Tag Archives: WTO

China: Daily Scan, December 19, 2022

China’s AG600M large amphibious aircraft secures new order: Xinhuanet
December 16, 2022

China’s independently-developed AG600M large amphibious aircraft has secured a new order for five aircraft, the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) announced on Friday. AVIC General Huanan Aircraft Industry Co., Ltd. and Jiangsu Xiangyue General Aviation Co., Ltd. on Thursday signed a purchase agreement for five AG600M firefighting aircraft, said the AVIC, the country’s leading plane-maker. Click here to read…

China issues first national five-year plan on modern logistics: Qiushi
December 16, 2022

China has released its first national five-year plan on modern logistics to accelerate building a modern logistics system and promote high-quality development. The five-year plan on modern logistics for the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) was released by the General Office of the State Council. Click here to read…

Hefei starts administering inhalable COVID-19 vaccine: People’s Daily
December 16, 2022

Hefei, the capital city of east China’s Anhui Province, recently started administering an inhalable COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine comes in a mist form that is sucked in through the mouth, and is being offered for free as a booster dose for previously vaccinated individuals. Click here to read…

State Department launches ‘China House’ amid rivalry with Beijing: Reuters
December 16, 2022

The U.S. State Department on Friday launched its long-planned “China House” unit, an internal reorganization to help expand and sharpen its policymaking toward its top geopolitical rival. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in May announced the creation of China House, calling it a department-wide, integrated team that would coordinate and implement U.S. policy across issues and regions. Click here to read…

Chinese capital Beijing reports first COVID deaths since policy easing: Reuters
December 16, 2022

Two former Chinese state media journalists have died in the capital Beijing in recent days due to COVID-19, local media reported on Friday, among the first reported fatalities since most epidemic control policies were removed on Dec. 7. Yang Lianghua, a former People’s Daily reporter, died on Dec. 15, aged 74, while Zhou Zhichun, a former China Youth Daily editor, died on Dec. 8, aged 77, according to financial magazine Caixin. Click here to read…

China holds Central Economic Work Conference to plan for 2023: Xinhuanet
December 17, 2022

The annual Central Economic Work Conference was held in Beijing from Thursday to Friday as Chinese leaders decided priorities for the economic work in 2023. Delivering an important speech at the conference, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, reviewed the country’s economic work in 2022, analyzed the current economic situation and arranged next year’s economic work. Click here to read…

Xi urges global consensus on biodiversity: China Daily
December 17, 2022

President Xi Jinping has underlined the need to build international consensus on biodiversity protection, and called for efforts to improve global biodiversity governance and build a community for all life on Earth. Click here to read…

Authorities order enhanced medical services in rural areas before festival travel rush in preparation for potential outbreak: Global Times
December 17, 2022

China’s top COVID epidemic control group on Friday rolled out guidelines on instructing rural areas with relatively limited medical resources on how to cope with potential outbreaks of the COVID-19 infections during the upcoming New Year and Spring Festival holidays, as rural areas are anticipated to come under great pressure during this time of the year when China embraces chunyun, the world’s largest human migration, while the country continues to optimize its COVID-19 response measures and relax requirements for cross-region travel. Click here to read…

National reunification is not like buying vegetables at a farmers’ market where you can randomly bargain: Global Times
December 17, 2022

“What benefits will national reunification bring to the people of the Taiwan island?” The participating experts at the 2023 Global Times Annual Conference shared their views at one of the panels that focuses on the Taiwan questions. After national reunification, Taiwan island can enjoy long-lasting stability and peace as the cross-Straits political differences can be resolved once and for all, experts said. Some others believe that Taiwan island would save at least NTD $650 billion annually for military spending and maintaining diplomatic “allieClick here to read…

New COVID model predicts over 1 million deaths in China: Reuters
December 17, 2022

China’s abrupt lifting of stringent COVID-19 restrictions could result in an explosion of cases and over a million deaths through 2023, according to new projections from the U.S.-based Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). According to the group’s projections, cases in China would peak around April 1, when deaths would reach 322,000. About a third of China’s population will have been infected by then, IHME Director Christopher Murray said. Click here to read…

China to focus on stable growth in 2023 by prioritizing spending: Kyodo
December 17, 2022

The Chinese leadership has decided to focus on ensuring stable economic growth in 2023 by prioritizing the recovery and expansion of consumption, state-run media said Friday, as the world’s second-largest economy has been slowing amid the COVID-19 pandemic. An annual meeting to craft economic plans for next year pointed out that, at present, the foundation for China’s economic recovery is “not yet solid” and vowed to implement support measures, such as “a proactive fiscal policy and a prudent monetary policy,” according to China Central Television. Click here to read…

China prepares for virus spread amid holiday travel: Taipei Times
December 17, 2022

China set out urgent plans to protect rural communities from COVID-19 yesterday, as millions of city-dwellers planned holidays for the first time in years after Beijing abandoned its stringent system of lockdowns and travel curbs. There is particular concern about China’s hinterland in the run up to China’s Lunar New Year holiday starting on Jan. 22. Click here to read…

China Association for Promoting Democracy convenes 13th national congress: Xinhuanet
December 18, 2022

The China Association for Promoting Democracy (CAPD) opened its 13th national congress in Beijing on Sunday. Zhao Leji, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, attended the congress’ opening and delivered a congratulatory message on behalf of the CPC Central Committee. Click here to read…

Fever clinics made from nucleic acid sampling stations: China Daily
December 18, 2022

The Suzhou government has been praised recently by many Chinese netizens for changing nucleic acid sampling stations into fever clinics, which can provide fever and pain medications to patients in need. Click here to read…

Chinese localities prepare for peak of COVID-19 infections in January: Global Times
December 18, 2022

Multiple places across China are anticipating and getting prepared to cope with the peak of COVID-19 infections in January, as a travel rush during the Chinese New Year holidays is expected to speed up the spread of the virus, according to media reports on Sunday.Click here to read…

China, other economies complete ratification of WTO agreement on services domestic regulation: Global Times
December 18, 2022

China, the US, the EU and other 52 participants have completed the domestic approval procedure of the Joint Statement Initiative on Services Domestic Regulation (SDR) under the framework of the WTO, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Sunday. Click here to read…

Forum on China-Bangladesh human resources development cooperation held in Dhaka: Xinhuanet
December 18, 2022

Chinese and Bangladeshi officials have met in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka to discuss how to promote human resources development cooperation between the two countries. The two sides had the discussions at the Forum on China-Bangladesh Human Resources Development Cooperation and Reunion of Participants of Chinese Government Training Programs, which were organized by the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh on Saturday. Click here to read…

End of an era? Chinese official who blazed a trail on social media under investigation: South China Morning Post
December 18, 2022

Chinese graft-busters announced this week that a provincial propaganda official in the southwest is under investigation – a case that is generating interest online because of his embrace of social media. Wu Hao, the 52-year-old deputy head of the Yunnan Radio and Television Bureau, was the first Chinese official at that level to join Weibo – China’s Twitter – using his real name and identity in 2009. He was among a handful of cadres using social media to communicate with the public at that time, and has since racked up 1.5 million followers. It is one of the most popular personal Weibo accounts of Communist Party officials. Click here to read…

China’s authority requires resumption of public transport: Xinhuanet
December 19, 2022

China’s transport authority has required efforts to resume the regular operation of public transport services, a further step to optimize the COVID-19 response. The requirement that allows passengers to travel to other regions without negative nucleic acid test results, health code, test upon arrival, or information registration, should be strictly implemented, according to a notice released by the Ministry of Transport. Click here to read…

Chinese mainland reports 1,918 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases: Xinhuanet
December 19, 2022

The Chinese mainland on Sunday reported 1,918 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said Monday. A total of 1,344 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovery on the mainland on Sunday, said the commission in its daily report. Click here to read…

Chinese Modernization Demands Whole-Process People’s Democracy: Qiushi
December 19, 2022

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at its core has taken a new historic stance, deepened its understanding of the law governing the development of politics and democracy, and advanced the whole-process people’s democracy as a major concept. Click here to read…

High-quality Development is the Top Task: Qiushi
December 19, 2022

High-quality development is the top task of building China into a modern socialist country in all respects. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, clearly pointed out the following changes based on China’s economic development in the new era. While socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, China’s economic development has also embarked on a new phase, characterized by its economic shift from rapid growth to high-quality development. Click here to read…

Chinese space-tracking ship sets sail for new missions: China Military
December 19, 2022

China’s tracking ship Yuanwang-3 departed from a port on Sunday for new spacecraft monitoring missions. The crew members will spend the New Year holiday and Spring Festival during this voyage. Before setting sail, they had examined facilities, received training, and replenished supplies to ensure the success of the missions. Click here to read…

Space sector set to rocket into future: China Daily
December 19, 2022

Chen Li, who owns a restaurant in Longlou, a coastal township in China’s southernmost province of Hainan, said he is grateful to the country’s space industry because it has boosted business at his eatery in recent years. Click here to read…

‘China House’ signals US tougher gears for competition: Global Times
December 19, 2022

The US State Department has established the Office of China Coordination, commonly known as the “China House,” to coordinate US policy toward Beijing, a move that signals the US is seeking to reinforce its competition with China, analysts said, warning that the Biden administration continues to say one thing while doing another and takes no effective measures to resolve disputes with China. Click here to read…

Chinese business confidence falls to lowest in almost a decade on COVID: Reuters
December 19, 2022

China’s business confidence fell to its lowest since January 2013, a survey by World Economics showed on Monday, reflecting the impact of surging COVID-19 cases on economic activity with the abrupt lifting of many pandemic control measures. Click here to read…

‘I don’t trust it:’ Vaccine hesitancy lingers even as China COVID cases surge: Reuters
December 19, 2022

Headhunter Candice knows the COVID-19 infections engulfing Beijing and much of China will soon hit her home of Shenzhen city, but she would rather face it without a vaccine booster, saying she fears potential side effects more than the virus. Click here to read…

End of an era? Chinese official who blazed a trail on social media under investigation: South China Morning Post
December 18, 2022

Chinese graft-busters announced this week that a provincial propaganda official in the southwest is under investigation – a case that is generating interest online because of his embrace of social media. Wu Hao, the 52-year-old deputy head of the Yunnan Radio and Television Bureau, was the first Chinese official at that level to join Weibo – China’s Twitter – using his real name and identity in 2009. He was among a handful of cadres using social media to communicate with the public at that time, and has since racked up 1.5 million followers. It is one of the most popular personal Weibo accounts of Communist Party officials. Click here to read…

‘No ibuprofen, no aspirin, absolutely nothing’: China’s Covid patients feel the pain of drugs shortage: South China Morning Post
December 19, 2022

The fever started on Thursday for Zong Xiaoyan. “Every bit of my body was hurting like hell,” the 67-year-old retired factory worker in eastern China said. “I was so worried because I’ve had serious asthma all my life,” said Fan, aware that chronic conditions could worsen the impact of Covid-19. Her husband Fan Weiguo, who did not have a fever but was coughing non-stop, rushed to get medication from drug stores nearby. He came back empty-handed. Click here to read…

