal production has been above 11.5 million tonnes, with the highest figure in recent years reaching 11.72 million tonnes, the NDRC said. Click here to read…

China’s former provincial legislator prosecuted: Xinhuanet
November 1, 2021

A public prosecution has been initiated against Zhang Xinqi, a former senior legislator of east China’s Shandong Province, over suspected bribery. The Nanjing Municipal People’s Procuratorate recently filed the lawsuit with the Intermediate People’s Court of Nanjing, an official statement said Monday. Click here to read…

Xi signs order to promulgate regulations on military equipment procurement: China Military
November 2, 2021

Xi Jinping, chairman of the Central Military Commission, has signed an order to promulgate a set of regulations on military equipment procurement. Focusing on war preparedness and combat capabilities, the regulations are the basic rules governing military equipment procurement. The regulations, comprising 42 articles in eight chapters, took effect on Nov 1, 2021. Click here to read…

China busts cyberattacks from India targeted at China’s defense and military departments: People’s Daily
November 2, 2021

A number of cyberattacks targeting China and countries in the South Asian Subcontinent have been busted this year with hackers from India behind the attempts to launch attacks on China’s defense and military units as well as state-owned enterprises, Antiy Labs, the country’s leading anti-virus company, announced on Monday. Click here to read…

PLA sent nearly 200 aircraft near Taiwan in record month: Global Times
November 1, 2021

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) reportedly sent nearly 200 aircraft to the aerial area near the island of Taiwan for exercises in October, in a move that experts said on Monday has deterred Taiwan secessionist provocations and foreign interference attempts. During the drills, the PLA broke the record on several occasions and dispatched attack and transport helicopters for the first time. Click here to read…

NGO with overseas backing punished for deploying monitoring network covering East, South China Sea, with 22 sites close to Chinese navy: Global Times
November 1, 2021

A non-profit organization sets up marine debris surveillance spots basically covering China’s coastal linesAfter an individual attended a non-profit conference on the oceans and learned that the organization set up marine debris surveillance spots in China’s coastal cities to gather the information of the oceans, the person reported this situation to state security authorities in June 2019. The person in charge in the organization claimed that all the monitoring data was for government collection and use, and asked every surveillance location to report data through internet every two months at the excuse of certain state-affiliated departments requiring such data. Click here to read…

China’s first securities arbitration center launched in Shenzhen: Global Times
November 2, 2021

China’s first securities arbitration center, a joint initiative between the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, was launched on Monday in Shenzhen. The center is part of the country’s pioneering reforms with the first arbitration organization in the world that has been jointly established between an arbitration organ and a stock market. Click here to read…

PRC targets binge eating and wasting food in crackdown: Taipei Times

November 2, 2021

In its latest campaign to rein in excesses across all aspects of society, China is now targeting overindulgence of food. Beijing yesterday released an action plan that tells diners not to order more than they need and encourages consumers to report restaurants for wasting food. It also advocates buffets for official receptions rather than banquets, while banning companies from hosting lavish feasts “in the name of meetings and trainings.” Click here to read…

Chinese satellite hints at space warfare prowess by dodging US surveillance: South China Morning Post

November 2, 2021

A Chinese satellite has used a manoeuvre to avoid being followed by a spying US satellite, hinting at its capability in potential space warfare. But some defence analysts said the scenario was not new and the incident should not be seen as escalating the rivalry between China and the United States in space. “It is not difficult to monitor satellites,” said Chinese military commentator Song Zhongping. “The US, Russia and China are all able to monitor each other’s satellites in orbit. But the US will certainly plan its space infrastructure through monitoring the satellites of China and Russia.” Such monitoring and manoeuvring was not necessarily for a military purpose, he said. Click here to read…

Chinese state-owned think tank flags national security risks of metaverse, citing potential political and social problems: South China Morning Post

November 1, 2021

A state-run think tank in China has warned of national security risks involved with the metaverse, as both Big Tech companies and start-ups join the gold rush in trying to make this concept of a shared virtual reality space a viable business model.
While the metaverse is still in its early stage of development, its “technological characteristics” and “development patterns” show that it has potential national security significance, according to a research note published on Saturday by the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relation, which is affiliated with China’s Ministry of State Security. Click here to read…

Welcome to Africa Now, your weekly newsletter for Africa, presenting the most important developments in the continent – news that matters.

COMMENTARY

Insurgency in Mozambique far from over

30th September 2021 marked a new day for Mozambique as US government, recognising the importance of Mozambique’s success for the region, inaugurated the new United States Embassy in Maputo, Mozambique. This raises hope in a country which is tormented byJihadist terrorism since 2017. In August 2021, Rwandan Military along with Mozambican troops retook the last stronghold of Islamists, Mocímboa da Praia, a key port city from Islamist militants in northern Mozambique. Further, the government of Rwanda announced that their military will remain in Mozambique as long as Mozambique wants. Earlier this month, South Africa also sent nearly 1,500 troops to Mozambique to help the country battle jihadist militants. However, despite these significant military victories, insurgency in Mozambique is far from over as the war against hunger is yet to be won.

