Tag Archives: Russia

China: Daily Scan, June 29, 2022

Xi encourages grain farmers to contribute to national food security: Xinhuanet
June 28, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping has underscored the exemplary role of large-scale grain growers in encouraging more farmers to contribute to the country’s food security. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks Monday in a letter replying to Xu Congxiang, a veteran grain farmer in Taihe County, east China’s Anhui Province. Click here to read…

China’s top legislator holds talks with lower house speaker of Kazakhstan’s parliament: Xinhuanet
June 28, 2022

China’s top legislator Li Zhanshu on Tuesday held video talks with Erlan Koshanov, the speaker of the Mazhilis, or lower house, of Kazakhstan’s parliament. Li, chairman of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said that under the strategic guidance and direct push of the two heads of state, China-Kazakhstan relations have continuously achieved leap-forward development and a new height in the two countries’ permanent comprehensive strategic partnership has been reached. Click here to read…

Profits of Chinese SOEs down in first five months amid pandemic: Xinhuanet
June 28, 2022

China’s state-owned enterprises (SOEs) reported increased revenue but decreased profits in the first five months of this year, due to a high comparison base last year and the impacts of the pandemic, official data showed Tuesday. Click here to read…

China’s private enterprises quadruple in last 10 years: Xinhuanet
June 28, 2022

The number of Chinese private enterprises quadrupled in the past decade amid efforts to optimize the business environment, the country’s top economic planner said Tuesday. China’s private enterprises increased from 10.85 million in 2012 to 44.57 million last year, Su Wei, deputy secretary general of the National Development and Reform Commission, told a press conference. Click here to read…

China unveils major sci-tech issues of 2022: Xinhuanet
June 28, 2022

The China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) has released the major issues in science, engineering and technology, as well as industrial technology, for 2022.A total of 30 issues, including the early diagnosis of asymptomatic Alzheimer’s disease, the formation and evolution of black holes in the universe, the application of remote sensing to effectively assess the Earth’s health and the industrialization of memory-computation integrated chips, were highlighted during the closing ceremony of the CAST’s annual conference on Monday in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province. Click here to read…

Robot takes over for humans on power lines: China Daily
June 28, 2022

A robot completed its first work with electricity on overhead power lines in the Qingshan district of Wuhan, Hubei province, on Friday. It is the first time a domestically developed robot has been used to complete electrical work on a 10 kilovolt overhead line in the province. Click here to read…

Academic institutes should be bridges rather than platforms for anti-China lies: Global Times
June 28, 2022

When asked for comments on a China Center newly established within the Hudson Institute, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Tuesday that academic institutes should serve as bridges between different countries creating understanding and cooperation rather than distributing lies. Click here to read…

WeChat mini program offers general public virtual tours of Great Wall completely online: People’s Daily
June 28, 2022

A WeChat mini program that offers a window online for the general public to visit the Great Wall virtually was recently launched in China. The mini program was developed after a recent Great Wall protection and maintenance project was completed. During the project, several sections of the Great Wall were restored with the support of a total funding outlay of nearly 50 million yuan ($7.48 million). A documentary and a cartoon book popularizing knowledge about the Great Wall were also launched after the conclusion of the restoration project. Click here to read…

Digital yuan helps stimulate consumption, supports recovery of SMEs across China: People’s Daily
June 28, 2022

Multiple Chinese cities have recently issued “red packets” of digital yuan, or e-CNY, to stimulate consumption, with more e-CNY applications to be introduced in the future. On May 30, Shenzhen city in south China’s Guangdong Province started distributing e-CNY red packets worth 30 million yuan (about $4.50 million) on Meituan, a Chinese e-commerce platform, to revive consumption and aid businesses. Click here to read…

Chinese breakthrough lets human brains beam radio waves: South China Morning Post
June 28, 2022

Chinese researchers say they have made it possible for humans to beam radio waves with their brains in a breakthrough that could have uses ranging from health monitoring to mind-controlled military radar. In an air force laboratory experiment, researchers showed that brainwaves could control and interact with electromagnetic waves remotely. Click here to read…

Xi Jinping points to public opinion campaign as example of ‘whole-process democracy’: South China Morning Post
June 28, 2022

An online public opinion campaign for the Communist Party’s upcoming national congress has set the stage for the conclave, according to Chinese President Xi Jinping. State news agency Xinhua quoted Xi as saying the campaign was “not just an effective means for party members and the public to put forward their opinions about the country’s development and national rejuvenation but also a vivid demonstration of our whole-process democracy”.
Xinhua said the month-long campaign, which ended in mid-May, gathered 8.54 million opinions from the public for the congress, which is expected to usher in a younger party leadership and a third term for Xi as the organisation’s general secretary. Click here to read…

G-7 renews push to sanction Russia, to tackle China’s market abuse: Kyodo
June 29, 2022

Leaders from the Group of Seven nations made a renewed push Tuesday to continue punishing Russia over its war against Ukraine by agreeing to explore a price cap on Russian oil amid surging energy costs, while pledging $4.5 billion to combat a growing food crisis. Click here to read…

PetroChina may sell Australian, Canadian assets to stem losses: Reuters
June 29, 2022

PetroChina may sell out from natural gas projects in Australia and oil sands in Canada to stem losses and divert funds to more lucrative sites in the Middle East, Africa and central Asia, two people with knowledge of the matter said. Click here to read…

U.S. accuses five firms in China of supporting Russia’s military: Reuters
June 29, 2022

U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration added five companies in China to a trade blacklist on Tuesday for allegedly supporting Russia’s military and defense industrial base, flexing its muscle to enforce sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. Click here to read…

China’s State Council appoints, removes officials: People’s Daily
June 29, 2022

The State Council announced the appointment and removal of officials Tuesday. Sun Guangyu was appointed as vice minister of emergency management. Zhen Zhanmin will no longer serve as vice president of the National Academy of Governance (NAG) and was appointed vice president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Yu Bin was appointed as deputy director of the Development Research Center of the State Council. Click here to read…

New phase of innovation begins between China and Singapore: China Daily
June 29, 2022

The China-Singapore Smart Park was officially opened on Sunday in Guangzhou, South China’s Guangdong province, a new move between the two countries to promote innovative cooperation. As an important part of the China-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City, a landmark Sino-Singaporean government project, the CSSP will focus on the fields of digital economy, green development, biomedicine and smart city construction. Click here to read…

Chinese grows in influence over decade: China Daily
June 29, 2022

Learning of nation’s language a major contributor to international exchanges. China has promoted the high-quality development of global Chinese language learning in the past decade, assisting foreigners in learning standard Chinese and enhancing international communication, officials and experts said. Click here to read…

Account verifications to limit spread of misinformation online: China Daily
June 29, 2022

Internet service providers as well as social media and sharing platforms are to be required to verify accounts that claim to be involved in certain specialist fields, such as the economy, education, health and justice, in order to protect the public from scams and the propagation of misleading information. Click here to read…

Efforts urged to stabilize employment: China Daily
June 29, 2022

Ensuring people’s well-being key to sustained economic development. Premier Li Keqiang has urged efforts to stabilize employment amid the new downward pressure facing the nation’s economy, saying that policies and measures to stabilize economic growth should focus on ensuring the vitality of market players to enable them to stabilize employment. Click here to read…

Africa Now – Weekly Newsletter (Week 26, 2022)

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

COMMENTARY

United States of Africa: Ultimate Dream of a Pan-Africanist

Every year on May 25, the world celebrates Africa Day. It was on May 25, 1963, that the first organisational body of Africa, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), was established in Ethiopia. Click here to read…

Mozambique’s Reversal of Fortune

Just a year ago, the news from Mozambique was rather glum. The security crisis in the northern region of Cabo Delgado had displaced hundreds of thousands of people, created a humanitarian crisis. Click here to read…

NEWS

As election season nears, Kenyans brace for unrest and hope for peace

A fleet of shiny SUVs descended on the dusty city of Wajir in northeast Kenya on a spring afternoon. Click here to read…

Tunisia’s president plans to omit ‘Islam’ from new constitution

The secularist Kais Saied is putting the constitution to a referendum on July 25 in the hope of overhauling the country’s legal, political and economic structures and granting himself more powers. Click here to read…

Somalia parliament endorses new Prime minister

Somalia’s parliament on Saturday unanimously endorsed Hamza Abdi Barre as new prime minister, paving the way for the creation of a new government for the troubled Horn of Africa nation. Click here to read…

Mali strongman Goita adopts electoral law, key to civilian rule

Mali’s strongman ruler on Friday signed into law election legislation adopted by parliament a week ago, paving the way for polls and a return of civilian rule, according to a presidential decree. Click here to read…

World Bank to provide war-torn Ethiopia with $715 mln

The World Bank on Friday agreed to provide $715 million in grants and loans to Ethiopia, which has been ravaged by drought and a devastating conflict, the country’s government said. Click here to read…

Tanzania’s Masaai demand Indigenous rights in UN framework

Tanzania’s Maasai people, resisting government pressure to leave their ancestral homes in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, have presented their demands for Indigenous land rights to negotiators in Nairobi finalizing the proposed U.N. global biodiversity framework. Click here to read…

UK names new envoy for Horn of Africa

Britain has named a new envoy for the Horn of Africa and Red Sea., strategic region beset by multiple security and humanitarian crises. Click here to read…

Shaked heads to Morocco on Monday, in 3rd visit by government minister

Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked will travel to Morocco for a diplomatic visit on Monday, becoming the third government minister to do so. Click here to read…