China Daily Scan, December 13, 2022

Senior Chinese official stresses national defense, military modernization: Xinhuanet
December 12, 2022

A senior Chinese military official has stressed resolving major issues in theory and in reality and opening a new page in the modernization of national defense and the armed forces. Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks on Monday when he spoke at the end of a six-day seminar for senior military officials to study the guiding principles of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC).Click here to read…

China-U.S. climate collaboration hailed despite difficulties: Xinhuanet
December 12, 2022

The potential for climate change collaboration between China and the United States has great significance for the world, although barriers remain, observers and experts have said. Click here to read…

China refutes U.S. ambassador’s wrongful remarks on human rights issue: Xinhuanet
December 12, 2022

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Monday refuted U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns’ erroneous comments about China’s human rights situation, saying such remarks expose U.S. political agenda of using human rights as a pretext to interfere in China’s internal affairs under the pretext of human rights and undermine China’s stability, development and ethnic unity. Click here to read…

Shandong enterprises to embrace opportunities in overseas trade activities: Xinhuanet
December 12, 2022

Enterprises from east China’s economic powerhouse Shandong Province will seek business opportunities in overseas trips planned from mid-December to mid-January next year, according to local authorities. Click here to read…

Beijing sets up fever clinics in all community health service centers: Xinhuanet
December 12, 2022

All 349 community health service centers operational in Beijing have set up fever diagnosis areas to provide medical services for patients with fevers, local authorities said on Monday.
Li Ang, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Health Commission, said at a press conference that when residents show symptoms such as fever and cough, and they do not get better after home treatment, they can seek medical treatment at the community health service centers near their place of residence or contact their family doctors for help. Click here to read…

China’s mega water diversion project benefits 150 mln people: Xinhuanet
December 12, 2022

More than 150 million people have directly benefited from a massive water-diversion project that has been pumping water from major rivers in the south to the drought-prone north over the past eight years, authorities said Monday.Click here to read…

Beijing records surge in flights amid COVID-19 policy adjustments: Xinhuanet
December 12, 2022

The Chinese capital Beijing has reported a surge in the number of flights recently after the country fine-tuned its COVID-19 response. The total number of flights soared by 169 percent on Sunday from the beginning of December at the Beijing Capital International Airport and the Beijing Daxing International Airport, data from the north China branch of the country’s civil aviation regulator showed. Click here to read…

Role of China’s Constitution strengthened: China Daily
December 12, 2022

Throughout the past four decades, the Constitution has been revised and improved in keeping with the times, and implemented to play its important role in the country’s governance. Especially since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 2012, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee, the theories, systems and practices of the Constitution have seen sustained progress through innovative development. Click here to read…

Number of patients in Beijing fever clinics 16 times higher: China Daily
December 12, 2022

The number of patients in fever clinics in Beijing on Sunday has jumped to 16 times more from a week earlier to 22,000, showing that the COVID-19 epidemic is spreading quickly in the city, said a local health official. Click here to read…

Warplanes of PLA Air Force, Navy share airfield in joint exercise: Global Times
December 12, 2022

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) recently organized a joint exercise in which warplanes of the Air Force and the Navy used the same airfield and received ground maintenance, a method analysts said on Monday reflects the PLA’s high level of cross-service support in joint operations and will provide tactical advantages in combat. Click here to read…

China’s top cyberspace regulator issues rules to regulate application of ‘deepfake’ technology to protect personal info, safeguard national security: Global Times
December 12, 2022

China’s top cyberspace regulator issued new rules to regulate the application of “deepfake” technology and services that alter facial and voice data with deep learning or virtual reality in a bid to curb risks that might arise from activities provided by related platforms.
Click here to read…

Beijing combats medicine supply shortage after surge in number of flu-like patients: Global Times
December 12, 2022

Beijing on Monday said the city’s medicine supplies have faced great pressure at short notice, as the capital’s second-class hospitals reported 19,000 patients with flu-like symptoms last week, 6.2 times higher than in the previous week.
Click here to read…

Hong Kong youth ‘key targets’ for national security education: Global Times
December 12, 2022

In his first policy address delivered in October, Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu highlighted the importance of advancing national security education in Hong Kong. Recently, the National Security Education Centre of the International Probono Legal Services Association (IPLSA), a non-profit organization registered in Hong Kong, launched a national security education instructor training program, and more than 100 people have obtained the qualifications to become instructors who will teach national security knowledge in Hong Kong’s primary and middle schools as well as in other institutions.
Click here to read…

Chinese, US officials conclude candid talks, agree to properly handle Taiwan question: Global Times
December 12, 2022

Senior Chinese and US officials met in North China’s Hebei from Sunday to Monday, with both sides saying that the latest meeting was candid, in-depth and constructive, and agreeing to maintain communication, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Monday. Chinese experts believed that the continuing communication and cooperation between the world’s two largest economies, which clearly benefits the world, should be based on taking each other’s core interests into account, while warning of duplicity in Washington’s China policy.
Click here to read…

China slams U.S. sanctions over alleged rights abuses in Tibet: Reuters
December 12, 2022

U.S. sanctions on two senior Chinese officials over alleged human rights abuses in Tibet were illegal and seriously harmed Sino-U.S. ties, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Monday. China rejects accusations that it has used harsh policies to quell ethnic dissent and control religious activities in the rugged Himalayan region of Tibet. The comments came after the U.S. Treasury department said on Friday it imposed sanctions on Wu Yingjie, the chief of the ruling Communist Party in Tibet between 2016 and 2021, and Zhang Hongbo, a senior public security official in the region.
Click here to read…

Islamic State claims responsibility for Kabul hotel attack -group on Telegram: Reuters
December 12, 2022

Islamic State claimed on Monday responsibility for an attack on a hotel in central Kabul popular with Chinese nationals, the group said on its channel on Telegram. Armed men opened fire on Monday inside the hotel, and at least three gunmen were killed by security forces. Kabul’s Emergency Hospital, run by an Italian non-profit, reported receiving 21 casualties – 18 injured and three dead on arrival. Click here to read…

Indian, Chinese troops suffer minor injuries in clash on Dec 9: Reuters
December 12, 2022

Indian and Chinese troops suffered minor injuries in a clash in the Tawang sector of India’s Arunachal Pradesh state on Dec. 9, the Indian army said on Monday, the first such incident since the deadly clash between the two neighbours in June 2020. Arunachal Pradesh is located on India’s eastern tip and shares a border with China. “Both sides immediately disengaged from the area,” the army said, adding that the incident was followed by its commander in the area holding a meeting with his Chinese counterpart to discuss the issue.
Click here to read…

China axes travel tracking app in latest easing of COVID curbs: Reuters
December 13, 2022

People in China celebrated the withdrawal on Tuesday of a state-mandated app used to track whether they had travelled to COVID-stricken areas, in the latest loosening of some of the world’s toughest anti-virus rules. China last week started axing key parts of its stringent ‘zero-COVID’ regime in the wake of widespread protests against the curbs last month which had marked the biggest show of public discontent in mainland China since President Xi Jinping came to power in 2012.
Click here to read…

China starts WTO dispute against U.S. chip export curbs: Reuters
December 13, 2022

China has launched a trade dispute at the World Trade Organization against the United States over its chip export control measures, China’s commerce ministry said. The United States passed a sweeping set of regulations in October aimed at kneecapping China’s semiconductor industry, prompting a complaint from a top China trade group.
Click here to read…

Editor for liberal Hong Kong media outlet out on bail after year behind bars: Reuters
December 13, 2022

The former editor of a major Hong Kong media outlet, who stands accused of publishing seditious materials in a landmark press freedom case in the China-ruled city, was released on bail on Tueesday after being remanded in custody for nearly a year. Chung Pui-kuen, 52, the former editor in chief of the now-shuttered liberal news site Stand News, was granted bail by district court judge Kwok Wai-kin.Click here to read…

Hong Kong drops curbs on incoming travellers, scraps COVID app: Reuters
December 13, 2022

Arrivals in Hong Kong from Wednesday will no longer receive an ‘amber’ code barring them from some venues, Chief Executive John Lee said, while dropping use of a government-mandated COVID-19 mobile application. The news of a further loosening of COVID-19 curbs in the global financial hub, which has trailed most of the world in easing them, is set to boost resumption of travel and business, as the code had limited access to bars and restaurants. Click here to read…

China sues US in WTO over chip export control measures: Global Times
December 13, 2022

China took legal action against the US in the WTO over chip export control measures on Monday, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said in a statement posted on its website. Filing a lawsuit with the WTO is a way of seeking to address Chinese concerns through legal means, and a necessary way to defend China’s legitimate interests, the ministry said. Click here to read…

China Zhi Gong Party convenes 16th national congress: Xinhuanet
December 13, 2022

The China Zhi Gong Party opened its 16th national congress in Beijing on Monday. Li Xi, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) of the CPC, attended the opening of the congress and delivered a congratulatory message on behalf of the CPC Central Committee. Click here to read…

Chinese mainland reports 2,270 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases: Xinhuanet
December 13, 2022

The Chinese mainland on Monday reported 2,270 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said Tuesday. Altogether 5,181 local asymptomatic carriers were newly identified. Click here to read…

Refining the Social Security System: Qiushi
December 13, 2022

As mentioned in the Chinese classics, “there are some fixed principles in governing a state, among which benefiting the people should be the root.” Working for the wellbeing of the people is an embodiment of the CPC’s commitment to serving the public good and exercising power in the interests of the people. Click here to read…

China, Arab countries deepen cooperation on technology: Qiushi
December 13, 2022

At a bar in Yinchuan, the capital of northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, football fans are watching an exciting match from the 2022 FIFA World Cup. What many of them don’t know is that their region has a hand in making the tournament a success, with the turf at the Qatar World Cup stadiums maintained by irrigation technology developed by Ningxia University. Click here to read…

China-UAE industrial zone sees first operational project: Qiushi
December 13, 2022

In the Khalifa Industrial Zone in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, one building is particularly eye-catching, featuring facades decorated with red patterns that resemble Chinese seals. It is situated amid new modern factories, with asphalt roads extending in various directions. Click here to read…

Build a Modern Socialist Country Under the Rule of Law: Qiushi
December 13, 2022

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the Central Committee with Xi Jinping at its core has put the rule of law high on its strategic agenda for upholding and developing Chinese socialism. In building up legal systems and rigorously exercising law-based governance, it has put forward a series of new ideas, new thinking, and new strategies as guides to action, giving shape to Xi Jinping thought on the rule of law. This landmark thinking is of great immediate importance and profound historical significance for the efforts to advance socialist rule of law in China. Click here to read…

Rural ICUs prepare for surge in cases: China Daily
December 13, 2022

China is shoring up intensive care facilities in rural areas and strengthening the training of grassroots medical staff to improve capacity before possible surges in cases of COVID-19, the top health authority said. Click here to read…

China: Daily Scan, November 16, 2022

China’s ex-senior provincial legislator prosecuted: Xinhuanet
November 15, 2022

A public prosecution has been initiated against Sun Guoxiang, a former senior legislator of northeast China’s Liaoning Province, over suspected bribe-taking. The Langfang Municipal People’s Procuratorate in Hebei Province recently filed a lawsuit against Sun with the Intermediate People’s Court of Langfang, an official statement said Tuesday. Click here to read…

