CiCM 24th October 2023

NEWS IN CHINA

China removes Li Shangfu as Defence Minister after public disappearance: China's Defence Minister Li Shangfu was removed from his position by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee along with Qin Gang. Qin Gang was previously the foreign minister, and was also stripped of his state councillor position. The decision was announced at the sixth session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress which concluded on Tuesday. General Li, who was absent from public view for two months, was dismissed as defence minister and state councillor, concluding his four-decade career. The Standing Committee’s decision marks the second removal of a senior leader from the party within three months. The reason for the removal of General Li has not been provided, however reports have suggested that he was under investigation for suspected corruption linked to equipment procurement and development. Li Shangfu was the director of the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in 1978 and oversaw the launch of Chang'e 1, China’s first unmanned spacecraft to orbit the moon and Chang’e 2, the 2010 lunar probe mission. No successor was announced for Li, leaving the country without a defence minister just days before it prepares to host foreign officials at the Beijing Xiangshan Forum on 29^th October. Furthermore, Yin Hejun was appointed as the new Minister of Science and Technology replacing Wang Zhigang, and Lan Fo'an took over as the Minister of Finance, replacing Liu Kun.
China’s FM Wang Yi to visit the U.S amidst tensions in Middle East: The Chinese Foreign Ministry has confirmed Wang Yi’s trip to Washington D.C. later this week, marking the highest-ranking Chinese official’s trip to the U.S this year. According to the US State Department, Wang will be welcomed by his U.S. counterpart, Antony Blinken and the two diplomats will engage in discussions as part of the ongoing efforts to manage U.S.-China relations. Spokeswoman Mao Ning of the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that Wang will engage in in-depth discussions with senior U.S. officials on Sino-U.S. relations and international and regional issues of mutual interest. He is also expected to interact with various individuals in the United States to present China’s principled stance and legitimate concerns regarding Sino-U.S. relations. Mao Ning expressed China’s hopes for cooperation between the two countries to enhance communication, expand practical collaboration, manage differences effectively, and jointly steer China-U.S. relations toward a path of healthy and stable development. Relations between Washington and Beijing have been strained over several issues, including differing perspectives on the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as China’s assertive actions in the South China Sea. Additionally, the U.S. government has repeatedly warned against China's ongoing diplomatic, political, and military pressure on Taiwan.
China unveils white paper on the development of distant-water fisheries: China's State Council Information Office (SCIO) released a white paper titled ‘Development of China's Distant-Water Fisheries’ aiming to provide a comprehensive review of China's policies in the Distant-Water Fisheries (DWF) sector. According to data from the document, China's aquaculture production reached 52.2 million tonnes in 2020, constituting approximately 40 percent of the global total. The white paper emphasised Chinas pledge toward scientific conservation and sustainable utilization of fisheries resources by collaborating globally. Beijing states that it has adhered to international agreements with over 40 countries and regions in Asia, Africa, South America, and Oceania to support the completion of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and foster a maritime community to promote sustainable ocean development. China claims these initiatives underline its implementation of strict controls to combat illegal fishing through standardized mechanisms. Regarding fisheries resource protection and development, China aims to strengthen conservation efforts and ecosystem management by conducting scientific surveys of fisheries resources, active participation in research initiatives, and the upgradation of fishing vessels and equipment.
China issues 1 trillion Yuan treasury bonds to local governments: The Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress approved the State Council’s supplementary issuance of 1 trillion yuan in treasury bonds to local governments. The bonds will aid post-disaster recovery in numerous regions of China grappling with heavy rains, floods, typhoons, and other disasters. The Ministry of Finance pointed out that the initial budget for the year for disaster relief and prevention was insufficient to meet the demands. These funds will be allocated entirely to local governments through transfer payments with the utilization outlined into eight key areas: post-disaster recovery and reconstruction, essential flood control and management, improving emergency response for natural disasters, other flood control initiatives, reconstruction of irrigation areas, key projects for soil erosion control, urban drainage control, waterlogging mitigation, natural disaster prevention, control system construction projects, and the construction of high-standard farmland in Northeast China and disaster-stricken regions in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area. Furthermore, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Finance, Zhu Zhongming, clarified that with this issuance of 1 trillion yuan in treasury bonds, the national fiscal deficit will increase from 3.88 trillion yuan to 4.88 trillion yuan which will actively stimulate domestic demand, further solidifying the nation's economic recovery. Consequently, the fiscal deficit rate is expected to rise from 3% to approximately 3.8%. but the government's debt ratio will remain within acceptable limits, ensuring that overall risks are under control.
China successfully launches new remote sensing satellite: China launched its latest Yaogan-39 remote sensing satellite from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Southwest China's Sichuan province. The Long March 2D rocket developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, a subsidiary of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, will provide services for detecting atmospheric, marine, and space environments, disaster prevention and mitigation, and scientific experiments. The Yaogan-39 satellites are the most recent additions to China's Yaogan network, a constellation of remote-sensing spacecraft specifically engineered for various tasks. These tasks include observing, surveying, and measuring objects on land or at sea. This rocket is highly regarded for its reliability and adaptability in the field of space exploration, and marks the 492nd mission conducted by the Long March rocket series. The rocket can lift payloads weighing up to 1.3 tonnes and synchronise orbits located 700 km above Earth. This launch marked China's 47th orbital launch of 2023, with plans to complete more than 60 launches this year. Although the Yaogan series is described as having civilian applications, some Western analysts assess them to be military meteorological satellites. The launch marked the 200th flight of rockets produced by the Shanghai Academy, underscoring China’s spaceflight technology.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER IN CHINA