China Says It Is Willing to Help End Conflict in Horn of Africa

China’s special envoy to the Horn of Africa, Xue Bing, has said Beijing is ready to help the region’s countries find peace and get rid of what he called external interferenceClick here to read…

Qatar’s emir makes first visit to Egypt since thaw in ties with Doha

Qatar’s emir arrived in Cairo late Friday for talks with Egypt’s president, his first visit to the country following years of frayed ties and a boycott of Doha by four Arab states, including Egypt. Click here to read…

Sheikh Mohamed reaffirms UAE’s support for Somalia during meeting with president

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has affirmed the UAE’s continuous, all-out support for Somali people to achieve their aspirations for development, stability, prosperity. Click here to read…

Window of opportunity closing for South Sudan, on road to lasting peace

With eight months remaining, the window of opportunity is closing for South Sudan to meet critical benchmarks required to complete its transition away from long-running civil conflictClick here to read…

Algeria, Niger, Nigeria resume talks on Trans-Sahara gas pipeline

Algeria, Niger and Nigeria held talks this week on the revival of a decades-old project to pipe gas across the Sahara, a potential opportunity for Europe to diversify its gas sources as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues. Click here to read…

Burkina Faso: 14 days to evacuate before vast army operation

Burkina Faso’s army has given civilians two weeks to evacuate vast areas in northern and southeastern regions of the country in advance of military operations against rebel fighters. Click here to read…

Morocco: 18 migrants die in attempt to enter Spain’s Melilla

Moroccan authorities said that 18 migrants were killed and dozens of migrants and police officers were injured in a “stampede” of people trying to cross into the Spanish North African enclave of Melilla. Click here to read…

Attacks in Sudan’s Darfur bring new surge in people fleeing their homes

Violence in western Sudan this month alone has displaced more than 84,000 people, doubling the number of those driven from their homes so far this year, according to UN reports. Click here to read…

Libya’s Interior Ministry condemns deadly clashes in Tripoli

Libya’s Interior Ministry has condemned the deadly clashes that broke out between armed groups in the capital Tripoli. Click here to read…

Suspected Jihadists ‘Systemically’ Slaughter Over 130 People in Western Africa’s Mali

Suspected jihadists massacred more than 130 civilians over the weekend in neighbouring central Mali towns, the latest mass killings in the Sahel regionClick here to read…
Click here to read…

Morocco, US launch annual ‘African Lion’ military exercise

Morocco and the US kicked off the annual African Lion military exercises on Monday, which will last until the end of the month. The exercises include 7,500 personnel from ten nations, among them Brazil, France and BritainClick here to read…

Commonwealth heads call for climate action at Rwanda meeting

Leaders of Commonwealth nations are calling for increased climate action at a meeting in Rwanda this week, ahead of the United Nations climate change summit in Egypt later this year. Click here to read…

Eight UN peacekeepers wounded in Mali blast

Eight UN peacekeepers were wounded Thursday in a mine explosion in Mali’s Timbuktu region, the United Nations said. Click here to read…

M23 rebels ask Congolese refugees in Uganda to return home

Rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) have asked refugees fleeing the conflict torn North Kivu province of the nation to return home. Click here to read…

DR Congo welcomes deployment of regional force to fight rebels

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has welcomed Kenya’s proposal to deploy a regional force to fight the M23 rebel group in the east of the country, but said it won’t accept neighbour Rwanda’s participation. Click here to read…

Commonwealth meet draws attention to Rwanda’s human rights record

Commonwealth leaders met in Kigali on Friday to discuss cooperation on topics from trade to health to climate, against a backdrop of criticism of host Rwanda’s human rights record and of a British policy to deport asylum seekers thereClick here to read…

Cameroon Deploys Hundreds of Troops to Protect 40,000 People Displaced by Boko Haram

Cameron has deployed hundreds of troops along its border with Nigeria after attacks by Boko Haram militants forced more than 40,000 villagers over the past two months to flee the area. Click here to read…

Saudi Arabia, Djibouti sign joint cooperation agreement on maritime transport

Saudi Arabia, represented by the Transport General Authority (TGA), has signed a joint maritime transport cooperation agreement with the Department of Maritime Affairs in Djibouti. Click here to read…

Gabon eyes Commonwealth entry to advance economic diversification

Gabon, a French-speaking country in Central Africa that has been seeking membership in the Commonwealth, is awaiting the final decision made at the Commonwealth summit currently held in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital. Click here to read…

African court orders Kenya to pay $1.3 million as reparations to indigenous Ogiek people

The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, an international court established by members of the African Union, ordered the Kenyan government June 23, 2022, to pay $1.3 millionClick here to read…

Chinese fugitive wanted for racist videos of Malawi children arrested in Zambia

A fugitive Chinese national wanted in Malawi for filming children singing racist chants in Chinese has been arrested in neighbouring ZambiaClick here to read…

INDIA IN AFRICA

EAM Jaishankar meets several leaders, counterparts in Rwanda

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday called on Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong here and also met several leaders and his counterparts from the Commonwealth nations to discuss bilateral ties and geopolitical trends. Click here to read…

Jaishankar discusses growing defence ties with Tanzanian counterpart

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Friday (local time) met with the Tanzanian Foreign Minister Liberata Mulamula and discussed strengthening defence and security ties between the two countries. Click here to read…

Jaishankar meets Mauritius PM, discusses thriving relations between nations

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Friday (local time) met with the Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth in Rwanda and discussed the thriving relations between the two countries. Click here to read…

EAM Jaishankar meets counterparts from Tanzania, Solomon Islands; discusses bilateral cooperation

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has met his counterparts from Tanzania and the Solomon Islands here and discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in various sectors. Click here to read…

External affairs minister S Jaishankar interacts with Indian community in Rwanda

External affairs minister S Jaishankar lauded the Indian community in Rwanda for its contribution towards strengthening bilateral ties and spoke about India’s progress. Click here to read…

EAM Jaishankar calls Rwanda ‘important’ friend of India

External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishankar who is on his first visit to Kigali described Rwanda as the most progressive, business-friendly, and socially inclusive societies. Click here to read…

Indian embassy in Madagascar begins free Hindi classes for language enthusiasts

The Indian embassy in Antananarivo on Thursday began free Hindi language classes for all language enthusiasts in Madagascar, Indian Ambassador to Madagascar, Abhay Kumar said. Click here to read…

Senegal, India Renew Alliances with 3 MoUs

This month saw Indian Vice President Venkaiah Naidu in Dakar, received by Senegalese President H.E. Macky Sall and Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Aissata Tall Sall. Click here to read…

Indian Embassy in Madagascar celebrates 8th International Day of Yoga

The 8th International Day of Yoga celebrations took place at the University of Antananarivo, organised by Indian Embassy in Madagascar on June 21st 2022. The theme for this year’s International Day of Yoga is “Yoga for Humanity” Click here to read…

Airtel Africa issues tender offer to clear $300 mn debt

Bharti Airtel International (Netherlands) BV, which manages Airtel’s Africa business, has issued a tender offer to buy back up to USD 300 million (about Rs 2,348 crore) of senior notes. Click here to read…

China: Daily Scan, June 23, 2022

China’s top political advisor calls for fostering green, low carbon development: Xinhuanet
June 22, 2022

China’s top political advisor Wang Yang has called for efforts to foster high-quality growth that embodies green and low-carbon development. Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), chaired the closing meeting of the 22nd session of the Standing Committee of the 13th CPPCC National Committee and delivered a speech on Wednesday. Click here to read…

Full Text: Chinese President Xi Jinping’s keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the BRICS Business Forum: Xinhuanet
June 22, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony of the BRICS Business Forum in virtual format and delivered a keynote speech titled “Keep Abreast of the Trend of the Times to Shape a Bright Future” on Wednesday. Click here to read…

China’s central SOEs up investment in new infrastructure: Xinhuanet
June 22, 2022

China’s centrally administered state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are ramping up investment in new types of infrastructure to facilitate industrial transformation, data from the country’s top state-asset regulator showed. Click here to read…

Jing Junhai elected Party chief of China’s Jilin: Xinhuanet
June 22, 2022

Jing Junhai has been elected secretary of the Jilin Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Jing was elected to the post at the first plenary session of the 12th CPC Jilin Provincial Committee on Wednesday. Click here to read…

China, ASEAN vow to strengthen defense, security cooperation: China Military
June 22, 2022

The 13th China-ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Informal Meeting was held via video link on Wednesday. The meeting was co-chaired by Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe and General Tea Banh, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister of Combodia, the rotating chair of ASEAN. Click here to read…

Plan promotes cultural digitalization: China Daily
June 23, 2022

The digital revolution has fundamentally altered the way in which culture and cultural services are produced, distributed and accessed. With its wealth of cultural resources, China is set to embrace this revolution with a grand plan: the digitization of culture. Click here to read…

China bans 31 misbehaviors by livestreamers in latest effort to clean up cyberspace: Global Times
June 22, 2022

China’s top media and culture authorities on Wednesday jointly issued behavior norms to guide livestreamers, prohibiting 31 kinds of misbehavior including smearing Chinese culture, historic figures and national heroes, and hyping sensitive issues, in a move to promote a healthy cyberspace amid public calls for more regulation due to wrongdoings in the booming industry. Click here to read…

2022 marks ‘year of launch’ for BRICS remote satellite network: Global Times
June 22, 2022