Key messages western media have missed in Xi-Biden summit: Xinhuanet
November 15, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart, Joe Biden, had their first face-to-face meeting on Monday since the latter assumed the American presidency. With translators providing simultaneous interpretation in a three-plus-hour meeting, the two leaders had a “candid, constructive and in-depth exchange of views” on a wide range of issues of strategic importance in China-U.S. relations and on major global and regional affairs. Click here to read…

China to promote green development of nonferrous metals industry: Xinhuanet
November 15, 2022

China has released a plan to advance the low-carbon development of its nonferrous metals industry, a key producer of industrial carbon emissions, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said on Tuesday. Click here to read…

State Council appoints official: Xinhuanet
November 15, 2022

China’s State Council announced the appointment of an official on Tuesday. Sun Weidong was appointed as vice minister of foreign affairs, according to the announcement. Click here to read…

China works to bolster employment prospects for college graduates: Xinhuanet
November 15, 2022

China is rolling out multiple measures as part of efforts to help 11.58 million graduates streaming out of colleges to enter the workforce or start their own businesses in 2023. The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security jointly held an online video conference on Tuesday to further improve employment promotion policies and make arrangements for helping graduates find jobs or start businesses next year. Click here to read…

Chinese military issues trial provisions on promoting transparency in Party affairs: China Military
November 15, 2022

With the approval of China’s Central Military Commission (CMC), the CMC General Office recently issued trial provisions on promoting transparency in Party Affairs in Chinese military, which will come into force on January 1, 2023. Click here to read…

China’s ex-senior provincial legislator prosecuted: China Daily
November 15, 2022

A public prosecution has been initiated against Sun Guoxiang, a former senior legislator of Northeast China’s Liaoning province, over suspected bribe-taking. The Langfang Municipal People’s Procuratorate in Hebei province recently filed a lawsuit against Sun with the Intermediate People’s Court of Langfang, an official statement said Tuesday. Click here to read…

Chinese TCM drug Lianhua Qingwen sees booming market demand in Shijiazhuang: Global Times
November 15, 2022

Chinese drug producer Shijiazhuang Yiling Pharmaceutical (Yiling Pharmaceutical) has ramped up production amid the booming demand of the company’s popular Chinese herbal medicine Lianhua Qingwen in Shijiazhuang city, North China’s Hebei Province, where the company’s headquarter is located. Click here to read…

China’s defence minister tipped to lead talks with US military, but sanctions on likely successor may pose early challenge: South China Morning Post
November 15, 2022

China is expected to send the outgoing defence minister Wei Fenghe to represent it in the first talks with the United States military since Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan earlier this year prompted Beijing to freeze dialogue with the Americans. One major issue China wants to resolve in the talks with Wei’s US counterpart Lloyd Austin is the sanctions imposed in 2018 on Wei’s probable successor, Li Shangfu. Click here to read…

Chinese mainland reports 1,568 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases: Xinhuanet
November 16, 2022

The Chinese mainland on Tuesday reported 1,568 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said Wednesday. Altogether 18,491 local asymptomatic carriers were newly identified. Click here to read…

Xi’s proposals on global cooperation, development gain worldwide support: China Military
November 16, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called for collective actions and close cooperation to make global development more inclusive, beneficial to all, and more resilient, and stressed the importance of joint efforts to unclog industrial and supply chains and stabilize market prices to tackle food and energy crises. Click here to read…

Chinese customs intercept new insect species, possible carrier of disease-spreading germs: Global Times
November 16, 2022

Customs officers in South China’s Guangdong Province have found a new species of cockroach-like insects while examining logs imported from French Guiana. The new species could carry unknown pathogens that might cause diseases. Click here to read…

Xi’s intensive meetings with world leaders show charm of major-country diplomacy: Global Times
November 16, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping met a number of foreign leaders – including some from US allies and major developing economies – on the first day of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Bali, Indonesia, fully underscoring the strategic and guiding role of head-of-state diplomacy and implications of Chinese diplomacy following the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) as the world expects China-proposed solutions and its wisdom in handling issues of concern amid growing geopolitical uncertaintiesClick here to read…

U.S. FBI director says TikTok poses national security concerns: Reuters
November 16, 2022

The U.S. operations of Chinese-owned TikTok raise national security concerns, FBI Director Chris Wray said on Tuesday, flagging the risk that the Chinese government could harness the video-sharing app to influence users or control their devices. Risks include “the possibility that the Chinese government could use to control data collection on millions of users or control the recommendation algorithm, which could be used for influence operations,” Wray told U.S. lawmakers. Click here to read…

Big-power rivalry overshadows Biden-Xi cooperation pledge: Reuters
November 16, 2022

Their photo op looked good for U.S. and Chinese leaders Joe Biden and Xi Jinping, but the superpowers remain driven by geopolitical rivalry despite their pledge to cooperate on global issues like climate change and public health. Biden and Xi sought in their meeting in Bali this week to ease tensions between the United States and China, and some experts saw an improvement in the mood after relations atrophied to near historic lows this summer. Click here to read…

China, France seek respect for Ukraine’s territorial integrity: Kyodo
November 16, 2022

French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted Tuesday that he and Chinese leader Xi Jinping called for respecting Ukrainian territorial integrity and sovereignty and stopping escalation of the war in Ukraine as they met in Indonesia’s Bali. Click here to read…

China COVID-19 cases rise despite less testing: Taipei Times
November 16, 2022

China’s COVID-19 cases rose further yesterday, including in the capital, Beijing, even as many cities scaled back routine testing after authorities last week announced measures aimed at easing the impact of the country’s heavy coronavirus curbs. Click here to read…

COVID-19 lockdowns spark protests in Guangzhou: Taipei Times
November 16, 2022

China’s tough COVID-19 lockdowns are fueling an increase in public anger, with some residents in Guangzhou, one of the country’s biggest cities, staging rare protests against the stringent rules. In videos circulating on social media, hundreds of protesters were seen marching in the street and pushing over police barriers in Haizhu district, which has been in lockdown since late last month. Click here to read…

How China’s language shifted after Xi-Biden meeting: Taipei Times
November 16, 2022

After Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke for more than three hours on Monday with US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the G20 summit, China’s readout of the meeting indicates the country’s approach to US ties is shifting. Click here to read…

Top US-China panel urges halt to normal trade relations if no WTO compliance: South China Morning Post
November 16, 2022

Congress should suspend normal trade relations with China if Washington determines Beijing has not complied with the World Trade Organization market access agreement it signed decades ago, the US government’s top advisory panel on China policy said on Tuesday. In a sweeping annual report comprising 39 recommendations and covering nearly every aspect of the bilateral relationship, the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission also called on US lawmakers to study the feasibility of blockading Chinese energy imports in the event of a military conflict involving Beijing, particularly those transiting the Strait of Malacca.
And in the latest sign of Washington’s growing alarm that Chinese leader Xi Jinping may attempt to invade Taiwan, the panel urged Congress to put more manpower into preparing for economic punishment and military resistance against Beijing if it were to attack the self-governed island. Click here to read…

Full text: Chinese FM briefs media on Xi-Biden meeting and answers questions: Xinhuanet
November 16, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart, Joe Biden, had a candid and in-depth exchange of views here on Monday on issues of strategic importance in China-U.S. relations and on major global and regional issues. After their meeting, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi briefed the media on the meeting and answered questions. Click here to read…

Full text of Xi’s remarks at Session I of G20 summit in Bali: Xinhuanet
November 16, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a speech titled “Working Together to Meet the Challenges of Our Times and Build a Better Future” here Tuesday at the first session of the 17th summit of the Group of 20 (G20).

The following is the full text of the speech: Click here to read…

China: Daily Scan, September 26, 2022

Chinese FM expounds on right way for China, U.S. to develop relations in new era: Xinhuanet
September 23, 2022

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, making a keynote speech here on Thursday at the headquarters of Asia Society, expounded on the right way for China and the United States to develop relations in the new era. Click here to read…

Ringleader of ‘clique’ against Chinese Communist Party leadership faces life in jail: Reuters
September 23, 2022

China’s former Deputy Public Security Minister Sun Lijun, who had been denounced for “seriously damaging the unity of the party”, has been jailed for life, state media said on Friday, ahead of a key Communist Party congress. Sun, 53, was handed a suspended death sentence that will be commuted to life imprisonment after two years, with no possibility of parole, according to a state news agency Xinhua report of the Friday court sentencing. Click here to read…

Chinese defense ministry-aided military supplies handed over to Cambodia: China Military
September 23, 2022

A ceremony marking the handover of supplies provided by China’s Ministry of National Defense to its Cambodian counterpart was held at the Phnom Chumreay International Military Police Training Centre in Kampong Chhnang Province, Cambodia on the morning of September 20, 2022. Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense General Tea Banh attended the event and delivered speeches. Click here to read…

Chinese FM attends UN Security Council foreign ministers meeting on Ukraine: Xinhuanet
September 23, 2022

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended on Thursday the United Nations (UN) Security Council foreign ministers meeting on Ukraine at the UN headquarters in New York. Click here to read…

Boat sinks off Cambodia’s sea, over 20 Chinese missing: Xinhuanet
September 23, 2022

A boat carrying Chinese nationals sunk off southwestern Cambodia’s sea on Thursday evening, the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia confirmed on Friday. According to the Chinese embassy, they received a notification from the Cambodian Police Department on Thursday night, saying that the police found a sunken ship which used to have 41 Chinese citizens on board, with 18 having been rescued and the remaining 23 still missing. Two Cambodian crew members involved have been arrested. According to the rescued personnel, the people on board departed from Guangzhou, China on Sept. 11 and were in distress shortly after arriving in the waters of Preah Sihanouk province. Click here to read…

Chinese, Sri Lankan FMs meet on sidelines of UNGA session: Xinhuanet
September 24, 2022

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met here with Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed Ali Sabry on Friday on the sidelines of the ongoing 77th session of the UN General Assembly. Click here to read…

Chinese FM attends BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting: Xinhuanet
September 24, 2022

The BRICS countries should prioritize the issue of development at the ongoing 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly and inject impetus into the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday. Click here to read…

Weibo chairman backs Chinese censors’ crackdown and promises ‘ecologically sound’ cyberspace: South China Morning Post
September 24, 2022

The chairman of the Chinese social media platform Weibo has pledged support for an ongoing crackdown on content posted online. Writing in a journal published by the Cyberspace Administration of China, the country’s internet regulator and censor, Cao Guowei said rules such as a real-name registration system, displaying users’ locations and the role of Weibo users in monitoring other accounts had all helped to clean up the platform. Click here to read…

China’s 3rd aircraft carrier starts mooring trials ahead of 10th anniversary of commissioning of the country’s first carrier: Global Times
September 24, 2022

China’s third aircraft carrier has started mooring trials, the country’s state broadcaster announced on Friday. This indicates smooth progress for the carrier’s construction and tests since its launch in June, analysts said. Click here to read…

China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan sign document of cooperation on joint railway project: Global Times
September 24, 2022

