CiCM 29th November 2023

NEWS IN CHINA

Statistics on Influenza Released by Provinces Across China: Influenzas monitoring data has been released by various provinces in China including Tianjin in North China, Zhejiang in East China and Guangdond Province in South China. The database featured statistics on the A H3N2 or B Victoria cases. The rise of respiratory infections has prompted the release of this data as well as an advisory which instructs citizens to vaccinate themselves as well as take care of their personal hygiene. An early warning system has been formed by Tianjin Municipal Committee. The data characterised influenza at Level III with A H3N2 causing most cases. Residents thus, have been advised to take precautions. In Zhejiang, an article released warned of the role played by winter in causing the rise in cases. Most patients, aged between three and fifteen, are reported to have the A H3N2 virus subtype. Shenyang saw a rise in influenza- like cases while Meizhou has seen an increase in influenza patients since October.
Chinese Museum Brings Prehistoric Shimao Culture to Life: The Shimao Museum in Shaanxi which seeks to draw attention to Shimao, the largest prehistoric stone city in China, was opened up to visitors on 29th November. With 688 unearthed relics on display which include stone, clay and bones, the museum is spread over 5,900 square metres.. The Shimao site was set up over four thousand years ago at a distance of twenty-metres from the Yellow River. A 2.5 metre cuboid shaped deity, with decorative patterns on both sides, is among the most important artefacts. The re-examination of the city that began in 2011, has led to the discovery of an eastern gate as well as an outer city. The Shimao site is located in Shenmu city in the northern part of the Loess plateau and it is a stone-built city is supposedly a “palace city”. The National Cultural Heritage Administration has designated the site one of China’s 100 most important archaeological discoveries. Several important archaeological discoveries have been made from the region including a damn in Hangzhou, Chenghe ruins of Shayang’s and potteries unearthed from the Fujian Province.
Xi Jinping Tours Shanghai: Xi Jinping toured the Shanghai Futures Exchanges, an exhibition of Shanghai’s science and technology industries in eastern Shanghai between 28th and 29th November. This trip also included a visit to of a government subsidised rental housing community which is working to transform the city into an exciting business centre. This was the Chinese President's first visit to the city since 2020. Footage from the exhibition showed Xi interacting with a human-like robot as well as examining a display of semiconductor integrated circuits. At the rental housing project for migrant workers, he addressed the gathering. This visit was in tandem with the Chinese Communist Party's push to speed up development of the region. He was accompanied by Cai Qi, He Lifeng, Chen Jining and Gong Zheng.
Calls for greater food security and international cooperation made by Chinese top brass: On 28th November, the Chinese Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing called for the need to improve food security as well as cater to growing demands for safe and healthy nutrition. Zhang made this appeal during the annual food safety publicity week. While he praised the current levels of food safety in the country, he also called for greater innovation in regulatory methods, supervision and punitive action against violations. The Vice-Premier promised that the country will work to improve its food traceability system to strengthen safety at all levels. Food safety, he said, will be improved through the sanctioning of better laws as well as improving monitoring channels.
International Supply Chain Expo Commences in China: The opening ceremony of the Chinese International Supply Chain Expo was held on 28th November, with Chinese Premier Li Qiang delivering an address that drew focus on the need to improve global cooperation in matters of supply chains and industrial production. In his opening remarks at the first China International Supply Chain Expo and the Global Supply Chain Innovation and Development Forum, Li pointed to the conduct of such events as a guarantee for promoting global economic collaborations. The Premier called for four proposals to improve global collaboration; the need to develop safe and stable supply chains, the importance of building smooth and efficient industrial supply chains, the need to build open and inclusive supply chains and lastly, greater Chinese focus on supply chains that are reciprocal and mutually beneficial. The expo saw the setting up of exhibitions by National Petroleum Corp, China Petroleum and Chemical Corp, China National Offshore Oil Corp, Contemporary Amperex Technology Private Ltd and Tesla among others.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER IN CHINA

Videos of Sick Children Studying in Hospitals Trigger Outrage: Photos of school children doing their homework while connected to drips in hospitals were shared on Chinese social media and have gone viral. The images sparked a discussion about the nature of the Chinese education system. As a wave of respiratory illness sweeps across the country, many hospitals have chosen to provide their young patients with "study centres" as revealed by Yengtze Evening’s expose of Nantong No. 1 People’s Hospital to catch up on their work. He Xiaopeng, the head of Xpeng Motors took to social media to repost one such photo and write about the cruelties of adulthood and asked if the world really had to be "this turned on itself". Videos by teachers reporting mass absences in schools have also become top searches on Weibo. One such video shows three students in a class in Hebei reporting that twenty-three of their classmates are on leave. Netizens asked why students were being sent to school even in such dire conditions and expressed worry over additional burden on children even as they grappled with such a serious flu. Social media users called for the need to let children do nothing sometimes. The outrage also attracted comments from the Beijing Municipal Education Commission that advised schools and parents to prioritise the health of their children and give them time to recover.

INDIA WATCH

The rise of influenza-based respiratory infections in China has also triggered concerns for India. The Prime Minister has instructed all Indian states and union territories to be on alert as more provinces in China record the spread of infections. New Delhi, on 24th November, released a statement saying that they were closely monitoring the trajectory of the spread of the virus in China. Precautions has been advised to all citizens in addition to ensuring that medical services have sufficient labour and equipment. The lifting of COVID-19 restrictions by the Chinese mainland eleven months ago has been linked to the rise of influenza in addition to the drop in temperature as winters commence. While the Health Ministry has assured the public of the low risk posed by the H9N2 virus to India, caution is advised. Concern by both countries has been triggered by a recent study in China which explores the possibility of the transmission of the bird-caused H9N2 virus to humans. Some states in India including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Punjab have already seen a rise in cases. The devastation caused by the SARS COVID-19 pandemic has put both the Asian countries on high alert in order to prevent future re-occurrence.

Prepared By

Tarini Agarwal

Tarini Agarwal is a twenty-year-old student at Lady Shri Ram College for Women with a passion for history and penchant for writing about issues of contemporary relevance.