As the 14th BRICS Summit kicks off, China National Space Administration (CNSA) revealed to the Global Times the latest development and more details on cooperation in joint observation and data sharing of the remote sensing satellites among the five major emerging economies -Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Click here to read…

Two Chinese rights lawyers face trial for state subversion: Reuters
June 22, 2022

Two prominent Chinese rights lawyers are set to go on trial behind closed doors this week on charges of state subversion, campaign groups said, part of a clampdown on dissent and rights activism under President Xi Jinping. Hearings for Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi were scheduled in Linshu county court in the northeastern province of Shandong on Wednesday and Friday, respectively, relatives and friends told Reuters. Click here to read…

USTR Tai calls U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods ‘significant’ leverage: Reuters
June 22, 2022

U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai on Wednesday said that she views tariffs on Chinese goods as “a significant piece of leverage” in the U.S.-China trade relationship and removing them would likely have a limited effect on controlling short-term inflation. Click here to read…

Border issues with India should be resolved through dialogue: Reuters
June 22, 2022

China and India should resolve their border issues through dialogue and consultation as the two countries’ common interests outweigh their differences, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday. Wang spoke during a meeting with Pradeep Kumar Rawat, India’s new ambassador to China, according to a statement issued by China’s foreign ministry. Click here to read…

China’s electricity demand soars as heatwaves bake northern, central provinces: South China Morning Post
June 22, 2022

Heatwaves in northern and central China drove up electricity demand to record levels as millions switched on air conditioners to escape the sweltering conditions, while floodwaters in the south submerged villages and trapped city residents. On Wednesday, China’s meteorological administration issued orange alert warnings for high temperatures in regions across the provinces of Shandong, Henan and Hebei. Several cities in Shandong, China’s second-most populous province, have issued “red alert” high temperature warnings, which have pushed up demand for air conditioning among the region’s more than 100 million people. Click here to read…

G-7, NATO leaders to highlight China challenge, pressure Russia: Kyodo
June 23, 2022

The Group of Seven industrialized nations are expected to step up efforts to address China’s “coercive economic practices” when their leaders meet in Germany later in June, while increasing pressure on Russia to end the war in Ukraine, U.S. officials said Wednesday. Click here to read…

Beijing children must take COVID-19 tests to play in the park: Taipei Times
June 23, 2022

Beijing is tightening its hardline “zero COVID” rules, mandating that children show a negative test result to enter parks in China’s capital. Children older than three will need to show a green health code on the system that controls people’s movements, as well as a negative COVID-19 result no older than 72 hours, a statement from the Beijing Municipal Administration Center of Parks said. Click here to read…

7 injured of Tianjin gas explosion discharged from hospital; 9 held accountable under custody: Global Times
June 23, 2022

Seven people who were injured in the gas explosion in Baodi, North China’s Tianjin Municipality on Tuesday afternoon have been discharged from the hospital,while nine individuals responsible for the accident are under custody, the local authorities announced on Wednesday. Click here to read…

Culprits punished in Henan health code scandal: China Daily
June 23, 2022

Five people, including four officials, in Henan province have been punished after they were found to have abused their power to turn people’s health codes red for non-epidemic reasons, according to an investigation report on Wednesday. Click here to read…

Supercomputer, AI to speed up drug discoveries: China Daily
June 23, 2022

Using artificial intelligence and one of the world’s fastest supercomputers, Chinese scientists are engineering otherwise unknown chemicals designed for future clinical use. The Tianhe-2 supercomputer, located in the National Supercomputer Center in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, ranked as the world’s fastest supercomputer in June 2013, holding the top spot for three years and today still ranks among the world’s top 10. Click here to read…

China’s largest social media platform pledges crackdown on rumors: Global Times
June 23, 2022

WeChat, one of China’s most popular social media platforms, announced on Wednesday that it will launch a crackdown on accounts and content that create or spread online rumors and false information related to hot social security issues. Click here to read…

Xi stresses need to build basic data systems, enhance administrative division management: Xinhuanet
June 23, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday urged efforts to accelerate the construction of basic systems for data and improve work on administrative divisions. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks while chairing the 26th meeting of the central commission for deepening overall reform. Click here to read…

Chinese mainland reports 13 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases: Xinhuanet
June 23, 2022

The Chinese mainland Wednesday reported 13 locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, including nine in Shanghai, three in Beijing, and one in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the National Health Commission said Thursday. Click here to read…

China: Daily Scan, June 21, 2022

Li Hongzhong elected Party chief of China’s Tianjin: Xinhuanet
June 20, 2022

Li Hongzhong has been elected secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Tianjin Municipal Committee. Li was elected to the post at the first plenary session of the 12th CPC Tianjin Municipal Committee on Monday. Click here to read…

CPC promulgates regulations on political consultation work: Xinhuanet
June 20, 2022

The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee has promulgated a set of regulations on the Party’s work regarding political consultation, and issued a notice to facilitate the implementation. Approved at a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on May 27, the regulations consist of 31 articles in eight chapters. Click here to read…

Former senior provincial official arrested for suspected bribery: Xinhuanet
June 20, 2022

Zhang Jinghua, former deputy secretary of the Jiangsu Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, has been arrested on suspicion of bribery, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP) said. Click here to read…

Policies help to finance water conservation: Quishi
June 20, 2022

China will introduce a series of preferential policies to ensure that the country’s total investment into water conservancy development reaches at least 800 billion yuan ($119 billion) this year, said Wei Shanzhong, vice-minister of water resources. According to the ministry, the country’s total investment into such projects stood at 802.8 billion yuan in 2021, up 4.2 percent from the previous year. Click here to read…

Xi encourages PLA infantry academy students to contribute to strengthening armed forces: China Military
June 20, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping has encouraged students from the Army Infantry Academy of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to contribute to the cause of strengthening China’s armed forces. Click here to read…

New China-Turkmenistan natural gas field in operation: Global Times
June 20, 2022

A new natural gas project between China and Turkmenistan has begun operations, which is set to further boost bilateral economic ties in areas including energy and infrastructure, help ensure China’s energy supply amid rising energy prices and diversify China’s sources of energy imports against the backdrop of global uncertainties. Click here to read…

China power demand sets new records as heatwaves bake northern cities: Reuters
June 20, 2022

Power consumption surged in Chinese provinces north of the Yangtze river due to warmer-than-normal weather, with regions like Henan, China’s third-most populous province, being tested to meet record electricity demand. The maximum power demand load in Henan, which has a population of nearly 100 million people, set a new record of 65.34 million kilowatts on Sunday, state television reported on Monday. Click here to read…

N. Korea abruptly stops importing COVID containment goods from China: Reuters
June 20, 2022

North Korea abruptly stopped importing COVID-19 prevention and control products from China in May, trade data released by Beijing showed, after the country bought face masks and ventilators from its neighbour in previous months. Click here to read…

China building Waste Mountain: Taipei Times
June 21, 2022

Hazmat-suited workers poke plastic swabs down millions of throats in China each day, leaving bins bursting with medical waste that has become the environmental and economic levy of the nation’s “zero COVID-19” strategy. China is the last major economy wedded to stamping out infections no matter the cost. Near-daily testing is the most commonly used weapon in an anti-virus arsenal that includes snap lockdowns and forced quarantines when just a few cases are detected. Click here to read…

China’s political party school in Africa takes first students from 6 countries: South China Morning Post
June 21, 2022

Future leaders from ruling political parties in Tanzania, South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Angola have attended their first session at a training school funded with US$40 million support from China’s Communist Party. Construction of the Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Leadership School in Kibaha, 40km (25 miles) outside Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, was financed by the six ruling parties of the southern African countries. The additional support came from the ruling party in Beijing through its International Liaison Department, the bureaucracy in charge of promoting Chinese ideology overseas and inter-party diplomacy. Click here to read…

Chinese mainland reports 9 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases: Xinhuanet
June 21, 2022

The Chinese mainland Monday reported nine locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, including six in Shanghai and three in Beijing, the National Health Commission said Tuesday. Click here to read…

Political advisors discuss high quality development: China Daily
June 21, 2022

The Standing Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee convened a meeting on Monday to discuss high quality, green and low carbon development. Click here to read…

Original verdict upheld for former official at China’s top court: Global Times
June 21, 2022

The Beijing Municipal High People’s Court on Monday announced a public verdict in the case against Wang Linqing, a former official at China’s top court, rejecting his appeal and upholding the original verdict. In May, Wang was sentenced to 14 years in prison and given a fine of 1 million yuan ($150,000) for taking bribes and illegally obtaining national secrets. Click here to read…

Ningxia launches first intermodal freight train to Iran via Caspian Sea: Global Times
June 21, 2022

Northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region launched the first sea-rail intermodal freight train to Iran on Monday, forming a new international logistics channel via the Caspian Sea. The new line, combined with other China-Europe freight rail routes, will contribute to building a global transportation network covering sea, rail and road transport. Click here to read…

Chinese, Russian companies pursue rising yuan trade settlements: Global Times
June 21, 2022

Traders see a growing potential for local currency settlements in trade, especially between China and Russia under the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) framework, as the countries are seeking alternatives to chip away at dollar dominance. While the US dollar hegemony continues to shadow world trade, closer economic and trade ties would be needed more than ever among the BRICS member states, and further cooperation in areas such as local currency settlement could be brought up at the upcoming BRICS Summit, experts said. Click here to read…

China’s east-to-west computing resource transfer project in full swing: People’s Daily
June 21, 2022