Officials from China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan signed a document of cooperation on a railway project during the 2022 annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), marking “phased progress” with the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway, according to a statement published by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) on its official WeChat account on Friday. Click here to read…

People’s Daily urges delegates to 20th CPC National Congress to perform duties faithfully: Xinhuanet
September 25, 2022

An editorial to be published by the People’s Daily, a flagship newspaper of the Communist Party of China (CPC), has congratulated the delegates to the upcoming 20th CPC National Congress on their election, and urged them to perform their duties faithfully. A total of 2,296 delegates to the 20th CPC National Congress were elected. They are carrying the expectations of the more than 96 million members and over 4.9 million primary-level organizations of the Party, as well as of the people of all ethnic groups, reads the editorial. Click here to read…

China EximBank increases loans to foreign trade industry: Xinhuanet
September 25, 2022

The Export-Import Bank of China (China EximBank) offered 1.25 trillion yuan (about 178.78 billion U.S. dollars) in loans to the foreign trade industry in the first eight months of 2022, up 26.03 percent year on year. By the end of August, the bank’s outstanding loans to the foreign trade sector rose 18.23 percent compared with last year to reach 2.73 trillion yuanClick here to read…

Determined efforts to mitigate drought impact in parts of southern China: Xinhuanet
September 25, 2022

Faced with a prolonged drought in parts of southern China, government officials and residents are making efforts to ensure sufficient drinking water and grain production. China’s national observatory confirmed that severe drought has swept through the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, including most parts of Hunan and Jiangxi provinces, and southern Anhui and southeastern Hubei provinces. Click here to read…

English hours less than other major subjects, but won’t be de-emphasized at basic educational level: Global Times
September 25, 2022

As debate rages once again over whether primary and secondary schools in China should further reduce the weight of English language teaching, China’s Ministry of Education (MOE) said foreign languages learning plays an important role in cultivating students’ international vision and cross-cultural communication skills, while stressing the importance of strengthening education that passes on traditional Chinese culture and reinforces culture confidence. Click here to read…

China’s first metaverse major set up at a Jiangsu university to train more talents in line with the needs of related sectors: Global Times
September 25, 2022

China’s first metaverse major was set up at a university in East China’s Jiangsu Province in the hope of training more talents in line with the needs of enterprises in metaverse-related sectors. The School of Artificial Intelligence (School of Future Technology) of Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology in Nanjing, Jiangsu, renamed its Information Engineering Department to Metaverse Engineering Department on Friday, becoming the first university department named after the metaverse in ChinaClick here to read…

China’s ‘Explorer 2’ research vessel ends scientific research and sea trial missions in the South China Sea: Global Times
September 25, 2022

China’s scientific research ship Explorer 2 and the 4,500-meter manned submersible Shenhai Yongshi (Deep-sea Warrior) returned to Sanya, South China’s Hainan Province on Sunday, after they smoothly completed the in-situ observation of deep-sea geology and sea trial tasks of domestic equipment in the South China Sea. Click here to read…

Chinese mainland reports 235 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases: Xinhuanet
September 26, 2022

The Chinese mainland on Sunday reported 235 locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 154 were in Guizhou, the National Health Commission said in its Monday report. Altogether 597 local asymptomatic carriers were newly identified. Click here to read…

All delegates to 20th CPC National Congress elected: Qiushi

September 26, 2022

A total of 2,296 delegates were elected to attend the upcoming 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), an official statement said Sunday. Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the delegates were elected in accordance with the Party Constitution, the CPC Central Committee’s requirements, adopting methods required by the CPC Central Committee, the statement said. Click here to read…

Chinese province explores path to common prosperity: Qiushi
September 26, 2022

At the crack of dawn on an autumn day, Lin Fang, 55, started harvesting water bamboo shoots, a seasonal vegetable. Located at an altitude of 1,000 meters, Lin’s hometown Daji Township is in Jingning She Autonomous County, east China’s Zhejiang Province. Due to its remote location, the county had suffered poverty for a long time. Click here to read…

China makes significant progress in building aircraft carrier fleet in past decade: China Military
September 26, 2022

China has made significant progress in building its aircraft carrier fleet in the past decade since the first, the Liaoning, was commissioned on September 25, 2012. China refurbished the old Soviet model after purchasing it secondhand in 1999, making it the country’s first carrier. In the later years, the country independently built its own carrier, the Shandong, which uses ski-jump ramps to launch fighter aircraft. It was commissioned in 2019. Click here to read…

Party steps up fight against corruption: China Daily
September 26, 2022

Former vice-minister of public security Sun Lijun became on Friday the latest high-profile official to be punished for corruption after he received a death sentence with a two-year reprieve for taking bribes, manipulating the stock market and illegal possession of firearms. Click here to read…

China ready to work with G20 members in promoting WTO reform: Global Times
September 25, 2022

China is ready to work with other members of the G20 to actively participate in the reform of the WTO to promote a multilateral trading system and achieve the sustainable development goals, according to a senior Chinese commerce official. Click here to read…

People’s Daily urges delegates to 20th CPC National Congress to perform duties faithfully: People’s Daily
September 26, 2022

An editorial to be published by the People’s Daily, a flagship newspaper of the Communist Party of China (CPC), has congratulated the delegates to the upcoming 20th CPC National Congress on their election, and urged them to perform their duties faithfully. A total of 2,296 delegates to the 20th CPC National Congress were elected. They are carrying the expectations of the more than 96 million members and over 4.9 million primary-level organizations of the Party, as well as of the people of all ethnic groups, reads the editorial. Click here to read…

Renminbi’s global use set to expand: People’s Daily
September 26, 2022

China’s renminbi is expected to continue its steady rise in global use and play a bigger part in safeguarding international financial stability, as the country further advances its financial opening-up while deepening trade and investment cooperation, experts said. Click here to read…

Weibo chairman backs Chinese censors’ crackdown and promises ‘ecologically sound’ cyberspace: South China Morning Post
September 24, 2022

The chairman of the Chinese social media platform Weibo has pledged support for an ongoing crackdown on content posted online. Writing in a journal published by the Cyberspace Administration of China, the country’s internet regulator and censor, Cao Guowei said rules such as a real-name registration system, displaying users’ locations and the role of Weibo users in monitoring other accounts had all helped to clean up the platform. Click here to read…

Africa Now – Weekly Newsletter (Week 10, 2022)

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

COMMENTARY

Explaining Israel’s Africa policy

In February 2022, the annual summit of the African Union (AU) took place in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, also headquarter of the African Union. The principal objective of the meeting was to evaluate AU’s achievements over the past year, particularly in the context of the recent surge of military coups and the ways to recover from the pandemic. Click here to read…

NEWS

Somalia enters transition as Amisom gives way to ATMIS

After one and a half-decade of operation, the African Union Mission in Somalia, Amisom, will, starting end of this month, transition to the African Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). Click here to read…

Burkina Faso appoints interim government after January coup

The new government of 25 ministers includes Defence Minister General Barthelemy Simpore, who has retained the position he held under Kabore, according to the decree. Click here to read…

Malian army says dozens of its soldiers killed in jihadist attack

A jihadist attack on a military camp in central Mali on Friday killed 27 soldiers and 47 “terrorists” were “neutralised”, the country’s army said. Click here to read…

Ethiopia Brings Nile River Dam Online as Sudan, Egypt Object

Ethiopia has begun generating electricity at its new 5,000-MW roller-compacted concrete gravity-type dam on the Nile River. The first 375 MW went to the national grid on Feb. 20. Click here to read…

Sudan welcomes military base agreement with Russia in the Red Sea

Deputy Chairman of Sudan Sovereignty Council, General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalu Hmidti, reported that he discussed cooperation with Russian officials on national security and political issues. Click here to read…

Libyan parliament swears in new PM as crisis deepens

A standoff between two rival governments in Libya risks resulting in the territorial division as the parliament in the east swore in a new administration while the incumbent in Tripoli refused to cede power. Click here to read…

Tanzania president, freed opposition leader vow to ‘build trust’

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan and opposition leader Freeman Mbowe pledged to heal rifts and buttress democracy as they met hours after Mbowe was freed from jail in a surprise move. Click here to read…

Anti-junta and anti-France protest rallies hundreds in Chad

Some 500 people demonstrated on Saturday in response to a call from the opposition against the ruling military junta in Chad. Click here to read…

Tensions flare in Eswatini

Eswatini’s King Mswati III has suppressed unrest for now. But opposition voices will continue to push for democracy, possibly leading to a transition of power. Click here to read…

Mozambique announces new prime minister after cabinet reshuffle

Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi has appointed a new prime minister and filled several other posts, including the finance minister, as part of a cabinet reshuffle. Click here to read…

China’s Huawei in troubled waters in South Africa over Employment Equity Policy

The Department of Employment and Labour of South Africa last month filed court papers against Huawei Technologies South Africa for not complying with the Employment Equity Policy of the country. Click here to read…

President Kenyatta endorses Raila Odinga in upcoming presidential election

During an address before his Jubilee party supporters on Wednesday, President Uhuru Kenyatta said Raila Odinga “meant well for the country”.Click here to read…

More than 200 gunmen killed in Nigeria security operation

At least 200 gunmen were killed in the past three days in Nigeria’s central-northern state of Niger during a security operation to clear armed gangs from the area. Click here to read…

Algeria is Prepared to Fulfil Europe’s Gas Demand

Algerian oil and gas giant, Sonatrach, announced that it is prepared to supply Europe with an increased supply of oil and gas should Russia’s exports not meet Europe’s demand. Additional gas will be exported through the TransMed pipeline, which connects Algeria and Italy. Click here to read…

Ghana’s 65th Independence anniversary – The journey so far

Former Gold Coast, now Ghana is today, March 6, celebrating its 65th anniversary after attaining independence in 1957 from the British. Click here to read…

Chinese Company Removed as Operator of Cobalt Mine in Congo

A court has given the Congolese control of one of the world’s largest sources of cobalt while allegations against the mine’s Chinese owners are investigated. Click here to read…

Cameroon blast: At least five people killed, including senior official and mayor

A senior state official and a mayor were among five people killed by a road mine in a restive anglophone region of Cameroon on Wednesday, local sources said. Click here to read…

In a first, a female judge chairs a hearing in Egypt’s top court

In a first, Radwa Helmi on Saturday sat as the first female judge on the bench of Egypt’s state council. It is a top court in the Arab country. Helmi was among the 98 women who were appointed last year to join the council, after a decision by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Click here to read…

Shunned by Others, Russia Finds Friends in Africa

Africa’s largest arms dealer, Russia has ties to the continent that stretch back to the Cold War and helped Mr. Putin win rare support over the invasion of Ukraine. Click here to read…

Ivory Coast’s hope: Digital agriculture

Climate change, land degradation and deforestation have severely damaged Côte d’Ivoire’s natural surroundings. Many farmers are worried about their future. But Digitalization is bringing new hope. Click here to read…

Timber giant quietly converts Congo logging sites to carbon scheme

A major European logging firm may have illegally converted more than a dozen of its timber concessions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo into so-called conservation concessions, a new investigation can reveal. Click here to read…

History, politics and mercenaries: why so many African nations are quietly standing by Putin

President Putin’s authoritarian allies in Africa have given their quiet support to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at the United Nations. Click here to read…

New Amazon Headquarters Sparks Feud Among Indigenous South Africans

The development, still under construction, sits on sacred land in Cape Town. But some Indigenous leaders have allied with the developers, prompting a debate over who speaks for First Nations people. Click here to read…

Hage Geingob: Is oil discovery off Namibia a blessing or a curse?

