CiCM 25th July 2023

NEWS IN CHINA

In a development on July 25, Foreign Minister Qin Gang was replaced by his predecessor Wang Yi who also got promoted to a politburo member in the recent 20th Party Congress. Qin Wang is also a state councillor and member of the central committee and there is no clarity so far if he has been removed from those positions as well. The decision was taken in a special session conducted by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee. There were already a lot of speculations in western media as Qin Gang has been absent from the public view, he was last seen on the 25th June in a meeting of senior diplomats from Russia, Vietnam and Sri Lanka. The European Union’s foreign policy chief Joseph Borrell was scheduled to meet Qin Gang earlier this month and that meeting also got cancelled. In another development, China has appointed Pan Gongsheng as the new governor of the People’s Bank of China. On July 1, he was appointed as the party secretary of PBoC. Thus, now he will hold both top positions in China’s central bank.

As China has entered the summer season, the questions are being asked if the country is going to face a shortage of electricity supply. The press conference held in the first half of the year on the “ Analysis and forecast Report on the National Power Supply and Demand Situation in the first Half of 2023” concluded that the power industry was able to handle the multiple rounds of high temperature and supply of electricity remains stable. However, Jiang Debin, deputy director of the statistics and Data center of the China Electricity Council, highlighted that during the summers, periodically high temperatures in the Eastern part of China may cause electricity problems. Steps have been taken to avoid any shortage of electricity by ensuring the coal inventory, strengthening the operation and maintenance management and creating summer specific power supplies grid projects.

On July 24, the Hong Kong Garrison of the PLA conducted a joint patrol of its army, navy and air force to train the troops in the areas of emergency response and joint operation. The training schedule also comprised putting up of command posts, joint naval and air patrols, interception, verification, evacuation and elimination of enemies through joint operations. The training was conducted under real conditions with ships, helicopters and other equipment. The authorities of Hong Kong, a special administrative region, were informed in advance and throughout the duration of training all the laws and regulations of waterways, ports and aviation were followed diligently.

A symposium on “Chinese modernisation and the national rejuvenation” was organised in the capital city of Jiangsu province, Nanjing. There were almost 150 representatives from Taiwan and China. Song Tao, head of the Taiwan work office asked compatriots across the strait to understand that the nation has to do well for all the compatriots to flourish. He also urged to maintain the 1992 consensus, to oppose the forces of independence in Taiwan while working in the direction of peaceful development and contributing to the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Hung Hsiu Chu, former chairperson of the Kuomintang party was also present at the symposium. She added that this is the responsibility of the current generation to bring cross straits relations out of the jeopardy and conflict. She emphasised that Taiwan compatriots should take up the opportunity in the Chinese modernisation and help in the advancement of national rejuvenation.

Ding Xuexiang, Vice premier of the State Council of China, and Frans Timmermans, executive Vice President of the European Commission, held the Fourth China-EU High level dialogue on Environment and Climate in Beijing. The dialogue stressed the cooperation between the two sides in promoting the implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement and the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Both sides believe that loss of biodiversity poses an existential threat to national and global food security. Agenda was set for the implementation of the “Kunming-Montreal Framework” domestically and globally. There was also agreement on cooperation to pass the legally binding international instrument on plastic pollution by the end of 2024. Consensus for the cooperation was also reached on the conservation and sustainable utilisation of Marine Biodiversity.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Trash talking by a flight attendant online about her passenger has created an uproar on social media. The woman, named Hu works for China’s largest budget carrier,Spring Airlines. After the controversy she was grounded by the airline as her actions are still under investigation. On July 19, she posted on her Xiaohongshu account that all kinds of trash can travel by plane, and summer travel is exactly like transporting idiots. Her post got viral, inviting complaints for her rude behaviour towards her customers and demanding disciplinary action against her by the airline. After the confirmation of the incident, the company has launched an investigation against her. She has also been relieved from her duties expecting further actions as per the company's employment manual. Meanwhile, social media has been boiling with her criticism. One user wrote that she has definitely insulted us. Another one writes that why does she think she is superior? Airline related stories involving service qualities have become a common sight in China.

INDIA WATCH

There are a few arenas where the interests of India and China find confluence and climate change being one of them needs to be harnessed to its full potential. Historically, the trajectory of both countries had suffered from similar problems. With large impoverished populations India and China cannot simply afford to give up completely on non-renewables, therefore, strategies need to be devised to protect the climate without sacrificing the development goals. Being among the top emitters of greenhouse gases it is the responsibility of both the countries to set the agenda for the world. However, India China Border feuds are leading to greater construction in sensitive geographies and it has become a cause of concern. Additionally, China’s construction of dams on the Indus River in Pakistan occupied Kashmir sponsored through BRI are also damaging for the environment. To tackle climate change, India and China have to cooperate through multiple channels as the possibility of aid from the developed countries is minuscule. Institutions like SCO can play the role of bringing the Asian powers closer to cooperate on issues of Climate change. India with its friendly relations with the western world can play the role of leader to devise a combative strategy for the developing world and the global south to fight climate change.

Prepared By

Rahul Kheswa

Rahul Kheswa has recently completed his MA in East Asian Studies with a specialisation in China from the University of Delhi. For his BA, he majored in History and Political Science. During his MA, he learnt elementary Mandarin Chinese through elective course. Rahul’s research interest lies in Chinese society and continental philosophy.