The industrial park has attracted more than 100 tenants, including government bodies, world-renowned cloud computing service providers, large Internet companies, and banks and insurance institutions. “The annual average temperature in Hohhot city is eight degrees Celsius, so data centers in the city can use natural cooling sources for about five months of the year,” an executive of Chinese telecom operator China Unicom’s cloud data center in Hohhot explained. Click here to read…

China to further deepen, substantiate BRICS cooperation: People’s Daily
June 21, 2022

When changes in the world, our times and history are unfolding today in ways like never before, China looks forward to working with fellow BRICS members to further deepen and substantiate BRICS cooperation, cement the BRICS strategic partnership, draw up a new blueprint for BRICS cooperation, and make greater contributions to safeguarding peace and stability and promoting development and prosperity by hosting the 14th BRICS Summit under the theme of “Foster High-quality BRICS Partnership, Usher in a New Era for Global Development. Click here to read…

Africa Now – Weekly Newsletter (Week 25, 2022)

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

COMMENTARY

Africa: Requiem for a continent

Every year on May 25, the world celebrates Africa Day. It is to commemorate May 25, 1963, when 30 independent African leaders signed the founding charter of the OAU (Organization of African Unity). Click here to read…

Africa Day 2022: An Odyssey of a Continent

Every year on May 25, the world celebrates Africa Day. On May 25 1963, 30 independent African leaders signed the founding charter of the OAU (Organization of African Unity). Click here to read…

Kenya’s political titans gear up for electoral fight

After 10 years of outgoing president Uhuru Kenyatta’s rule, a faltering economy and rising prices, shopkeeper Betty Kagwiria wants to vote for change in this year’s elections in Kenya. Click here to read…

NEWS

CHOGM 2022: Commonwealth heads to assemble in Rwanda

From June 20 to 27, Rwanda will host the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). What exactly is the Commonwealth? What is the point of this international summit? Click here to read…

Ethiopian government and Tigrayan forces move towards negotiations

The Ethiopian government has formed a committee to negotiate with forces from the Tigray region, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said in a televised speech to parliament on Tuesday. Click here to read…

Kenya’s political titans gear up for electoral fight

After 10 years of outgoing president Uhuru Kenyatta’s rule, a faltering economy and rising prices, shopkeeper Betty Kagwiria wants to vote for change in this year’s elections in Kenya. Click here to read…

Somali president nominates Hamza Abdi Barre as prime minister

Somalia’s president has nominated Hamza Abdi Barre, a former chairman of the Jubbaland state election commission, as prime minister. Click here to read…

Voters head to polls in Nigeria’s key local election

Voters in Nigeria’s Ekiti state have started casting their ballots to elect a new governor in what could be a bellwether for who wins next year’s presidential election. Click here to read…

Tunisians protest against constitution referendum as opposition grows

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Tunis on Saturday in opposition to a referendum on a new constitution called by President Kais Saied that would cement his hold on power. Click here to read…

South Sudan’s President hails bilateral relations with Israel

South Sudan President Salva Kiir on Wednesday held discussions with the Israeli ambassador to the country, Gershon Kedar during which he hailed the strong bilateral relations between the two countries. Click here to read…

Is Uganda heading for a dynastic succession?

He is the son of the president and a vainglorious Twitter user. He is also a belligerent general whose soldiers are accused of kidnapping and torturing opponents. Click here to read…

‘Farmgate’ threatens Cyril Ramaphosa’s South Africa re-election bid

The South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, is facing the most serious personal challenge of his four years in power after claims he tried to cover up the theft of millions of US dollars hidden at his game farm. Click here to read…

Algeria is increasingly aligned with Russia, Spanish minister says

Algeria’s decision to suspend a friendship treaty with Spain last week was not surprising because Algiers is increasingly aligning itself with RussiaClick here to read…

What DRC brings to the EAC table

The DR Congo, a sub-Sahara’s largest country, became the seventh member state of the East African Community (EAC) on March 29, joining Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Click here to read…

IMF bailout alone will not solve Zambia’s debt crisis

As Zambia began talks with its creditors to resolve its debt crisis, Hannah Ryder, the CEO of China-based African consultancy Development Reimagined, spoke to African Business about the country’s chances of obtaining an IMF bailout and its prospects for economic growth. Click here to read…

Egypt boosts ties with Tanzania amid ongoing Nile dam dispute

Egypt is boosting ties with the Nile Basin countries while Ethiopia inches toward the third filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam without an agreement with the downstream countries. Click here to read…

Rights groups condemn Tanzanian police violence against Maasai

Human rights organisations have accused Tanzanian police of using violence to evict members of the Masaai Indigenous community in Loliondo, in the country’s northern district of Ngorongoro. Click here to read…

Russian Mercenaries in Mali Base Days After France Pullout: Sources

Russian mercenaries arrived in the Malian town of Menaka on Wednesday just days after France’s military pullout from the site, sources briefed on the matter told AFP. Click here to read…

U.K. vows more Rwanda deportation flights after legal setback

The British government vowed Wednesday to organize more flights to deport asylum-seekers to Rwanda, after a last-minute court judgment grounded the first plane due to take off under the contentious policy. Click here to read…

Gambia: Officials Accused of Crimes Under Jammeh to Be Suspended

The Gambian government has announced this week that it would order suspensions for state employees accused of crimes under the former Yahya Jammeh regime, one of the recommendations of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC). Click here to read…

State controls just 60 percent of Burkina Faso: ECOWAS mediator

Authorities in Burkina Faso control just 60 percent of the country and the remaining territory is outside state control, a mediator from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has said. Click here to read…

DRC closes Rwanda border after soldier is shot dead during attack

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has closed its border with Rwanda after a Congolese soldier was shot dead while attacking border guards inside Rwandan territory. Click here to read…

France says it has captured Islamic State bigwig in Mali

French troops operating at the border between Mali and Niger have arrested a senior figure of the Islamic State in Greater Sahara (ISGS) armed group, authorities in Paris have said. Click here to read…

Libya Has Another Chance at Democracy

Libya was founded as a democracy. It is not too late to be a democracy again. Click here to read…

Clashes in Sudan’s Darfur Kill More Than 100

Clashes in Sudan’s Darfur between Arab and non-Arab groups have killed more than 100 people, adding to a toll of hundreds in the region over recent months. Click here to read…

Forty fighters ‘neutralised’ in drone strikes in Niger

French drone strikes have killed nearly 40 fighters earlier travelling on motorcycles near Niger’s border with Burkina Faso, France’s military said on Thursday. Click here to read…

Kenya calls for immediate deployment of regional force to eastern Congo

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday called for the immediate deployment of a new regional military force to try to stop rebel violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Click here to read…

Thousands flee as jihadist attacks resume in Mozambique

At least seven people have died in a spate of jihadist-related violence in northern Mozambique, local sources said Tuesday, as the UN said 10 000 people had fled their homes. Click here to read…

Somalia: Security Forces Kill Nearly 70 Al-Shabab Terrorists In Galmudug Region

Somalia’s state forces, on Friday, killed 67 Al-Shabab terrorists and inflicted injuries on several others. The clashes happened in the Galhaduud. Click here to read…

One-third of Sudan’s population faces hunger crisis: UN

Aid groups warn food insecurity may dramatically increase to ‘unprecedented levels’ and lead to more conflict and displacement unless Sudan receives ‘robust agriculture support’. Click here to read…

Egypt localizes environment-friendly transport ahead of COP27

Egypt has developed a future strategy to introduce electric means of transport into public transport. This comes as the state is only 138 days away from hosting the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, referred to as (COP27). Click here to read…

In Zimbabwe, reporter’s conviction sparks fears of renewed abuse

For the first time in more than a year, Jeffrey Moyo, reporter for The New York Times in Zimbabwe, is breathing rather easy. Click here to read…

Urgent support needed for 14,000 who fled following Burkina Faso massacre

In Burkina Faso, UN humanitarians on Friday appealed to the international community for help, after attacks by armed groups forced thousands to flee their homes in the east of the country. Click here to read…

Spain Resumes Operation Crossing the Strait with Morocco

Following a closure that lasted for two years, Spain has yesterday resumed Operation Crossing the Strait, which will allow movement between the continent of Europe and Africa for three months. Click here to read…

Cameroon, Central African Republic Agree to Demarcate Border

Cameroon and the Central African Republic have agreed to demarcate several hundred kilometers of their shared border. Click here to read…

Chad rebels threaten to pull out of Doha talks

Chad rebels due to take part in landmark talks with opposition groups and the military government on Saturday threatened to pull out citing “provocations and attempted aggression” by the government. Click here to read…

Zimbabwe breaks ground on $300 million lithium project

Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa oversaw the groundbreaking of a 300 million U.S. dollar spodumene project at the Bikita Minerals mine. It’s hoped the spodumene project will ramp up lithium production and extend the life of Zimbabwe’s oldest mine. Click here to read…

Angola to become Germany’s first supplier of green hydrogen
Angola is set to become Germany’s first supplier of green hydrogen from renewable energy after its state-owned energy company Sonangol signed a letter of intent to build a factory with two German engineering firms on WednesdayClick here to read…

INDIA IN AFRICA

African Union is India’s 4th largest trading partner

The African Union is India’s fourth largest trading partner after the United States, China and the United Arab Emirates, propped up by diversification in Indian exports to the continent. Click here to read…

Egypt looks to India for wheat to make up losses from Ukraine war

A potential deal between Egypt and India to import 500,000 tons of Indian wheat in exchange for Egyptian fertilizers is in the works amid ongoing global wheat shortages. Click here to read…