Namibia’s president discusses the recent discovery of an estimated one billion barrels of oil off his country’s coast. Click here to read…

WHO sees little impact on Covid-19 vaccine supplies to Africa from Ukraine war

The World Health Organization does not expect any immediate impact on vaccine supply to Africa from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Click here to read…

INDIA IN AFRICA

Second India-Africa defence dialogue on March 12 in Gujarat

The second India Africa defence dialogue is set to take place on March 12 on the sidelines of the DefExpo 2022 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Click here to read…

EAM Jaishankar extends greetings to Ghana on its national day

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday extended greetings to his Ghanaian counterpart Shirley Ayokor and his people on their national day. Click here to read…

Uganda to sign MoU with Naruvi Hospitals

The Ugandan government would soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Vellore-based Naruvi Hospitals, said Grace Akello, Uganda Ambassador to India. Click here to read…

India, South Africa, Namibia oppose talks at WTO on e-commerce, investment, MSMEs

New rules cannot be introduced without fulfilling mandate of agreement by consensus, they argue. Click here to read…

Namibia wants ivory trade clause in deal for sending cheetahs to India

Namibia wants India’s support for lifting a United Nations ban on commercial trade of wildlife products, including ivory, for translocation of cheetahs to Kuno Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh, a condition New Delhi is unlikely to be able or want to meet, Indian and Namibian officials familiar with the matter said on Thursday. Click here to read…

The lip-sync siblings from Tanzania, and why PM Modi praised them

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has praised a brother-sister duo from Tanzanian, now social media stars, for lip-syncing to the Indian national anthem on Republic Day and paying tribute to Lata Mangeshkar. Who are Kili and Neema Paul? Click here to read…

Event Report

The African Continental Free Trade Area and Opportunities for India

On 23rd February 2022, the Vivekananda Foundation organised a lecture on “The African Continental Free Trade Area and Opportunities for India”. The Continental Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) is a critical African project to accelerate the continent’s long-term integration and economic goal.Click here to read…

China: Daily Scan, January 27, 2022

Chinese vice premier stresses need to advance coordinated development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region: Xinhuanet
January 25, 2022

Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng on Tuesday called for new progress in the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region by emphasizing major areas and key sections. Han, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks while presiding over a meeting of a leading group for the coordinated development of the region. Click here to read…

Former senior official of Zhejiang expelled from CPC, office: Xinhuanet
January 26, 2022

Zhou Jiangyong, a former senior official in east China’s Zhejiang Province, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and dismissed from public office over serious violations of Party discipline and laws, the country’s top anti-graft body announced Wednesday. Click here to read…

Chinese premier stresses prioritizing stability in economic development: Xinhuanet
January 25, 2022

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has stressed prioritizing stability in economic development as the Chinese economy continues to face downward pressure and complex domestic and international environments. Click here to read…

Remarks by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Virtual Summit to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations Between China and Central Asian Countries: Xinhuanet
January 25, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping chaired a summit held on Tuesday via video link to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and five Central Asian countries, namely Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, and delivered an important speech.

Following is the full text of the speech:

Click here to read…

Chinese envoy calls for more humanitarian, economic assistance to Afghanistan: Xinhuanet
January 27, 2022

China’s permanent representative to the United Nations on Wednesday calls for more humanitarian and economic assistance to Afghanistan. “China calls for a stronger sense of urgency from the international community and more humanitarian and economic assistance to Afghanistan, so as to bring warmth and hope to the Afghan people,” Zhang Jun told a Security Council meeting on the situation in Afghanistan. Click here to read…

Senior Heilongjiang provincial legislator under investigation: Xinhuanet
January 26, 2022

Song Xibin, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the Heilongjiang Provincial People’s Congress, is being investigated for suspected severe violations of Party disciplines and laws. Song is under investigation by the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission, according to a statement released on Wednesday. Click here to read…

Former Hebei provincial legislator under investigation: Xinhuanet
January 26, 2022

Xie Jilai, a former vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the Hebei Provincial People’s Congress, is being investigated for suspected serious violations of Party discipline and law, according to the country’s top anti-graft body on Wednesday. Xie is under investigation by the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission. Click here to read…

China publishes five-year plan for construction industry: Quishi
January 27, 2022

China unveiled a development plan on Tuesday for its construction industry over the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) to push the pillar sector of the country’s economy onto a greener, smarter and safer path. The industry will maintain a 6-percent share of the country’s GDP into 2025, according to the document from the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development. Click here to read…

China, Saudi Arabia vow to boost military cooperation: China Military
January 26, 2022

Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe held talks via video link with Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman on January 26, 2022.
Under the strategic guidance of the heads of state of the two countries, China and Saudi Arabia have been deepening their political mutual trust and expanding cooperation in various fields, and the two countries are good friends and partners that trust each other, share mutual benefits, and develop together, Wei said. Click here to read…

China’s spending on R&D reaches new high in 2021: China Daily
January 26, 2022

China’s spending on research and development (R&D) hit a new high of 2.44 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) in 2021, up 0.03 percentage points from the previous year, official data showed Wednesday.Click here to read…

Senior banking official removed over corruption: China Daily
January 26, 2022

He Xingxiang, former vice president of the China Development Bank, has been expelled from the Party and dismissed from his post, the country’s top anti-graft watchdogs said on Wednesday. A statement issued by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission said He was punished for serious violations of discipline and law. Click here to read…

Top TV regulator asks anchors, TV hosts to raise political awareness, clean ‘friend circle’: Global Times
January 26, 2022

China’s top television regulator on Wednesday released an opinion piece asking news organizations and lower-level television bureaus to enhance management of anchors’ and TV hosts’ professional and social activities. The opinion, released by the National Radio and Television Administration on its website, stated that anchors and TV hosts should have firm political stance, high morality, rich knowledge, professional skills and be dedicated to work. Click here to read…

China’s Xi says country’s low carbon push must guarantee energy, food security: Reuters
January 26, 2022

China’s ambitious low-carbon goals should not come at the expense of energy and food security or the “normal life” of ordinary people, President Xi Jinping said, signalling a more cautious approach to climate change as the economy slows. Click here to read…

China has right to impose tariffs on US$645 million of US products, says WTO: South China Morning Post
January 27, 2022

The World Trade Organization (WTO) authorised China on Wednesday to impose US$645 million of compensatory tariffs against the United States in a ruling likely to receive a cool reception in Washington. China went to the WTO in 2012 to challenge anti-subsidy tariffs the United States imposed between 2008 and 2012, mainly during the term of US President Barack Obama, on 22 Chinese products ranging from solar panels to steel wire. Click here to read…

China, Russia take another step closer, agreeing to strengthen coordination on Asian affairs: South China Morning Post
January 26, 2022

Senior Chinese and Russian diplomats have agreed to step up coordination on Asian affairs, the latest sign the neighbouring countries are moving closer amid growing pressure from the West. The agreement was reached on Tuesday during a virtual meeting between Liu Jinsong, head of the Asian affairs unit at China’s foreign ministry, and Ovchinnikov Alexey Mikhailovich, who heads the Russian foreign ministry’s Asia-Pacific department. Click here to read…

Global Developments and Analysis: Weekly Monitor, 08 November – 14 November 2021

Economic
China Bought Italian Military-Drone Maker Without Authorities’ Knowledge

In 2018, a Chinese state-controlled company bought an Italian manufacturer of military drones. Soon after, it began transferring the company’s know-how and technology—which had been used by the Italian military in Afghanistan—to China. The Italian and European authorities had no knowledge of the move, revealing how Beijing is skirting weak investment-screening in Europe to acquire sensitive technology. Italian authorities say they stumbled on Alpi’s China links during a separate investigation. The takeover fits a pattern, analysts say, of Chinese state firms using ostensibly private shell companies as fronts to snap up firms with specific technologies that they then shift to new facilities in China. The company, based in the northern Italian town of Pordenone, manufactures light aircraft and mini drones called Strix. The drones, which were used by the Italian Air Force in Afghanistan, can be carried in a backpack, be deployed quickly by a single operator, and provide surveillance even at night, according to the company’s website. China was likely less interested in the drone aircraft itself than a specific element, such as its night-vision sensor or its data-link technology, said Douglas Barrie, senior fellow for military aerospace at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. Click here to read…

Chinese traditional medicine growth in Africa threatens wildlife

The Beijing-backed expansion of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in many African countries risks fuelling the illegal wildlife trade and threatens the future of some of the world’s most endangered species, a new report has warned. The growth of the TCM market, coupled with the perception of Africa as a potential source of TCM ingredients, is a “prescription for disaster for some endangered animal species, such as leopards, pangolins and rhinos”, the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), which investigates wildlife and environmental crime, said in the report published on Nov 10. China has been promoting traditional medicine, which dates back more than 2,500 years, alongside its flagship Belt and Road Initiative, which is developing road, rail and other major infrastructure projects across Africa. While most treatments are plant-based, demand from the industry has been blamed for pushing animals, including pangolins and rhinos, to the brink of extinction. “Ultimately, the unfettered growth of TCM poses a serious threat to the biodiversity found in many African countries, all in the name of short-term profit,” EIA Wildlife Campaigner Ceres Kam said in a statement. “Any utilisation of threatened species in TCM could potentially stimulate further demand, incentivise wildlife crime and ultimately lead to overexploitation.” Click here to read…

Worst yet to come for China’s housing market as new home prices fall by most in 6 years

New home prices in China fell by the most in six years in October, as analysts warned a deeper correction is yet to come. The average price across 70 cities dropped 0.25 per cent from the previous month, according to figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Nov 15. That was much larger then the 0.08 per cent decline in September and the biggest monthly drop since 2015. Fifty-two of the 70 cities tracked saw new homes prices slide, while the cost of a lived-in home declined in 64 of them, the data showed. “China’s home price correction is likely to persist until the second quarter of 2022 because of a dip in the confidence of buyers,” said Raymond Cheng, head of China and Hong Kong research at CGS-CIMB Securities. Last week, Fantasia Holdings Group became the latest home builder to default, failing to pay off a US$205.7 billion bond that was due on October 4. China’s property market, which accounts for a quarter of gross domestic product by some metrics, has deteriorated since May as policymakers and monetary authorities have moved to cool the speculative fervour underpinning it. Click here to read…