NEWS

Cape Verde Chooses the Opposition as New Leader

Opposition candidate and former Prime Minister Jose Maria Neves won Cape Verde’s presidential election on Sunday, as his main rival, the ruling party’s flagbearer Carlos Veiga, conceded defeat. Click here to read…

Libyan PM, foreign powers back landmark election in December

Libya’s prime minister and several foreign powers have endorsed the holding of a national election on December 24, as envisaged in a United Nations-backed peace plan aimed at resolving years of turmoil and division. Click here to read…

Ethiopia preps for third filling as Nile dam diplomacy stalls

Hope for negotiations on the crisis with Egypt and Sudan is fading as Ethiopia works toward the third-stage filling of its mega dam on the Blue Nile. Click here to read…

Somalia leaders strike deal on long-delayed election process

Somalia’s president and prime minister say they have struck a deal to speed up the process for long-delayed elections, ending their simmering feud which threatened to plunge the country into a fresh crisis. Click here to read…

Erdogan pledges to double bilateral trade at Turkey-Africa summit

The Turkey-Africa Economic and Business Forum held in Istanbul from 21-22 October, aims to provide a platform for Turkish businesses to gain a foothold on the continent. Click here to read…

Huge crowds march in Sudan in support of civilian rule

Throngs of Sudanese protesters took to the streets on Thursday to voice their support for civilian rule within the country’s power-sharing government. >Click here to read…

Nigeria to Launch Digital Currency on October 25

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari will launch a digital currency on Monday aimed at improving the payments system in the West African nation, according to the central bank. Click here to read…

575 Prisoners Escape After Gunmen Attack Prison

In another blow to the Nigerian authority, gunmen have attacked a prison and freed around 575 prisoners on Friday. This was the third such incident in 2021Click here to read…

Is Algeria Weaponizing Airspace and Natural Gas?

In a series of shocking and unintelligible decisions, the Algerian Government closed its airspace to Moroccan military and civilian aircraft. Click here to read…

Drone sale to Ethiopia could jeopardize Turkey-Egypt dialogue

Turkey risks derailing normalization talks with Egypt by selling armed drones to Ethiopia, in addition to coming under international fire should Ethiopia use the drones in the conflict in Tigray. Click here to read…

Namibia to suspend use of Russian COVID-19 vaccine

Namibia will suspend its rollout of Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, its health ministry said on Saturday, days after the drugs regulator in neighbouring South Africa flagged concerns about its safety for people at risk of HIV. Click here to read…

INDIA IN AFRICA

India, Africa Can Empower Youth Through Quality Edu & Skill Development

Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Shri V. Muraleedharan said India has developed a program called “Study in India” to increase the number of foreign students coming to the country. Click here to read…

Indian Minister of State V Muraleedharan to complete Sudan and South Sudan trip

India’s Minister of State V Muraleedharan concludes his visit to Sudan and South Sudan today, his first visit to both countries. Click here to read…

Mauritius’ exit from FATF grey list may boost India’s FDI inflow

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog, has removed Mauritius from its ‘grey list’ of countries which may indirectly lead to higher investment to India from the Island nation.’ Click here to read…

Over 800 Indian Army troops in Sudan get United Nations medal

A total of 836 troops from the Indian Army serving with the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan have been awarded the United Nations medal. India is the second largest troop contributor to the 18,300-strong peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, having provided nearly 2,400 soldiers. Click here to read…

Xi stresses sound development of digital economy: Xinhuanet
October 19, 2021

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has called for grasping the trend and law of digital economic development and pushing forward the sound development of the digital economy in the country. Xi made the remarks on Monday when presiding over a study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Click here to read…

China deliberates draft amendment to Anti-monopoly Law: Xinhuanet
October 19, 2021

A draft amendment to the Anti-monopoly Law was submitted on Tuesday to the ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, China’s top legislature, for the first reading. The draft amendment clarifies the basic position of competition policy and the legal status of the fair-competition review system. Click here to read…

China launches campaign against internet-user account malpractice: Xinhuanet
October 19, 2021

Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has launched a campaign with aims to effectively solve prominent problems in the operation of internet user accounts. User accounts for instant messaging, news and information, live streaming, online gaming, e-commerce and other types of online platforms will be the focus of the campaign, said the CAC on Tuesday. Click here to read…

IPR regulator steps up building think tanks: China Daily
October 18, 2021

China’s top regulator of intellectual property rights said it is advancing the building of IPR think tanks to meet goals in a central plan and help the country effectively solve IPR-related problems in the new era. Click here to read…