India, Tanzania hold foreign office consultations

India and Tanzania on Thursday reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations including political, economic and defence at the second round of Foreign Office Consultations between the two countries. Click here to read…

Vedanta starts iron ore mining in Liberia via subsidiary

Vedanta Iron & Steel sector has ventured into International Iron ore mining operations in Liberia, West Africa through its subsidiary Western Cluster Limited (WCL). Click here to read…

BCG Digital Ventures Launches New Innovation Centers in India and Morocco

BCG Digital Ventures (BCGDV), the corporate innovation and business-building arm of Boston Consulting Group (BCG), is opening innovation centers in New Delhi, Mumbai, and Casablanca. Click here to read…

Lessons for India: How Benin got its bronzes back

Formal requests began in the 1960s and were ignored. Nigeria persisted, lobbied the international community, kept the pressure up. Now, countries one by one are returning the treasures. Click here to read…

Muslim Conference of Ghana demands apology from India over insulting comments by two politicians

The National Muslim Conference of Ghana has joined Muslims across the world to call on the Indian government to render an unconditional apology for insulting comments made by two political figures. Click here to read…

China: Daily Scan, June 17, 2022

At least 14 provincial officials under investigation since August amid grain anti-corruption campaign: Global Times
June 16, 2022

At least 14 provincial officials have been investigated since August last year, as China has been focusing on anti-corruption in the field of grain purchases and sales. As the largest province of grain production in China, Northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province is the “ballast stone” of national grain security. Heilongjiang has investigated six provincial cadres, including two former heads of provincial grain industry since 2021. Click here to read…

China steps up fixed-asset investment to steady COVID-hit economy: Reuters
June 16, 2022

China’s state planner said on Thursday it had approved 10 fixed-asset investments worth 121 billion yuan ($18.1 billion) in May, a more than six-fold jump from April, as policymakers seek to get economic growth back on track after a COVID-induced slump. Click here to read…

Western-style democracy behind wars, chaos and human misery, Chinese president tells top officials: South China Morning Post
June 16, 2022

The West’s promotion of democracy has caused wars, chaos and human displacement around the world, President Xi Jinping told top Chinese officials earlier this year. Addressing a Politburo study session in February, Xi said some Western nations “forcibly promote the concept and system of Western democracy and human rights … taking advantage of human rights issues to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries”, according to a readout of his speech made public this week. Xi did not name any countries, but Beijing has in recent months pulled no punches in blaming the US over the Ukraine war and the challenges posed by the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. The civil war in Syria and security issues in Iraq also regularly feature among China’s talking points in this context. Click here to read…

Who can fill the shoes of China’s Iron Lady Sun Chunlan on Politburo: South China Morning Post
June 17, 2022

China has groomed many female athletes to bring home Olympics gold and trained women astronauts for its ambitious space programme, but without a similar political pathway, the ruling Communist Party may struggle to find a woman who can fill the shoes of Sun Chunlan. For the past two years, she has spearheaded China’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic, starting in Wuhan where the world’s first battle against the virus was fought. Click here to read…

Chinese mainland reports 23 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases: Xinhuanet
June 17, 2022

The Chinese mainland on Thursday reported 23 locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 11 in Beijing, six in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and four in Liaoning, the National Health Commission said Friday. Click here to read…

Government to provide more jobs: China Daily
June 17, 2022

In the face of challenging job prospects caused by a variety of factors, the central government has prioritized the employment of young people, mainly new college graduates, with measures to create opportunities at all levels and tap into previously less noticed sectors and areas. Click here to read…

Eight hurt, six missing in sewage room blast: China Daily
June 17, 2022

A sewage control room of a chemical technology firm in Lanzhou city of Northwest China was rocked by an explosion on Thursday evening, leaving at least eight injured and six missing, according to the CGTN. Click here to read…

Coal’s dominance a challenge for transition: China Daily
June 17, 2022

A special policy study from a high-level international think tank for the Chinese government has highlighted the challenges posed to the country’s low-carbon transition due to its coal-dominated energy structure, saying that hasty decommissioning of coal-fired power will jeopardize energy security and may result in financial risks. Click here to read…

University teacher removed from post for insulting remarks about women: Global Times
June 17, 2022

A university teacher who made inappropriate comments has been suspended from teaching, East China’s Shandong University of Political Science and Law said in a statement on Thursday. The decision came after the teacher sparked a huge outcry on the Chinese internet for making insulting remarks about women. Click here to read…

Russia, China seek new growth momentum at key economic forum amid US hegemony: Global Times
June 17, 2022

With the 25th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), hailed as the “Russian Davos”, beginning on Wednesday, Russia-China cooperation under the theme “New opportunities in a new world” came under the spotlight, as the Kremlin’s interests appeared to shift toward the East in the face of mounting Western sanctions and pressureClick here to read…

Livestreamer fined $16m over tax evasion as China continues to clamp down on livestreaming tax violations: Global Times
June 17, 2022

Fiscal authorities in Fuzhou, East China’s Jiangxi Province imposed a fine of 108 million yuan ($16 million) to a livestreamer over tax evasion as the country continues to clamp down on livestreaming tax violations. Click here to read…

Bachelet admits her China trip faced limitations: Taipei Times
June 17, 2022

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Wednesday said she was unable to visit detained Uighurs and that she was accompanied by authorities while visiting Xinjiang, remarks that raise questions about the Chinese government’s efforts to influence her trip. “I was not able to speak to any Uighurs currently detained or their families during the visit,” Bachelet told a meeting of the Human Rights Council, adding that the visit to China faced “limitations, especially given the prevailing COVID restrictions.” Click here to read…

China, Russia give differing accounts of Xi-Putin call: Taipei Times
June 17, 2022

Moscow and Beijing gave alternative accounts of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) birthday call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as both sides seek to manage perceptions of their relationship in the wake of Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Kremlin readout on Wednesday said the two men, both 69, discussed increasing economic cooperation, trade and military-technical ties between China and Russia. Click here to read…

China: Daily Scan, June 16, 2022

Former head of state reserves authority under probe: Xinhuanet
June 15, 2022

Zhang Wufeng, former director of the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, is being investigated for suspected severe violations of discipline and law. Zhang is also a former secretary of the leading Party members group of the administration. Click here to read…

Xi’s article on China’s human rights development to be published: Xinhuanet
June 15, 2022

An article by President Xi Jinping on unswervingly following China’s human rights development path and advancing the development of China’s human rights cause will be published Thursday. Click here to read…

Top political advisor stresses consultation on promoting common prosperity: Xinhuanet
June 15, 2022

China’s top political advisor Wang Yang Wednesday stressed the significance of research, investigation, and consultation on effectively promoting common prosperity. Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference National Committee, made the remarks during a seminar on the subject. Click here to read…

Xi talks with Putin over phone: Xinhuanet
June 15, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday afternoon held a phone conversation with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. During their conversation, Xi noted that since the beginning of this year, bilateral relations have maintained a sound development momentum in the face of global turbulence and transformations. Click here to read…

China to step up efforts to support private investment: Xinhuanet
June 15, 2022

China will step up efforts to support private investment and push ahead with multi-purpose projects aimed at further boosting effective investment, consumption and employment, according to a State Council executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday. Click here to read…

China adopts targeted measures to prop up foreign trade: Quishi
June 15, 2022

Against headwinds from the latest resurgences of COVID-19 and external factors causing further disruption, China has implemented a series of targeted measures to promote the continued growth of its foreign trade. Click here to read…

PLA Navy’s Type 055 large destroyer Lhasa holds 1st far sea drills in Sea of Japan: Global Times
June 15, 2022

China’s second Type 055 large destroyer, the Lhasa, is reportedly holding its first far sea drills by entering the Sea of Japan, with experts saying on Wednesday that the ship has achieved full operational capability and demonstrated its capabilities in deterring possible foreign military interference in the Taiwan Straits at a time when the US and Japan have been repeatedly provoking China over the Taiwan question. Click here to read…

Comrades-in-arms and netizens share their tribute to commemorate border heroes on 2nd anniversary of Galwan Valley clash: Global Times
June 15, 2022

As June 15 marks the second anniversary of the deadly Galwan Valley clash, comrades-in-arms of border defense heroes and many Chinese netizens expressed their tribute with some sharing moments on social media, commemorating the martyrs and paying tribute to those Chinese soldiers hailed as the real model of the young generation. Click here to read…

Chinese companies’ overseas projects boost image of “Made in China construction”: People’s Daily
June 15, 2022

Chinese companies’ overseas projects have not only helped to improve local infrastructure, create job opportunities for local people and cultivate a batch of professionals and technicians, but have also contributed to local economic and social development while introducing advanced Chinese technologies, equipment and construction management standards to the rest of the world, thus boosting the image of “Made in China construction.” Click here to read…

US anxiety to push decoupling with China in mineral supply chains ‘a dangerous signal’: Global Times
June 16, 2022

Since NATO will adopt a new Strategic Concept for the coming decade at its summit in Madrid later this month, the US is getting increasingly anxious on the issue of critical mineral supply, especially on mineral resources that it heavily relies on China and Russia. Some voices in the US are calling for decoupling with China in relevant fields, and seeking a replacement to ensure US demand due to “the risk of war.”
Click here to read…

China’s holdings of U.S. Treasuries skid to 12-year low; Japan also cuts holdings: Reuters
June 16, 2022

China’s holdings of U.S Treasuries tumbled in April to their lowest since May 2010, data showed on Wednesday, with Chinese investors likely cutting losses as Treasury prices fell after Federal Reserve officials signaled sizable rate hikes to temper soaring inflation. Click here to read…