WTO comes closer to ending overfishing

The World Trade Organization (WTO) chief said on Nov 15 significant progress had been made toward a long-elusive agreement to end subsidies that reward overfishing, as negotiators scramble to clinch a deal within weeks. “Time is short and I believe that this text reflects a very important step toward a final outcome,” Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who took the reins of the global trade body in March, said in a statement. Her comment came after Colombian Ambassador Santiago Wills, who chairs the WTO fisheries subsidies negotiations, presented a revised negotiating text following intense talks. He said trade diplomats would begin poring over the latest version “clause by clause” on Nov 16, in a bid to smooth out any wrinkles before ministers gather for a high-level meeting at the end of November, at which they hope to clinch a deal. For the past two decades, WTO member states have been discussing the need for a deal banning subsidies that contribute to illegal and unregulated fishing, as well as to overfishing that threatens the sustainability of fish stocks. Global fisheries subsidies are estimated at between $14 billion and $54 billion a year, according to the WTO. Click here to read…

Dalian port, China’s main cold chain import hub, affected by latest outbreak

As Dalian, a major port city in Northeast China’s Liaoning Province, faced its third cold-chain related COVID-19 outbreak in recent days, local cold-chain product importers told the Global Times on Nov 14 that they are facing strengthened quarantine rules, which could further push up costs for imported products and lead to a decrease of aquatic imports in the near future. The city recorded 235 new confirmed cases from November 4 to Nov 13, characterized by clusters of companies, families and schools. The first identified case in the resurgence was said to be related to a cold-storage facility, which makes it the third cold-chain related outbreak in the city. Dalian is an important cold-chain storage and transportation base in China, with more than 600,000 employees who handle imported cold-chain products. The facility is the biggest cold storage in China, accounting for nearly one-third of the country’s cold-chain goods storage capacity, according to a CCTV report. Nearly 70 percent of imported cold-chain goods enter China through Dalian’s port. Industry analysts cautioned that the outbreak in Dalian is likely to affect the circulation of cold-chain food in the domestic market. Click here to read…

EU to rival China’s Belt and Road with overseas infrastructure plan

The European Union will announce a new overseas infrastructure investment framework this week to compete with China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The “Global Gateway” will emphasize sustainability and the EU’s values to strengthen ties with partners. In the Indo-Pacific, the framework is set to focus on digital connectivity as the 27-nation bloc looks to increase engagement with the region. According to a draft of the “European Strategy of Global Gateway Partnerships” seen by Nikkei Asia, the framework will focus on five areas, with the emphasis dependent on geographic region: digital transition, clean energy transition, transport, people-to-people connections, and trade and resilient supply chains. “These investments must be comprehensive, secure and sustainable, with the aim of bringing countries, societies and people closer together, enabling the twin green and digital transitions in line with the EU’s values, especially democracy, rule of law and human rights,” the draft states. The flagship of the framework for the Indo-Pacific region will be “digital partnerships with key like-minded countries,” such as on promoting regulations around artificial intelligence. The draft states it is in the EU’s interest to ensure global connectivity develops “in line with Europe’s norms, standards and values.” Click here to read…

Samsung’s Lee visits US ahead of likely US$17 billion Texas chip plant decision

Samsung Electronics vice-chairman Jay Y. Lee is visiting North America in his first high-profile trip after serving jail time for bribery, with a decision imminent on the company’s planned US$17 billion US chip plant. Lee left Seoul on Nov 14 and his trip to Canada and the US is expected to coincide with a decision on the location of the new plant, Yonhap and other local media said. A site in Texas’ Williamson County near the city of Taylor, offered the better incentives package among various sites Samsung has been considering for the new chip plant that is set to make advanced logic chips, sources previously told Reuters. Since Samsung vice-chairman Kim Kinam confirmed the chip plant plan in May, Samsung has been comparing incentives and working out who pays what in convoluted land and other agreements, while also considering the available amount of stable utilities such as water and electricity, one of the sources with knowledge of the matter said. A winter storm in the first quarter hit Samsung’s chip plant in Austin, Texas, laying bare the importance of stable utilities, as a shutdown caused by blackouts affected wafers corresponding to around 300-400 billion won (US$254-US$339 million) of damages. Click here to read…

Japan kicks off debate on $265bn stimulus including batteries, chip factory

The Japanese government has kicked off discussions on an economic stimulus package estimated at more than 30 trillion yen ($265 billion), starting with a debate in Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s council on a “new capitalism” that balances growth and wealth distribution. The council, led by the prime minister himself and a top priority for his government, on Nov 08 issued recommendations in four areas: innovation, startups, digital society and economic security. It urged Japan to launch a 10 trillion-yen fund for universities by the end of March and to provide support for storage batteries for renewable energy and large-scale production of electric-vehicle batteries. Also proposed is the development of small modular nuclear reactors and multiyear aid for a new semiconductor device plant in Japan by a “top” Taiwanese chipmaker — a veiled reference to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.’s plans for a factory in Kumamoto Prefecture. Many of the recommendations drew from a growth strategy compiled by former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga in June. But it also reflects the Kishida government’s distribution-oriented economic agenda, which includes more tax benefits for companies that raise wages and higher pay for workers in nursing and childcare. Click here to read…

Manufacturers rue dependence on China for supplies of magnesium

Global manufacturers are facing another headache in their supply chain after the price of magnesium spiked and highlighted their vulnerability to policy shocks in China, which accounts for 80% of the world’s production. The metal is an essential raw material for aluminium alloys, which are used in car parts such as gearboxes, steering columns and fuel tank covers. It is also widely used in steel production to help remove sulphur. But churning out magnesium is energy intensive, and China’s late-September power crisis was a wake-up call to industry. As Chinese authorities-imposed electricity cuts to meet environmental targets, operations were suspended in some areas of Shaanxi Province, home to 60% of China’s magnesium output. Prices of coal and ferrosilicon, an alloy containing iron and other substances that is also used to produce magnesium, were soaring at the same time, driving magnesium prices to a record $10,000 per ton before power was restored and Beijing allowed more coal mining. The last time magnesium prices surged was in 2008, when Beijing imposed restrictions on industry in the hopes of having a blue sky during the Olympic Games. The price rose to $6,500 per ton, a record high at that time. Click here to read…

ASEAN’s digital economy projected to hit $1tn by 2030

The digital economy in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is on track to grow to $1 trillion by 2030, as millions of new internet users fuel online businesses in fields including e-commerce and virtual finance, says a new Google-led report. Released on Nov 10, the annual report on digital trends in the 10-country bloc published by the U.S. technology giant, Singapore state investor Temasek and consultancy Bain & Co., said 40 million new internet users came online this year within the region. That raised internet penetration in ASEAN to 75%, with eight in 10 of the new users having bought something online at least once. Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, 60 million new digital consumers have been added to the bloc’s internet economy, with 20 million joining in the first half of the year alone, the report highlighted — contributing to a total digital consumer population of 350 million. The findings laid out in the report set the stage for years of rapid growth for ASEAN’s internet unicorns — startups worth $1 billion and more — like superapp providers Grab and GoTo, as well as for Southeast Asia’s largest listed company, Sea Group. Click here to read…

UAE, opening oil and gas summit, says no unplugging from hydrocarbons

Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC) Chief Executive Sultan al-Jaber said on Nov 15 the world could not “simply unplug” from hydrocarbons and that the oil and gas industry needed to invest over $600 billion a year until 2030 to meet expected demand. He was addressing the ADIPEC oil and gas conference which opened in Abu Dhabi on Nov 15 following U.N. climate talks in Glasgow that ended with a deal that for the first-time targeted fossil fuels as the key driver of global warming. “The global community has just concluded COP26 and, on balance, it was a success,” al-Jaber said, repeating a call for a pragmatic approach to combating climate change while ensuring global energy security. “If we are to successfully transition to the energy system of tomorrow, we cannot simply unplug from the energy system of today. We cannot just flip a switch,” he said. Al-Jaber, who is also industry and advanced technology minister of the United Arab Emirates, which will host COP28 in 2023, said ADNOC planned to increase its production capacity to 5 million barrels per day by 2030 while working to reduce its carbon intensity. He said ADNOC was expanding its carbon capture and storage capacity from 800,000 tonnes per year to 5 million, and as of January, would use nuclear and solar for its grid power. Click here to read…

Strategic
Biden and Xi set 1st virtual summit for early next week

President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold their first virtual summit on Nov 15 evening, U.S. time, to discuss cooperation and competition, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement Nov 12. The two leaders will “discuss ways to responsibly manage the competition between the United States and the PRC, as well as ways to work together where our interests align,” the statement said, referring to China by its official name, the People’s Republic of China. The much-anticipated first summit — happening 300 days into the Biden administration — comes as tensions mount over Taiwan, while the two sides seek cooperation on topics such as climate change. The online meeting also occurs days after the U.S. and China made a surprise declaration at the United Nations COP26 climate conference in Scotland outlining how the two powers would take joint steps to avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change. Xi also may use the meeting on Nov 15 to invite Biden to the Winter Olympics, CNBC reported. Were he to accept, some might accuse Biden of walking back that criticism. Click here to read…

China reacts with fury to US lawmakers’ Taiwan visit

China has responded angrily to a visit by a US delegation to Taiwan, warning Washington that it was “playing with fire” by “colluding” with pro-independence forces on the island during a period of high tensions with Beijing. The Chinese foreign ministry issued a strongly worded rebuke on Nov 10 to the visit by US lawmakers, cautioning that such “risky and provocative actions” were “doomed to end in failure.” “Colluding with Taiwan independence forces is a dangerous game and playing with fire will result in burning themselves,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a press briefing, describing the visit as a “clumsy performance.” The group had arrived in Taipei Nov 09 evening on a US Navy aircraft – prompting China’s military to conduct “combat readiness police patrols” in the direction of the Taiwan Strait in response. There has been little public information offered about the trip’s purpose. Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry revealed that the visit had been arranged by the American Institute in Taiwan – which is thought to be America’s de facto embassy on the island. Although the ministry said it was providing “necessary administrative assistance,” it did not comment on either the politicians’ identities or their itinerary. Click here to read…

South China Sea: Beijing keen to make code of conduct gains for 30th anniversary of China-Asean ties

China has pushed for a breakthrough in a South China Sea code of conduct and offered a continued supply of Covid-19 vaccines for Asean countries, in the lead-up to a summit meeting this month. In talks in Beijing on Nov 14 with top diplomats from the 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the summit to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Beijing becoming an Asean “dialogue partner” would be a milestone. “This summit will be a meaningful milestone and will set a direction and plan for the next 30 years of our relationship,” Wang said. The summit is expected to take place virtually this month between Chinese President Xi Jinping and top leaders from Asean countries. Regional observers said a key issue would be whether all members agreed to China’s bid to upgrade relations with Asean to a comprehensive strategic partnership, an idea Wang unveiled in June. Wang was quoted in an official statement following the meeting saying China wished to use the opportunity with Asean countries to overcome pandemic challenges, aid economic recovery and growth and to defend economic globalisation as well as regional stability, integration and prosperity. Click here to read…