CPC appoints seven to key Party posts: China Daily
October 20, 2021

The Communist Party of China Central Committee announced the appointment of new Party secretaries for two autonomous regions and five provinces on Tuesday. Wang Junzheng, former Party chief of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, has been appointed Party secretary of the Tibet autonomous region, the CPC Central Committee said.
Click here to read…

Five CUHK students get up to 59 months’ jail over riots: China Daily

The District Court on Tuesday sentenced five Chinese University of Hong Kong students to up to four years and 11 months in prison for their roles in the rioting that took place at the university’s campus in 2019. The five defendants, aged between 20 and 23, were arrested for participating in the violent clashes with the police force on a bridge at the CUHK on Nov 11, when the city was rocked by months-long social unrest. Click here to read…

Social media accounts of fake government organizations and zombie fans among main targets of China’s top cyberspace regulator campaign: Global Times
October 20, 2021

The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), China’s top cyberspace regulator, held a working meeting on Monday on the “Clear and Bright” campaign and stressed certain accounts as major targets, including the accounts of banned users and “zombie followers” of celebrities. Owners of illegal accounts that were shut down according to the law and platform rules are not allowed to open new accounts with the same or similar names. The owner should be banned from registering for a new account for a period based on the severity of the violations, according to the meeting of the CAC. Click here to read…

China’s top economic planner vows ‘all necessary means’ to curb ‘irrational’ coal prices: Global Times
October 19, 2021

China’s top economic planner on Tuesday vowed to resort to all necessary means based on the country’s price law, mulling concrete measures to intervene in coal prices, as the official stance grows harsher on runaway coal prices that have put energy supplies at stake. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said that coal prices have become completely divorced from the fundamentals of supply and demand and as the heating season approaches, prices are still showing a further trend of irrational rises. Click here to read…

China sends in 100 rocket launchers to fortify border with India: South China Morning Post
October 19, 2021

China has deployed more than 100 advanced long-range rocket launchers to its high-altitude borders with India, according to a source close to the Chinese military, as the two sides remain deadlocked over their protracted boundary disputes. The source said the People’s Liberation Army was ramping up defences in preparation for the Himalayan winter and in response to the Indian Army’s deployment of three regiments with M777 ultra-light howitzers along the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. Click here to read…

China’s property, construction sectors contract as Evergrande crisis, tougher regulation hit home: South China Morning Post
October 19, 2021

China’s property and construction sectors contracted in the third quarter for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, hurt by a slump in real estate as the China Evergrande Group debt crisis and the effects of Beijing’s tougher property market regulation spread to other parts of the economy. Output in the real estate and construction industries shrank 1.6 per cent and 1.8 per cent respectively in the third quarter of 2021, according to a supplemental report on China’s gross domestic product released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Tuesday. Click here to read…

China’s Canton Fair wraps up, but exporters lament the lack of foreign buyers: South China Morning Post
October 20, 2021

Canton Fair participants said global inflation was the biggest risk for their businesses as they attended the biannual trade event in person for the first time in three exhibitions.

The five-day fair – the largest of its kind in China – kicked off last Friday in Guangzhou, but many Chinese exhibitors said they were disappointed at the lack of foreign buyers, with some packing up and leaving early on the last day of the fair on Tuesday. Many exporters taking part in the exhibition, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), said they had not signed up or approached new foreign buyers during the event, while domestic buyers showed little interest in placing orders. Click here to read…

China updates official news sources list to tighten information oversight: Reuters
October 20, 2021

The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the country’s top internet regulator, published an updated list on Wednesday of 1,358 internet news services, stating that information service providers can only reprint news from these sources. The list arrives amid a regulatory crackdown on a range of industries from Chinese authorities, including the media sector. Click here to read…

Tibet to improve financial services for smaller firms: Xinhuanet
October 15, 2021

Southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region has introduced a raft of measures to improve financial services to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, according to local authorities. The move aims to guide financial institutions to optimize resource allocation and improve service to smaller firms, said the Lhasa central sub-branch of the People’s Bank of China, the country’s central bank. Click here to read…

China launches its longest-ever crewed mission for space station construction: Xinhuanet
October 16, 2021

China on Saturday launched the crewed spaceship Shenzhou-13, sending three astronauts to its space station core module Tianhe for a six-month mission. The spacecraft, atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China’s Gobi Desert at 12:23 a.m. (Beijing Time), according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). Click here to read…

7 anti-China disruptors sentenced over unauthorized assembly in Hong Kong: Xinhuanet
October 16, 2021

Seven anti-China disruptors in Hong Kong were sentenced by the District Court of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Saturday to up to 12 months in prison for holding or organizing and inciting others to take part in unauthorized assemblies on July 1 last year. Click here to read…