Washington rebuffs Beijing’s claims over Taiwan Strait: Taipei Times
June 16, 2022

The US on Tuesday backed Taiwan’s assertion that the Taiwan Strait is an international waterway, a further rebuff to Beijing’s claim to exercise sovereignty over the strategic passage. On Monday, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the country “has sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the Taiwan Strait,” and called it “a false claim when certain countries call the Taiwan Strait ‘international waters.’” Click here to read…

U.S. concerned over China’s alignment with Russia after Xi-Putin call: Kyodo
June 16, 2022

The United States on Wednesday expressed concern over China’s alignment with Russia after the leaders of the two countries reaffirmed their partnership in phone talks in the midst of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Click here to read…

China vows to crack down on online racism, spurred by new details of video featuring Malawi children: South China Morning Post
June 16, 2022

China has promised to crack down on online racism against Africans after it emerged that a racist video first circulated in 2020 was shot in Malawi by a Chinese producer. A BBC investigation aired early this week found that a video in which a group of children are being told to chant phrases in Chinese was shot in Malawi by Chinese national Lu Ke, who allegedly takes hundreds of videos a day to sell. In the video, the children are told to repeat the words: “I am a black monster and my IQ is low”. Click here to read…

China’s party congress promotions to emphasise political security: South China Morning Post
June 16, 2022

President Xi Jinping is expected to consolidate his reshaping of China’s national security apparatus at the 20th party congress in the autumn, to rebuild the battered reputation of a sector that has been plagued with corruption scandals. Under Xi’s leadership, Beijing has significantly sharpened and reshaped the country’s zhengfa departments, the political and legal organs that form its security mechanisms. Observers and insiders expect the process to continue, with appointments that will reinforce Xi’s all-encompassing security vision covering everything from politics, through technology and the Covid-19 response, to food supply. Click here to read…

Senior Chinese official chairs BRICS security meeting: Xinhuanet
June 16, 2022

Yang Jiechi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, chaired the 12th Meeting of BRICS National Security Advisers and High Representatives on National Security via video link on Wednesday. Click here to read…

Chinese mainland reports 42 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases: Xinhuanet
June 16, 2022

The Chinese mainland on Wednesday reported 42 locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 14 in Beijing, 13 in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and nine in Shanghai, the National Health Commission said Thursday. Click here to read…

Postgraduate education expanded in past decade: Quishi
June 16, 2022

China has not only educated more postgraduate students in the past decade than ever before, but has also improved the quality of teaching and research programs, training more capable graduates to better serve national development needs. According to the Ministry of Education, more than 600,000 doctoral graduates and 6.5 million master’s graduates have been educated in the past decade. Click here to read…

Modest subsidies less likely to boost birthrate: China Daily
June 16, 2022

The distribution of subsidies to help couples raise children is not expected to have a marked impact on encouraging births among college students, according to a recent survey. Instead, boosting nursery care services and offering housing subsidies could play a larger role in raising students’ willingness to have children, according to the questionnaire-based survey released by researchers from the Population Development Studies Center at the Renmin University of China in April. Click here to read…

Anhui space lab to foster local talent: China Daily
June 16, 2022

China has established a deep-space exploration laboratory to serve future lunar and interplanetary programs, according to the China National Space Administration. The lab, headquartered in Hefei, capital of Anhui province, is managed by the CNSA, the provincial government of Anhui and the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei. Click here to read…

Guideline released for monkeypox: China Daily
June 16, 2022

China released its first diagnosis and treatment guideline for monkeypox on Wednesday, making it clear that the virus can spread through close contact and droplets, but most patients can recover without special treatment. Click here to read…

Africa Now – Weekly Newsletter (Week 24, 2022)

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

COMMENTARY

Decoding The Gambian Voting System – Keep It Simple

On 4th December 2021, The Gambia, the smallest country in mainland Africa, held its presidential election. The successful election and transfer of power were a powerful message toward Gambia’s successful transition into a democratic society. Click here to read…

NEWS

New Somali President Inaugurated, Warns of Famine

Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was inaugurated as the 10th president of Somalia Thursday in a colorful ceremony attended by hundreds of people, including the leaders of Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti. Click here to read…

Mozambique elected to serve on UN security council

Mozambique was unanimously elected Thursday as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. Click here to read…

Algeria suspends trade ties with Spain over Western Sahara row

Algeria has suspended foreign trade in products and services with Spain amid an escalating dispute over the status of Western Sahara. Click here to read…

Belgian king expresses ‘deepest regrets’ to Congolese

Belgium’s King Philippe expressed his “deepest regrets” for his nation’s abuses in its former colony Congo, telling lawmakers Wednesday on his first official trip to the country that Belgian colonial rule was unjustifiable and racist. Click here to read…

Guinea Bissau President Embaló names new government

Guinea Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embaló on Thursday appointed a new government tasked with the preparation of the December 18 legislative election. Click here to read…

Nigeria Ruling Party Picks Tinubu as Presidential Candidate

Nigeria’s ruling party selected Bola Tinubu as its presidential candidate in elections scheduled for next February, establishing him as the frontrunner to become the next head of state in Africa’s biggest economy. Click here to read…

TikTok videos stoke tensions ahead of Kenya vote – Mozilla report
As Kenya’s general election draws closer, an increasing number of TikTok videos featuring “hate, incitement and other political disinformation” have been on the rise. Click here to read…

Ethiopia willing to resume dam talks with Egypt, Sudan

Ethiopia has expressed interest in resuming talks with Egypt and Sudan on a huge and controversial Blue Nile dam which is expected to be Africa’s largest hydroelectric power plant. Click here to read…

Talks to end Sudan crisis begin as anti-coup groups boycott

Talks aiming at ending Sudan’s ongoing political deadlock began Wednesday, the United Nations said. Click here to read…

UK judge allows first flight sending asylum-seekers to Rwanda to go ahead

The United Kingdom’s controversial plan to send asylum-seekers to Rwanda as early as next week was green-lit on Friday. Click here to read…

Djibouti Strategically Placed to Become Global ICT Center, Says Adesina

African Development Bank Group President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina met with President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti Guelleh and senior government officials. Click here to read…

Turkey Delivers Six Bayraktar Drones to Niger

Turkey delivered six Bayraktar TB2 drones to Niger earlier this month as part of an arms deal Ankara signed with Niamey in November, Radio France Internationale reported. Click here to read…

ISWAP blamed for church massacre in Nigeria

The Nigerian government has blamed an ISIL-affiliated armed group in the country for carrying out an attack that killed dozens of worshippers at a church. Click here to read…

ECOWAS unhappy with Mali’s 24-month transition decision

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says it regrets a decision by Mali’s interim government to delay the return to civilian rule by 24 months while negotiations between the two sides were ongoing. Click here to read…

Libya oil shutdown expands with threat to close new port

A blockade of Libyan oil output by groups aligned with forces in the east of the country expanded on Thursday and Friday with the closure of two more export terminals. Click here to read…

Uganda announces discovery of huge gold deposits

Uganda has announced that it has struck a deposit of 31 million tonnes of gold ore, with extractable pure gold estimated to gross 320,000 tonnes. Click here to read…

Cape Verde, Togo to Open Consulates in Morocco’s Western Sahara

Cape Verde and Togo will will soon open general consulates in Dakhla, Western Sahara’s second largest city. Click here to read…

Tunisia’s president, opposition battle over who will fold first

Tunisia is approaching a crossroads as President Kais Saied continues to clash with growing opposition to his proposed new constitution. Click here to read…

Zimbabwe Leaning to Russia as Others Shun Moscow for Invading Ukraine

As much of the world is shunning Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, Zimbabwe this month hosted Russia’s third highest ranking official. Analysts say Zimbabwe is looking to Russia for fuel as well as cooking oil and wheat that it used to get from Ukraine, while Russia has its eyes on Zimbabwe’s minerals. Click here to read…

Chad declares food emergency as grain supplies fall

Last week, Chad declared a food emergency due to a lack of grain supplies. The landlocked African nation on Thursday urged the international community to help its population cope with rising food insecurity. Click here to read…

Soldiers kill 9 villagers in Cameroon, investigation launched

Cameroon’s government said Tuesday that a group of soldiers killed nine villagers, including an 18-month-old girl. The authorities called the incident a “manifestly disproportionate” and “hasty” response to a confrontation in the restive English speaking part of the country. Click here to read…

South Africa’s president faces probe over unreported theft

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is facing a criminal investigation after a revelation that he failed to report the theft of about $4 million in cash from his farm in northern Limpopo provinceClick here to read…

Russia launches production for Egypt’s nuclear power plant

Ukraine war not stopping Russia’s Rosatom from manufacturing equipment for Egypt’s first nuclear power plant. Click here to read…

Zambia commissions China-funded modern conference center

Aerial photo taken on May 26, 2022 shows the Kenneth Kaunda International Conference Center in Lusaka, Zambia. Zambia on Tuesday commissioned an ultra-modern international conference center financed by China. Click here to read…

Togo and Israel want to improve their cooperation, at the economic level especially

After more than 60 years of diplomatic relations, Togo and Israel have decided to actualize their cooperation. Click here to read…

Morocco is Home to Africa’s Fifth Largest Gold Reserves

Morocco’s gold reserves are estimated at 22.12 metric tonnes (mt) and are the fifth largest in Africa, according to the German database Statistica. Click here to read…