Duterte’s daughter to run for VP with ex-dictator’s son

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter on Nov 13 registered her candidacy for vice president in next year’s elections and was chosen as the running mate of Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the late dictator’s son, in an alliance that has alarmed human rights activists. Sara Duterte backed out this week from her reelection bid as mayor of southern Davao city then took the place of a largely unknown vice-presidential candidate of her political party, Lakas CMD, in a maneuver that allowed her to seek the second-highest post even after a deadline lapsed for candidates in the May 9 elections. Marcos Jr. filed his papers at the Commission on Elections last month. His party, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, named Sara Duterte on Nov 13 as his running mate.In a chaotic turn of events that bolstered speculations of a discord between the president and his daughter, the elder Duterte suddenly trooped to the elections commission Nov 13 to accompany his former aide, Sen. Bong Go, who shifted his vice-presidential candidacy to a presidential run. Philippine presidents and vice presidents are elected separately and could forge an alliance even if they run under different political parties. If they’re elected from rival camps, they often end up in a hostile relationship. Click here to read…

Dalai Lama: China’s leaders ‘don’t understand variety of cultures’

Tibet’s spiritual leader the Dalai Lama criticized the leaders of China on Nov 10 saying they “don’t understand the variety of different cultures” there and there is too much control by the main Han ethnic group. But he also said he had nothing against “Chinese brothers and sisters” as fellow humans and he broadly supported the ideas behind Communism and Marxism. The 86-year-old Dalai Lama, taking part in an online news conference anchored in Tokyo, was answering a question about whether the international community should consider boycotting the Beijing Winter Olympics over the suppression of minorities, including those in the western region of Xinjiang. “I know Communist Party leaders since Mao Zedong. Their ideas (are) good. But sometimes they do much extreme, tight control,” he said from his base in India, adding he thought things would change in China under a new generation of leaders. “Regarding Tibet and also Xinjiang, we have our own unique culture, so the more narrow-minded Chinese Communist leaders, they do not understand the variety of different cultures.” Noting that China consisted not only of ethnic Han people but also other, different, groups, he added: “In reality, too much control by Han people.” Click here to read…

China’s Xi Gains Power as Communist Party Designates Him a Historic Figure

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has formally etched his name alongside the greatest figures in the annals of Communist Party history, paving the way for him to strengthen and extend his rule over the world’s most populous country. China’s most senior officials approved a resolution on the party’s accomplishments since its founding 100 years ago that portrays Mr. Xi as a core leader who has “promoted historic achievements and historic changes.” The decision puts him on equal footing with revolutionary patriarch Mao Zedong and market reformer Deng Xiaoping, the only other leaders who enjoyed enough power to push through resolutions on the party’s history. The elevation of Mr. Xi’s official status was a centerpiece of the annual fall gathering, or plenum, of nearly 350 full and alternate members of the Communist Party’s Central Committee in Beijing, according to the communiqué. The resolution ensures longevity for Mr. Xi’s agenda and armors him against criticism because that would require challenging the party’s narrative of history. “Not everyone in the party is convinced that this centralization authority and the valorization of a supreme leader is the best way to build the party and strengthen China,” said Timothy Cheek, a professor at the Institute of Asian Research at the University of British Columbia. Click here to read…

Who will be China’s next premier? Key meeting may offer clues

The biggest question to be answered in this week’s high-profile Chinese Communist Party meeting will likely not be who is being set up to succeed President Xi Jinping, but who will be the next second in command. The closely watched, four-day sixth plenary session of the party’s 19th Central Committee kicked off Nov 08 in Beijing, where it is widely believed Xi will lay the groundwork for realizing his third term in power and give high positions to members of his inner circle. Shanghai Party Secretary Li Qiang and Guangdong Province Party Secretary Li Xi are set to be transferred to Beijing for top national leadership roles following the plenary session, according to a Nov 12 article in the Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao. The report did not elaborate on their next roles. However, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will retire from his current position in March 2023. Many see either Li Qiang or Li Xi being installed first as a vice premier and later take over from Li Keqiang. Hu Chunhua, one of the four sitting vice premiers, is well qualified to become the next premier. But Hu is also regarded as a standard bearer for the Communist Youth League, a faction that Xi has largely sidelined due to their solidarity. Click here to read…

Afghan black market for visas thrives as embassies stay shut

Many embassies in Kabul remain closed following the collapse of Afghanistan’s previous government, fueling a black market for visas sought by citizens desperate to leave the country. The Taliban’s takeover of the capital in August forced thousands of Afghans to flee the strife-torn nation but many remain and are willing to pay exorbitant sums to buy a visa. The new government restarted issuing passports in October. Significant numbers of Afghans are being targeted for their past association with the government or coalition forces. Over 125,000 people have either been evacuated or have fled. Media professionals and women, including their families, are particularly motivated to leave as they can no longer work or study safely. Visa prices in Afghanistan have increased exponentially since the fall of Kabul. Nikkei spoke with multiple travel agents who confirmed that visas that earlier cost between $20 to $80 are now going for more than $1,000, mainly to cover bribes. Most foreign embassies have been closed since August. The few still open include Iran, Pakistan and Turkey, and hopeful emigrants are giving thousands of dollars upfront to sketchy operators who have no way — or intention — of obtaining the coveted documents. Click here to read…

Blinken says Qatar to handle US interests in Afghanistan

The United States on Nov 12 agreed to set up an interests section in Afghanistan under Qatar, assisting US citizens following the shuttering of the embassy during the Taliban takeover. Welcoming his Qatari counterpart to Washington, Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed an agreement that established Qatar as the United States protecting power in Afghanistan” with the Gulf ally to establish a US interests section at its Kabul embassy. “Let me again say how grateful we are for your leadership, your support on Afghanistan, but also to note that our partnership is much broader than that,” Blinken told Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-ThanQatar, home to a major US military base, has played a major role both in the diplomacy and the evacuations as the United States ended its 20-year war in Afghanistan. Around half of the 124,000 Westerners and Western-allied Afghans flown out in the waning days of the US military involvement transited through Qatar. The Qataris earlier played host to negotiations between the United States and Taliban that led to the February 2020 agreement for the United States to withdraw troops. Since the Taliban takeover, US embassy operations in Kabul have been relocated to Qatar. Click here to read…

‘Turkic world’ wants a voice in the new global order

Leaders of six Turkic states — spanning Central Asia, the Caucasus and Asia Minor — plus Hungary gathered in a tightly secured island in Istanbul on Nov 12, agreeing to explore further cooperation and integration amid fears that the instability in Afghanistan could spill over into the region in forms of radicalism, terrorism and migration. Heads of state from the Turkic-speaking countries of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan gathered for the eighth summit of the Turkic Council, officially known as Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States. Hungary has observer status with the group. The council also welcomed Turkmenistan as a new observer, bringing together the full Turkic family. Turkmenistan embraces a “permanent neutrality” policy and has avoided becoming a full member to such groupings. The leaders agreed to change the council’s name to “Organization of Turkic States,” and to set further rules on becoming an observer or the new status of “partner.” The rebranding of the group comes at a time when powers such as China and Russia gear up to fill in the void after the U.S. pulled out of Afghanistan. The group’s six Turkic countries have a cumulative gross domestic product above $1 trillion, with a combined population of about 160 million. Click here to read…

Iran, Turkey hope to sign ‘cooperation road map’ in Erdogan visit

Iran and Turkey will continue high-level diplomatic talks to draft a “long-term cooperation road map” to boost ties, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian has announced. “We hope to finalise the road map in a future visit to Tehran by Mr [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan, the eminent Turkish president,” Amirabdollahian said on Nov 15, standing next to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu at a news conference in Tehran, without announcing a specific date for the visit. This was the first high-level visit to Iran by a Turkish official since President Ebrahim Raisi began his first term in office about three months ago. It was also the first visit Amirabdollahian has received since testing positive for COVID-19 in early November. The Iranian foreign minister said he and Cavusoglu discussed bilateral ties, the region – especially Afghanistan – and international relations. As “pragmatic” governments, he said, Tehran and Ankara agreed to work together to remove barriers on the way of expanding trade, energy, environment and consular ties while also facilitating private sector trade. “I’d like to emphasise that the two countries’ relations are deep, historical and intimate, and in developing these ties, we will pay special attention to this,” Amirabdollahian added. Click here to read…

Is Iran losing some of its grip on Shia militias in Iraq?

Soon after the drone attack aimed at assassinating Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, Iran joined the ranks of countries condemning the attack. Tehran, which wields considerable military influence in Iraq, rushed Esmail Qaani, the leader of the elite Quds Force to Baghdad to calm the most dramatic escalation in months between the state and the pro-Iran militia groups. It is not clear whether Iran had previous knowledge of this attack, but Tehran’s subsequent stance following the assault suggested that the attack at least went ahead without Iran’s full endorsement. At a tumultuous time when Iran’s influence in Iraq seems to be on the decline, Tehran’s once-firm grip on the Shia militias in the country is again brought into question. Although no groups have yet claimed responsibility, security sources and analysts believe pro-Iran militia groups are the likely culprits behind the attack that came after the humiliating defeat of pro-Iran blocs in the October elections. Despite its murky background, the attack nonetheless elevated the escalation to a worrying level. “Had the assassination been successful, we’d be looking at a potential full-blown intra-Shia conflict,” Raad Hasan, a Baghdad-based Iraqi politics watcher, told Al Jazeera. Click here to read…

Abe becomes head of largest faction in Japan’s ruling party

Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Nov 11 became head of the largest faction within Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party upon his return to the intraparty bloc following a nine-year absence. Abe was officially named successor to Hiroyuki Hosoda, a former chief cabinet secretary, by faction members during a meeting Nov 11, a day after Hosoda was elected speaker of the House of Representatives. In 2012, Abe left the faction, then led by the late former Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura, before his second stint as prime minister, and had not joined an intraparty bloc even after stepping down from the post in September last year. “I would like to dedicate my best effort, together with all of you, in order to pass on to the next generation a Japan that we can be proud of,” said Abe, who was Japan’s longest-serving prime minister. The faction, founded in 1979 by the late former Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda, has about 90 lawmakers and has produced four prime ministers — Yoshiro Mori, Junichiro Koizumi, Abe and Yasuo Fukuda — since 2000. Hosoda resigned as faction leader on Nov 09 and called for Abe to succeed him. Click here to read…

Democrats Fear Steep Losses in 2022 Midterm House Races

Alarm bells are ringing in the Democratic Party as it prepares to defend its narrow House majority in the 2022 midterm elections. When a progressive firm last month polled Black voters, a key Democratic constituency, it found less than half saying their lives had improved under President Biden. A second Democratic-allied firm found that among new voters who backed Mr. Biden in 2020 in competitive states, nearly one-third now thought it would be good if Republicans took over Congress. The party’s loss in the Virginia election for governor this month, and a surprisingly narrow win for governor of New Jersey, have added to the evidence of malaise among important groups of Democratic voters. Compounding the party’s challenge are sinking approval ratings for Mr. Biden, retirements by House incumbents and expected Republican gains from the post-census redrawing of House district lines. “If House elections had to be held on the day of the Virginia elections, we would have lost 50 seats,’’ said Lanae Erickson, who leads political research at Third Way, a centrist Democratic group. Click here to read…