Huawei refutes rumours of launching 10,000 6G mobile low orbit satellites: Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. took to Weibo through its account "Juchang Ahua" to debunk the online rumour circulating about Huawei's plan to deploy 10,000 6G mobile low-orbit satellites. The company emphasized that these rumours are entirely baseless and urged the public not to believe or spread such false information. Yang Chaobin, Huawei's Senior Vice President, stated that 6G technology is still in the early stages of research and the natural evolution from 5G would first require extensive research of 5.5 G technology. Huawei has previously been targeted by false claims such as "Huawei rejecting Foxconn's OEM request" and "Various governments signing mobile phone purchase agreements with Huawei", which were later reported as unfounded rumours. In response to the news, one user questioned the legal accountability of those spreading such rumours and asked authorities to warn against harmful propagation of rumours. Another netizen questioned the motives behind these rumours, especially if they are Chinese citizens, and called for a society where such malicious intent is not tolerated. Another netizen suggested for Huawei to involve the National Security Agency to take action against the network browser which hosted the rumour, to strengthen confidentiality and counter-espionage measures against efforts to tarnish the company's image and steal its technical intelligence.

INDIA WATCH

China’s decision to allocate funds for disaster relief in the form of bonds to the local governments is a measure to enhance the social security protections for its people, to ensure quick recovery of regions affected by natural disasters. This proactive approach helps support vulnerable populations in villages and remote areas. Such preparedness should also be adopted by India to respond to disasters to ensure that all government agencies work together to make the country disaster resilient. This month India witnessed harrowing flash floods in parts of Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim, caused by unregulated construction and torrential rains in the mountainous states. Institutional arrangements to address these challenges is the need of the hour, and timely funds should be released for the state government to cope with such emergencies. Moreover, a consultative process with local populations could guide the implementation of the disaster management efforts and help provide strong feedback to reduce disaster risk. With over 89.97 percent (2011 census) of the state’s population living in rural areas, India should devise a budget for the purpose of disaster management in Himachal Pradesh and other affected regions to envisage measures for disaster risk reduction, prevention, mitigation and recovery. Learning from China's approach, empowering local communities can significantly improve response and recovery efforts especially in times of crisis. China’s disaster prevention measures adopted in the form of building resilient flood control barriers, improving early warning systems, reconstruction of irrigation areas and controlling construction projects have significantly reduced the damages caused during natural events. These measures not only save lives but also protect valuable resources and infrastructure, thereby preventing substantial economic losses. By giving more financial security to local governments for disaster reconstruction, India can strategically promote the adoption of such models and face challenges of climate change head on.

Prepared By

Taru Ahluwalia

Taru Ahluwalia completed her Post-Graduation in East Asian Studies from the University of Delhi and her Under-Graduation in English from Lady Shri Ram College for Women. She aims to decode the enigma that is East Asia and examine its geopolitical re-positioning in today’s world. She holds a diploma in Korean Language and aspires to learn Chinese one day.