Total Energies ploughs $850 million into new Angola project

TotalEnergies and its partners have taken a final investment decision on an $850 million project in Angola to further develop the deepwater Clov complex in Block 17. Click here to read…

Why the Central African Republic adopted Bitcoin

The Central African Republic’s decision to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender came as a surprise to many, but the government argues that it will secure an independent financial future for the country. Click here to read…

Botswana tight lipped on the value of its ivory stockpile

Botswana has remained mum on the value of its ivory stockpile despite a desperate campaign to have a decade-long ban on sales by the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES) lifted. Click here to read…

INDIA IN AFRICA

India is a “Friend in Need” says Tanzania

India and Tanzania share a multifaceted relation. Recently, Dy NSA Vikram Misri had visited the country followed by Def-Expo organised by India with participation of 16 Indian defence manufacturers. Water sector has also evolved as an important area of partnership in recent years. Click here to read…

India committed to be Gabon’s reliable partner, says Vice President Venkaiah Naidu

Venkaiah Naidu arrived in Libreville on the first leg of his three-nation tour of Gabon, Senegal and Qatar. Click here to read…

MoS Muraleedharan Meets Malawi’s VP; Explores Areas Of Cooperation Between Both Nations

After completing his visit to Zimbabwe, Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan met with the Vice-President of Malawi Dr Saulos Chilima and held a dialogue to explore various areas of cooperation between both the countries.Click here to read…

India, Ghana holds consultations on UN, multilateral issues in Accra

India and Ghana held consultations on UN and Multilateral issues level in Accra on June 9 and discussed issues on the agenda of the UNSC, including on West Africa and Sahel region, and other issues related to counter-terrorism and UN Peacekeeping. Click here to read…

India’s first wheat shipment to Egypt clears quality tests

The first Indian wheat consignment of 55,000 tonnes to Egypt has got through all government tests for quality and other parameters. Click here to read…

India announces donation of 5,000 tonnes of rice to Madagascar as humanitarian aid

India’s Ambassador to Madagascar and Comoros, Abhay Kumar, called on the Prime Minister of Madagascar Christian Ntsay and announced the donation of 5,000 tonnes of rice to the island nation as humanitarian aid. Click here to read…

India-Africa Trade Council appoints Gagan Arora, Founder Vertex Group as Trade Commissioner of Nigeria Division

Gagan Arora, the Founder of Vertex Group, has been appointed as the Trade Commissioner of India-Africa Trade Council Incharge of Nigeria Division at the India-Nigeria Trade Conference held in Delhi a few days ago. Click here to read…

Outgoing Indian High Commissioner to Seychelles commends 22 completed projects

The outgoing Indian High Commissioner to Seychelles has said his tenure in the island nation has been a beautiful experience and over 20 projects have been accomplished. Click here to read…

Morocco Showcases Outsourcing Opportunities in India

The Moroccan delegation paid a visit as well to the International Institute of Information Technologies to explore the research in the IT industry and discuss ways for future collaborations. Click here to read…

India’s Saatvik to supply 9.3 MW of solar modules in Mauritius

Indian solar module manufacturer Saatvik Solar has won an order for 9.3 MW of modules to be installed at a solar project in Mauritius. Click here to read…

Airtel Africa, Others Receive Notice to Pay About $180 Million to Congo

The Democratic Republic of Congo has ordered mobile-phone companies operating in the African nation to pay a levy estimated at about $180 million a year. Click here to read…

Rise and fall of Gupta brothers: An Indian-South African tale of politics, power, & corruption

Two of the three Gupta brothers- Rajesh and Atul Gupta- have been arrested by the UAE authorities for alleged corruption committed when Jacob Zuma was South Africa’s president. Click here to read…

Book Review

‘Born in Blackness’ is a compelling, unforgettable read

In the first book in this year’s African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular, journalist Howard French shows how European explorers’ curiosity about a wealthy African king shaped the modern world. Click here to read…

China: Daily Scan, June 10, 2022

China to improve public interest litigations on water resources: Xinhuanet
June 9, 2022

A new regulation on establishing and improving the cooperation mechanism between water resources law enforcement and procuratorial public interest litigations was made public Thursday. Click here to read…

China’s State Council appoints, removes officials: Xinhuanet
June 9, 2022

The State Council, China’s cabinet, announced the appointment and removal of several officials on Thursday. Xu Lin replaced Nie Chenxi as head of the National Radio and Television Administration, and no longer serves as director of the State Council Information Office. Chen Daojiang was appointed China’s permanent representative to the International Seabed Authority, replacing Tian Qi. Click here to read…

Chinese president appoints new ambassadors: Xinhuanet

June 9, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping has appointed nine new ambassadors in accordance with a decision by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, according to a statement from China’s top legislature on Thursday. Sun Haiyan was appointed China’s ambassador to Singapore, replacing Hong Xiaoyong. Zhang Jianwei was appointed ambassador to Kuwait, replacing Li Minggang. Zhang Yiming was appointed ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, replacing Ni Jian. Click here to read…

Chinese-invested uranium mine exceeds budgeted production targets in 2021: Xinhuanet
June 9, 2022

Rossing Uranium, a Chinese-invested company in Namibia, exceeded budgeted production targets by a significant margin, as the 2,882 tonnes of U3O8 produced during 2021 represented a 16 percent increase compared to 2020, the company’s managing director Johan Coetzee said. Click here to read…

China releases new geologic map of Moon: Xinhuanet
June 9, 2022

China has released a new geologic map of the Moon on a scale of 1:2,500,000, the first one in the world, according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Chinese scientists from the Institute of Geochemistry of the CAS and other research institutes and universities have created the map based on data from the country’s Chang’e project and other data and research findings from international organizations. Click here to read…

Ex-manager of China’s power firm given death with reprieve over bribery: Xinhuanet
June 9, 2022

A former manager of state-owned China Huadian Corporation Ltd. was sentenced Thursday to death with a two-year reprieve for taking bribes worth 468 million yuan (about 70.05 million U.S. dollars). Click here to read…

China launches manhunt for telecom, online fraud suspects: Xinhuanet
June 9, 2022

China launched a manhunt on Thursday for major heads and key members of telecom and online fraud gangs across the country. The yearlong operation, launched by a joint task force under the State Council, vowed to bring the suspects to justice and demanded that they surrender in order to receive leniency. Click here to read…

Guideline to help MSMEs stay afloat: China Daily
June 9, 2022

New measures to lower taxes, increase financing for companies struggling due to COVID-19 outbreaks. China is beefing up support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) by enacting measures to alleviate the financial burden brought on by outbreaks of COVID-19. Click here to read…

PLA jet crash with the pilot surviving: China Daily
June 9, 2022

A J-7 fighter jet belonging to the People’s Liberation Army Air Force crashed on Thursday morning in Hubei province’s Xiangyang, with the pilot surviving, according to China Central Television. A local resident was killed, and two others were injured. Click here to read…

Breakthrough achieved in quantum computing: China Daily
June 9, 2022

Chinese physicists have created a large-scale, ordered and tunable lattice of Majorana zero mode, one of the most exotic phenomena in condensed matter physics-the study of the physical properties of matter, according to a study published in the journal Nature on Wednesday. Click here to read…

Chinese scientists make breakthrough in push toward intelligent robotics: Global Times
June 09, 2022

Chinese scientists have developed a multimode-fused spiking neuron (MFSN) array that can sense different shapes, temperatures and weights just like people’s multisensory perception. It can contribute to the development of highly intelligent robotics in future. Click here to read…

China-Russia trade up 28.9% in Jan-May; further growth expected: Global Times
Jun 09, 2022

China’s trade with Russia saw faster growth in the first five months of 2022, according to Chinese customs data on Thursday, as Russia accelerated the shift of its supply chain to Asia amid US-led Western economic sanctions. Click here to read…

China’s securities regulator says no assessment pending on Ant IPO: Global Times
June 09, 2022

The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) said on Thursday that it is not assessing or studying the potential revival of Ant Group’s IPO, in response to media reports claiming that the agency has set up teams to review the fintech firm’s listing plan. Click here to read…

China’s smartphone makers chip away at Samsung, Apple’s Russian market share: Reuters
June 9, 2022

China’s market share in the Russian smartphone market jumped significantly in May as manufacturers like Apple and Samsung (005930.KS) paused new sales in Russia and Western sanctions weighed on the Russian economy. Click here to read…

Another district in Beijing shuts entertainment venues to contain COVID outbreak: Reuters

June 9, 2022

China’s capital city of Beijing shut down entertainment venues in its Dongcheng district from Thursday in an effort to contain a new outbreak of COVID-19, the state-backed Beijing Daily said late on Thursday. The move came after Beijing’s largest district, Chaoyang, also ordered entertainment venues and internet cafes to shut from 2 p.m. (0600 GMT) on Thursday. Click here to read…

Japan, China defense chiefs to meet June 12 amid Chinese naval activity: Kyodo
June 9, 2022

Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi will meet with his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe Sunday on the sidelines of a security forum in Singapore to air concerns over Beijing repeatedly sending ships around the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, a government source said Wednesday. Click here to read…

Chinese state broadcasting gets a new chief: Xi protégé Xu Lin: South China Morning Post
June 9, 2022