Xi stresses enhancing whole-process people’s democracy: China Military
October 14, 2021

Chinese President Xi Jinping has underlined upholding and improving the people’s congress system and continuously enhancing whole-process people’s democracy. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks while addressing a central conference on work related to people’s congresses, held from Wednesday to Thursday in Beijing. Click here to read…

China-Russia joint naval exercise kicks off: China Military
October 15, 2021

The China-Russia joint naval exercise, Joint Sea-2021, kicked off with a ceremony on the afternoon of October 14 in waters near Russia’s Peter the Great Bay. This exercise will be co-chaired by Rear Admiral Bai Yaoping, deputy commander of the navy under the PLA Northern Theater Command, and the commander of the Primorsky flotilla of diverse forces of Russia’s Pacific Fleet, with joint command posts set onboard the commanding vessels of both sides. Click here to read…

China releases 100 industrial standards for public security: People’s Daily
October 14, 2021

China’s Ministry of Public Security (MPS) on Thursday released 100 sets of industrial standards regarding public safety, covering areas of social security, traffic management, and the techniques applied in collecting evidence for criminal cases. The MPS had released 2,256 sets of industrial standards so far that are currently in effect, said MPS official Li Jian at a press conference, adding that the MPS also participated in the formulation of more than 10 international standards in this field. Click here to read…

Singers removed from China’s streaming platforms after releasing song insulting China: Global Times
October 18, 2021

Malaysian singer and songwriter, Namewee, and Australian singer Kimberley Chen, have been removed from China’s social and streaming platforms as of Sunday after they released a song which is considered to have insulted the Chinese people. The song named “Fragile”, or literally “Heart of Glass,” released on Friday is considered to contain insults against the Chinese people under the surface of a romantic love song. Click here to read…

MoU on China-Bhutan boundary talks ‘breaks deadlock caused by India, paves way for diplomatic ties’: Global Times
October 15, 2021

China and Bhutan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on a Three-Step Roadmap to help speed up boundary talks that have been heavily delayed, during a virtual meeting held on Thursday. The MoU is of historic significance and is the result of years of joint efforts and sincere cooperation between the two sides, analysts said, noting that it points out the direction for breaking the current deadlock and laying a foundation for the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Bhutan. Click here to read…

Sony China fined 1 million yuan for undermining national dignity and interests: Global Times
October 18, 2021

Sony’s China branch was fined 1 million yuan ($0.15 million) by Beijing’s market regulator on October 12 for its advertisement related to the July 7th Incident in 1937. The company was accused of undermining national dignity and interests, Beijing Daily reported on Sunday. Click here to read…

China’s Q3 economic growth slows to 4.9% amid power crunch, supply bottleneck: Global Times
October 18, 2021

China’s GDP expanded 4.9 percent in the third quarter of 2021, slowing from previous quarters amid rising economic challenges including a power crunch and the global supply chain bottleneck. The growth is slightly lower than market expectations which put it at 5 percent. The country’s economic output rose 4.9 percent both on one-year and two-year basis in the third quarter, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday morning. In the first three quarters, China’s GDP grew by 9.8 percent to hit a total of 82.31 trillion yuan ($12.8 trillion). Click here to read…

Chinese military newspaper calls for ‘people’s war’ to counter US spies after CIA sets up new China unit: South China Morning Post
October 17, 2021

A Chinese military newspaper has called for a “people’s war” to defeat American espionage after the CIA set up a new unit dedicated to China. The launch of China Mission Centre on October 7, which CIA Director William Burns said was aimed at countering “the most important geopolitical threat” of the century, has gone viral on Chinese social media.
A widely circulated video clip in the past few days, carried by many state-controlled media outlets, claimed that the CIA was recruiting Chinese-speaking operatives who understood Mandarin as well as Cantonese, Hakka and Shanghainese. Click here to read…

China faces challenges from ‘mismanagement’ at certain firms, says PBOC head: Reuters
October 18, 2021

China’s economy is “doing well”, but faces challenges such as default risks for certain firms due to “mismanagement”, the People’s Bank of China Governor Yi Gang said on Sunday. Concerns have grown in recent weeks over the possible collapse of property developer China Evergrande Group, which has more than $300 billion in liabilities and has missed three rounds of interest payments on its dollar bonds. Click here to read…

Chinese tech workers disclose working hours in criticism of ‘996’: Reuters
October 14, 2021

A campaign calling on workers at Chinese tech companies and other high-profile firms to log their working hours on a public internet page has gone viral, in the latest backlash against a culture of overtime. Organised by four anonymous creators who described themselves as recent graduates, the “Worker Lives Matter” campaign calls on employees at tech firms to enter their company name, position, and working hours in a spreadsheet posted on GitHub. Click here to read…