CiCM 17th-18th June 2023

NEWS IN CHINA

Chinese scientists have developed a new kind of solar-powered cell that offers twice the energy output at half the price of traditional silicon-based cells. The solar cells are perovskite cells. The cell is named after a mineral found in its crystalline structure. They have been proven to be low-cost, highly efficient and produce minimal environmental waste. Growing research on these cells indicate that perovskite cells are slowly being considered as alternatives for charging electric vehicles, light fixtures and even mobile phones and laptops. Moreover, leading scientist Tan Hairen with his team from Nanjing University, have actively pushed for commercialising their solar cells through establishing a start-up called Renshine Solar. The company recently signed an agreement with the Changshu government in the Jiangsu province for building a production line that can generate 150 megawatts by September.
Beijing’s national weather observatory announced a yellow alert for rising temperatures in parts of Xinjiang, Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei and Yunnan. These provinces are expected to hit a peak temperature of 37 to 40 degree Celsius. The National Meteorological Centre also advised residents to avoid outdoor activities in the extreme heat and suggested that officegoers take necessary precautions to avoid heatstroke. China uses a colour-coded, three-tiered warning system for recording temperature spikes, with red denoting severe heat followed by orange and then yellow.
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Leaders Forum kicked off on Saturday. The forum is in its fifth iteration since it was first launched in 2018. Zhao Chenxin, deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission (NRDC) stressed upon how “openness” is inextricably linked to Asia-Pacific cooperation. He also mentioned how over the years China has taken steps to open its door to foreign trade and investment under the RCEP agreement. The APEC Business Leaders conference is an important platform for aspiring Chinese businesspeople to take centre-stage in promoting dialogue on various economic fronts.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken who landed in Beijing over the weekend, met with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang for a six-hour-long consultative talk on Sunday. The two ministers also agreed to maintain high-level contact and dialogue amongst officials and advance US-China working groups to address specific issues. The two countries’ relationship has been known to be at their lowest ever since their bilateral ties were established. The joint readout was also suggestive of some positive headways that were made in establishing confidence in the relationship.
China’s first low-earth broadband communications ‘constellation’ satellite entered the trial phase. Researchers from GalaxySpace, a Beijing based satellite-maker began testing operations in the South China Sea. The low-earth orbiting satellite, also called LEO is aimed at improving communication coverage as compared to high-earth satellites. The Beijing-based company had launched six satellites in March from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre, completing the ‘constellation’ of broadband communications satellites. This marks China’s first attempt to provide uninterrupted communication service for about 30 minutes at a time with the help of satellite-based internet operators. The Diane Ke No.1 is the comprehensive test-ship being deployed for the trial phase. Each LEO satellite stands at 190 kilograms, they are being mass-produced and distributed by GalaxySpace. These satellites nicknamed the “mini-spider constellation” will be a unique opportunity for China to expand its network of testing internet services via satellites.
Large photovoltaic stations have been constructed in the Taklimakan desert in the Xinjiang Autonomous region. These stations have helped in increasing electricity output via sustainable means as well as establish the region as a tourist destination. Tian Juxiong, the head of the power station in the Hotan Prefecture is tasked with inspecting the power generators while he manages the day-to-day jobs as well. Tian stressed upon the fact the since the desert receives ample sunshine throughout the year and also has lower precipitation levels which means up to 1,600 hours of electricity can be generated. The State Power Investment Corporation manages the main stations, which have the capacity to generate 200 megawatts and produces 360 million kilowatt of electricity each year. The station is also equipped with a power reserve station that ensures the supply of renewable energy. New tourism initiatives have also been launched in the region that allows visitors to traverse the Taklimakan desert through the new express train loop.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER IN CHINA

“Dragon Boat Festival” trends on social media as netizens discuss extra holidays as part of the festivities: The highly anticipated Dragon Boat Festival is slated to begin on 22^nd June. As the date draws nearer, many netizens on the social media platform, Weibo have gathered to share in the excitement. The hashtag: #端午后连上6天队 and # Are you going to travel? has been trending. Several provincial administrations have declared a 3-day holiday for people to partake in the festivities. This year’s festival sees international as well as domestic teams participating in various cities such as Duanwu, Anhui and Zongye. Cities have been decorated with traditional Chinese crafts using paper lanterns, evil-eye ornaments, and colourful paper mâché pieces. The festival draws millions of tourists each year hoping to catch a glimpse of the highly competitive rowing sport. The Dragon Boat Festival has a rich history dating back to 5^th century AD. The festival also commemorates the ancient poet Qu Yuan. People also make ‘zongzi’ or sticky rice dumplings to pay homage to the poet.

INDIA WATCH

In the quest for dominance over solar manufacturing, China’s domestic capabilities are far more advanced and sophisticated than that of India. Moreover, solar cells or photovoltaic cells available in India are largely dependent on Chinese supply chains. The main aspect of divergence between the fast-paced scale of Chinese manufacturers and their Indian counterpart rests with price hikes and unavailability of resources. India has struggled to pay for necessary module components ever since the government imposed protective taxes in April of 2022. Despite these developments, there has been a been concerted effort to reduce India’s reliance on Chinese imports. However, India’s domestic producers are still in nascent stages, which makes them unequipped to handle the rising demand. According to the data available the current cell manufacturing capacity stands at only 44 gigawatts per year, which is just a fraction of what India requires to fulfil its renewable energy goals. It is noteworthy to point out that until 2011, India was also one of the largest exporters of solar modules, which were best-in-class and of top industrial quality. This momentum was stunted by inconsistent policy initiatives and most importantly competition from cheaper solar module imports from China. The cost of financing these imports greatly outweighs the money invested in homegrown efforts at producing essential components such as modules and cells. India had aimed for 100 GW of solar panel installations by 2022. But, according to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, it only achieved about half of that target. Lastly, the wave of indigenising the solar sector has yet to begin in India. The country needs a long-term strategic plan that is based on creating a network of solar product manufacturing while simultaneously enabling grid integration systems as well.

Prepared By

Toshika Shukla

Toshika Shukla is a 4th year undergraduate student at Shiv Nadar University, majoring in International Relations and Governance Studies. Through the course of her study, she has gained a keen interest in areas such as soft power diplomacy, gender studies, and cultural relations. Her interests also revolve around questions of power, China’s domestic policies combined with theoretical perspectives of analysis.