Xu Lin, a protégé of President Xi Jinping, has taken over as head of the National Radio and Television Administration, which oversees state broadcasting in China. The 59-year-old attended an event at the NRTA in Beijing on Wednesday as its director and Communist Party branch secretary, according to a post on the agency’s website. It said Xu spoke about creating television shows that focus on ordinary people’s stories for the ruling party’s national congress later this year. It was the first confirmation that Xu has been appointed to the top job at the NRTA and comes ahead of a twice-a-decade political reshuffle at the party congress, to be held in autumn. While China is likely to see a new leadership line-up unveiled at the event, Xi is expected to secure a third term as the party’s top leader. Click here to read…

Chinese court awards woman US$4,500 compensation for 7 years of housework and child-rearing from ex-husband after divorce: South China Morning Post
June 9, 2022

A woman in China who received 30,000 yuan (US$4,500) in compensation for being a full-time wife and mother during her marriage has kicked off a national discourse about housework in mainland China. The woman, surnamed Wang, from Suzhou city in Jiangsu province, eastern China, was awarded the payment as compensation for being the full-time family carer for about seven years after she and her husband, surnamed Tan, divorced this year. During the marriage, Wang was a stay-at-home wife and looked after their son who was born prematurely shortly after the couple married in 2015. Wang also handled all the housework while Tan worked full time. Click here to read…

Chinese mainland reports 30 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases: Xinhuanet
June 10, 2022

The Chinese mainland Thursday reported 30 locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 15 in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, seven in Beijing, six in Shanghai and two in Liaoning, the National Health Commission said Friday. Click here to read…

Several local cases reported in Beijing, Shanghai: China Daily
June 10, 2022

Beijing and Shanghai reported new clusters of COVID-19 infections on Thursday, involving a bar in Beijing and a beauty salon in Shanghai. The cases show the insidious risks of a rebound of infections still exist, the two cities’ health officials warned. Click here to read…

Xi stresses support for employment of college graduates, development of private sector in tour to Sichuan: Global Times
June 10, 2022

During an inspection tour in Southwest China’s Sichuan Province on Wednesday, President Xi Jinping stressed the need to adhere to the dynamic zero-COVID strategy of containing the virus while ensuring economic development, called for more effective measures to tackle specific issues such as employment for college graduates and boosted morale by pointing to the bright path ahead. Click here to read…

Shanghai to restart lockdowns, testing in Minhang District: Taipei Times
June 10, 2022

Shanghai tomorrow is to lock down a district of 2.7 million people to conduct mass testing for COVID-19, city authorities said yesterday, as the Chinese metropolis struggles to fully emerge from punishing curbs. Click here to read…

China: Daily Scan, June 8, 2022

Chinese premier stresses smoothing transportation and logistics, stabilizing economy: Xinhuanet
June 7, 2022

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has stressed further smoothing transportation and logistics to ensure the operation of market entities and stabilize the economy. Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks while inspecting the Ministry of Transport on Monday, urging efforts to reconcile COVID-19 control and economic and social development. Click here to read…

State Council appoints, removes officials: Xinhuanet
June 7, 2022

The State Council, China’s cabinet, announced the appointment and removal of officials on Tuesday. Cui Maohu was appointed director of the National Religious Affairs Administration, replacing Wang Zuo’an. Fu Hua replaced He Ping as president of Xinhua News Agency and is no longer editor-in-chief of the agency. Click here to read…

China, Russia vow to promote cooperation along Yangtze, Volga rivers: Xinhuanet
June 7, 2022

China and Russia pledged to strengthen cooperation along the Yangtze and Volga rivers at a virtual meeting of the chairmen of the Council of Cooperation between the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River and the Volga Federal District, which was held Tuesday. Click here to read…

BRICS countries vow to deepen financial cooperation: Xinhuanet
June 7, 2022

The Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of BRICS countries issued a joint statement at a virtual meeting on Monday, reaching consensus on deepening financial cooperation and strengthening coordination on macroeconomic policy. Click here to read…

China holds national college entrance exam with tailored COVID-19 countermeasures: Xinhuanet
June 7, 2022

China has adopted tailored measures to ensure candidates take the 2022 national college entrance exam on schedule despite the impact of the latest COVID-19 resurgences. The exam, also known as the “gaokao,” saw a record 11.93 million candidates sign up this year. Except for a postponement in Shanghai due to COVID-19, the exam kicked off Tuesday nationwide. Click here to read…

Heavy rains, floods affect over 800,000 in China’s Jiangxi: Xinhuanet
June 7, 2022

Over 800,000 residents in east China’s Jiangxi Province have been affected by torrential rains and rain-induced floods as of 4:30 p.m. Monday, according to local authorities. The latest round of rainfall since May 28 has wreaked havoc in 80 counties of the province, damaging 76,300 hectares of cropland and causing direct economic losses of 1.16 billion yuan (about 174 million U.S. dollars), according to the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters. Click here to read…

Major wind power project starts construction in China’s Sichuan: Xinhuanet
June 7, 2022

Construction on a major wind power project began Tuesday in Dechang County, southwest China’s Sichuan Province. Located mainly in Laba Mountain, the wind power project is designed to have an installed capacity of 192,000 kW and include 60 wind turbines. Click here to read…

China’s Greater Bay Area emerging as a global innovation hub: People’s Daily

June 7, 2022

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, a vibrant city cluster in southern China which comprises Hong Kong, Macao, and nine cities in south China’s Guangdong province, witnesses stories about scientific and technological innovations every day. Click here to read…

HK introduces textbooks for Citizenship, expected to resolve much criticized education problem: Global Times
June 7, 2022

On Monday, the Hong Kong Education Bureau (EDB) announced the first batch of textbooks applicable to the subject of Citizenship and Social Development in Hong Kong, with six sets of textbooks from five publishers selected. With designated textbooks and a detailed syllabus issued by the EDB, some teachers will no longer be able to convey their wrong and poisonous political views to students when teaching this course. Such a situation, previously much-criticized by the Hong Kong education community, will be changed, a textbook reviewer told the Global Times. Click here to read…

Wang Yi meets with Kazakh president, stresses vigilance against external forces: Global Times
June 7, 2022

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday met with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Kazakhstan’s capital Nur-Sultan, during which he stressed the importance of vigilance to external forces attempting to involve regional countries in major-power conflicts and to coerce countries to take sides. Click here to read…

China’s top diplomat says new, old China-Japan problems intertwined: Reuters
June 7, 2022

Old problems in China-Japan relations are intertwined with new ones, and the challenges cannot be ignored if the countries wish to have a “healthy” relationship, China’s top diplomat said on Tuesday. Click here to read…

Chinese blogger goes silent after ‘tank cake’ video: Taipei Times
June 8, 2022

One of China’s top bloggers has gone silent after livestreaming footage of a cake apparently shaped like a tank just before the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, prompting debate over the highly sensitive event among tens of millions of young fans. Click here to read…

China gains ground on US in hi-tech ‘tug of war’, as Beijing spends billions on national champions: South China Morning Post
June 8, 2022

China has been gaining global market share in hi-tech industries at the expense of the United States, according to a new report, as the race for tech supremacy between the two countries heats up. Measured across key seven sectors, China’s share of the advanced technology market leapt from less than 4 per cent in 1995 to 21.5 per cent in 2018, said the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF) on Wednesday.
The sectors covered in the report include: IT and information services; computer, electronic and optical products; electrical equipment; machinery and equipment; motor vehicle equipment; other transport equipment; and pharmaceutical products. Click here to read…

Deep dive for Chinese underwater lab in mission to bottom of South China Sea: South China Morning Post
June 8, 2022

China has put an unmanned deepwater station through its paces in a major test at the bottom of the South China Sea last month, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Tuesday.
The test included connecting a laboratory to the base station – a first for the country – and assessing the operations of a deep-sea glider and virtual mooring buoy for communication.
The test was carried out by researchers aboard the scientific vessel Tansuo 2, or Exploration 2, which returned to port in Hainan on Monday. Click here to read…

Taiwan on agenda at Shangri-La Dialogue as China, US defence chiefs to come face to face: South China Morning Post
June 8, 2022

Chinese and American defence chiefs are expected to reaffirm their tough security stands at a conference in Singapore this week but their appearance signals realisation of the need to improve ties, experts said. A source close to the People’s Liberation Army said Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe and his American counterpart Lloyd Austin were expected to hold their first in-person meeting on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, which starts on Friday. “There are many topics Austin wants to discuss with Wei, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Tibet, Xinjiang, and other regional and global issues,” said the source, who declined to be identified. Click here to read…

Chinese mainland reports 44 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases: Xinhuanet
June 8, 2022

The Chinese mainland Tuesday reported 44 locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 35 in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the National Health Commission said Wednesday. Click here to read…

Stricter guidelines target bribery: China Daily
June 8, 2022

The National Supervisory Commission and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate have released details of typical bribery cases to guide the fight against the crime. The cases cover key areas for the central government to investigate bribery, including bidding and tendering, medical drugs, illegal mining and environmental protection. Click here to read…

China’s top security authority institutionalizes rewarding citizens for reporting activities that endanger national security: Global Times
June 08, 2022

China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) on Monday released a regulation on rewards for citizens reporting activities that endanger national security who will be given an incentive based on the effectiveness and contribution of their reports, with the maximum amount exceeding 100,000 yuan ($15,000). Click here to read…

China will adopt targeted measures to help foreign trade firms, says vice commerce minister: Reuters
June 8, 2022

China’s foreign trade is facing uncertainty and huge pressure due to domestic and external factors, including logistics problems and soaring raw material prices, Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen said on Wednesday. China will adopt targeted measures to lower costs, improve supply chains and help foreign trade firms, Wang told a news conference. Click here to read…