US bombers conduct refueling exercises over Australia

American long-range B-1B Lancers took part in joint air drills with the Australian Air Force, including refueling and other combat training, part of a long-term plan to strengthen military ties between the two countries. The mission involved air-to-air refueling of two US B-1B bombers with Australian KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport craft, as well as drills with Aussie P-8 Poseidon patrol planes, all of which took place on Nov 08 over the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) Darwin Base far in the country’s north, also known as the Top End. This exercise builds upon the regular and increasing interaction between Australia and the United States and sets the scene for expanded force posture initiatives in the coming years. The American planes flew some 6,000km (3,700 miles) from the US’ Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean to participate in the drills, which also saw the planes rehearse “multiple combat mission profiles,” Australia’s military said. On their way to Darwin Base, the two B-1s met with a pair of KC-30As over the Timor Sea off Australia’s northern coast and were refueled mid-air at an altitude of 30,000 feet, providing the planes with “the range to complete their mission.” Click here to read…

Poland and Germany can’t handle migrant crisis on Belarus border alone – German interior minister

Poland and Germany won’t be able to deal with the migrant crisis on the Belarus border on their own, German caretaker Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has said, urging all EU members to unite in protecting the block’s frontiers. “We must help the Polish government secure their external border. This would actually be the task of the European Commission. I’m now appealing to them to take action,” Seehofer told Bild newspaper on Nov 09. We have to stand together. Poland or Germany can’t deal with this on their own. Some 3,000 migrants from the Middle East and Africa, who are looking to make it into Poland and request asylum in the EU, are currently besieging the border between Poland and Belarus. Seehofer has accused Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of using those people “to destabilize the West,” calling on “all EU states” to unite to counter those attempts. In late June, Lukashenko said Belarus would no longer be holding back migrants seeking to reach the EU through its territory. The move was in response to sanctions, including restrictions on airspace, imposed by Brussels on Minsk after Belarus grounded an Irish Ryanair flight with opposition blogger Roman Protasevich on board in May. Click here to read…

World Leaders Pressure Libya to Hold Elections on Time

US Vice President Kamala Harris and other world leaders gathered in Paris on Nov 12 to make a diplomatic push in support of coming elections in Libya that could make or break the peace process in a country that has been torn apart by war and political crisis for a decade. Ms. Harris, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and other European and Middle Eastern leaders joined the summit, which ended with a statement urging Libyans to hold the election as scheduled on Dec. 24. French officials have argued that holding the election on time will provide a definitive solution to Libya’s political crises since the 2011 ouster and death of dictator Moammar Gadhafi. “We stress the importance for all Libyan stakeholders to commit unequivocally to the holding of free, fair, inclusive and credible presidential and parliamentary elections on 24 December 2021,” the world leaders said in a declaration drafted for release Nov 12 afternoon. Anyone who tries to obstruct the election process would be referred to the United Nations for possible sanctions, the statement also said. The conference comes as some Western officials fear that a dispute among rival Libyan factions over the election’s timing, legal basis and rules threatens to unravel a United Nations-brokered cease-fire that ended a 14-month war last year. Click here to read…

US sanctions Eritrean army, ruling party over Ethiopia conflict

The United States has sanctioned the Eritrean military and the country’s ruling party for “contributing to the crisis and conflict” in Ethiopia, which has displaced more than 2.5 million people and killed thousands. In a statement on Nov 12, the US Treasury Department said it was sanctioning the Eritrean Defence Forces and the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice, as well as other individuals and entities. The Eritrean military’s presence in Ethiopia, the department said, “is an impediment to ending the ongoing fighting and increasing humanitarian access”. “We condemn the continued role played by Eritrean actors who are contributing to the violence in northern Ethiopia, which has undermined the stability and integrity of the state and resulted in a humanitarian disaster,” Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control Andrea M Gacki said in the statement. The sanctions come just days after United Nations political chief Rosemary DiCarlo warned that Ethiopia risks “descending into widening civil war”. The Ethiopian government’s conflict with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) began a year ago and has accelerated in recent days, with a nationwide state of emergency declared this month and residents of the capital, Addis Ababa, told to be ready to take up arms to defend residential areas. Click here to read…

Medical
France releases new advice on Moderna Covid jab

France’s public health authority has advised against giving people under 30 Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine, citing higher risks of heart inflammation post-inoculation. Instead, the body recommends Pfizer’s jab for this group. Drawing on recently published data, France’s health authority, the Haute Autorite de Sante (HAS), said the risk of myocarditis from Pfizer-BioNTech’s Comirnaty “appears to be around five times lesser… compared to Moderna’s Spikevax jab” in young people in an opinion published on Nov 09. Cases of myocarditis mainly occur within seven days of vaccination, more often after the second dose, and in men under the age of 30, the notice read. HAS, which acts as an advisor to the French health sector but does not have the power to ban medicines, said the recommendation would apply to first and second doses, as well as a third “booster shot” while it awaits additional data. For the French population aged 30 and over, however, the body said it backs the administration of Spikevax in this group, stating that its efficacy was slightly higher than Pfizer-BioNTech’s jab. Last month saw Nordic nations place varying restrictions on Moderna’s vaccine. Iceland has made the widest suspension of the jab, with its health authorities halting its use across its whole population. Click here to read…

Austria starts lockdown for unvaccinated; police to randomly check residents on street for 10 days

Austrian police have been ordered to stop and check individuals on the streets to enforce a lockdown on people who have refused a Covid-19 vaccine. Starting on November 15, people who cannot show proof of vaccination and are caught going into cinemas, gyms or shops face fines starting at US$573 (500 euros). Business owners could be fined US$4,100 (3,600 euros), according to the Interior Ministry. The country needs to raise its “shamefully low vaccination rate” of less than two-thirds of the population, Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said at a press conference in Vienna. “We are not taking this step lightly. But unfortunately, it’s necessary”. The main committee of parliament approved the lockdown on Nov 14. About 65 per cent of Austria’s almost nine million people are vaccinated, below the EU average of 67 per cent, while daily increases in infections have hit records this week. Schallenberg called again on those who have not yet been vaccinated to get jabbed. Hundreds gathered outside the chancellery building for his announcement in a noisy protest, waving banners that read “No to mandatory vaccination” and “Our body, our freedom to decide”. Click here to read…

Beijing Winter Olympics venue restricted to 20% capacity over COVID-19 fears: Report

A major Beijing Winter Olympics venue will only let in one-fifth the spectators it normally holds due to COVID-19 fears, Chinese state media reported. With less than 100 days to go to the Games, China is bracing for a major challenge to its zero-COVID strategy as thousands of international athletes and officials descend on its capital after months of strict border controls. The National Aquatics Centre, the main curling venue, will allow “no more than 1,000 people” – 20 per cent of its capacity – to attend 2022 Winter Olympics events, manager Yang Qiyong told the state-run Global Times in comments published on Nov 13. The venue, built to host water sports during the 2008 Summer Olympics, was dubbed the “Water Cube” for its striking box-like design. It got a new nickname – the “Ice Cube” – after being refitted for the Beijing Winter Games. All staff at the venue have received booster COVID-19 jabs, and backup personnel will be deployed to “take over if anyone has an epidemic-related problem”, Yang added. Coming just six months after the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Summer Games, the Winter Olympics will be held from Feb 4 to 20 in a “closed loop” bubble. No spectators from outside China will be allowed to attend. Click here to read…

China: Daily Scan, October 21, 2021

China to further intensify relief policy support for smaller businesses: Xinhuanet
October 20, 2021

China will take a multi-pronged and targeted approach to step up relief to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), the State Council’s executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang decided on Wednesday. Click here to read…

Workshop of Beijing Xiangshan Forum to open soon: China Military
October 20, 2021

The workshop of the Beijing Xiangshan Forum, gathering experts and scholars from nearly 20 countries and international organizations, is slated to be held from Oct. 25 to 26. With the theme of upholding win-win cooperation and promoting global security governance, the event will be attended by experts and scholars from countries including the United States, Russia, France, Britain, and India, as well as international organizations. Click here to read…

China’s Liaoning appoints acting governor: China Daily
October 20, 2021

Li Lecheng was appointed deputy governor and acting governor of Northeast China’s Liaoning province on Wednesday. The appointment was made at the 29th session of the Standing Committee of the 13th Liaoning Provincial People’s Congress, the local legislature. Click here to read…

Tibet to further expand opening-up, foreign cooperation: China Daily
October 21, 2021

The central authorities will continue to support the Tibet autonomous region in expanding opening-up and foreign cooperation, and will assist the region in deepening Belt and Road cooperation with neighboring countries, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday. In an event held in Beijing by the Foreign Ministry to promote Tibet,Wang said the region has become an important window for China’s opening-up and cooperation with the outside world. Click here to read…

‘Moscow format’ talks highlight China-Russia coordination on Afghan issue, conspicuous US absence: Global Times
October 20, 2021

The “Moscow format” talks on Wednesday highlighted the prominent role of China-Russia coordination on the Afghan crisis when the US and some Western countries chose to evade responsibility, experts said, as Moscow gathered 10 countries and the Taliban to focus on the developing political and military situation in Afghanistan. Click here to read…

Trains and flights canceled in northern Chinese cities amid strengthened COVID-19 prevention and control measures: Global Times
October 21, 2021

Over 50 percent of flights and a dozen rail routes were canceled in northern Chinese provinces that have reported COVID-19 infections. China upgraded prevention and control measures after several areas in the country have reported domestically transmitted confirmed cases and asymptomatic patients since Sunday. Click here to read…

China’s tech crackdown will see ‘more substantial progress’ by year’s end, Beijing vows: South China Morning Post
October 20, 2021

Chinese authorities say progress is being made in their efforts to clean up the financial irregularities created by privately run tech giants and other industrial capitalists, while doubling down on vows to ensure that funding is available to struggling private businesses amid rising costs and a broad economic slowdown. Guo Shuqing, party chief of the People’s Bank of China, pointed to promising “initial results” in the ongoing clampdown on tech giants, in an interview that Communist Party mouthpiece Xinhua published on Tuesday. Click here to read…

China’s power crisis: Zhejiang the latest province to float electricity prices after Beijing eases restrictions: South China Morning Post
October 21, 2021

Zhejiang province is the latest regional government to raise electricity prices and change peak-demand hours following Beijing’s announcement it would liberalise electricity pricing in response to China’s power crisis. The move follows in the footsteps of the southern manufacturing hub of Guangdong province, which hiked prices last month by as much as 25 per cent during peak-demand for industrial users. Click here to read…

China’s ‘unfair trade practices’ draw heavy fire at WTO trade review: South China Morning Post
October 21, 2021

China was accused of a laundry list of trade felonies and economic bullying during a series of attacks by other nations at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva on Wednesday, laying bare growing geopolitical rifts and widening schisms in the multilateral trading system. The United States, European Union, Japan, Britain, Australia and Canada took part in the pile-on at China’s first WTO trade policy review since 2018, according to a well-placed source. Click here to read…

U.S. China ambassador nominee Burns takes tough line on dealings with Beijing: Reuters
October 20, 2021

President Joe Biden’s nominee to be U.S. ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns, took a tough line on dealings with China at his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday, saying “genocide in Xinjiang,” abuses in Tibet, and bullying of Taiwan must stop. Burns, calling China the United States’ “most dangerous competitor”, said Beijing is “blasting past” its pledge to maintain only a minimum nuclear deterrent, and added that Washington should work with allies in Europe and elsewhere to build economic leverage. Click here to read…