CiCM 1st December 2023

NEWS IN CHINA

China and India hold 28^th meeting on border affairs: Hong Liang, Director General of the Department of Boundary and Maritime Affairs of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Gourangalal Das, the Joint Secretary of the East Asia Department of India’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs co-chaired the 28th meeting of the China-India Border Affairs Consultation and Coordination Working Mechanism (WMCC). Various departments, including diplomacy, national defense, and immigration, attended the meeting. Both states acknowledged the positive development and progress in the Sino-Indian border negotiations and engaged in a comprehensive and constructive discussion on the current border issues. Furthermore, both officials expressed their commitment to implement their nation's leaders' consensus, maintain diplomatic and military negotiations, hold the 21^st round of military commander-level talks swiftly, and resolve border-related issues. Furthermore, they agreed to improve negotiation and consultation mechanisms, strictly adhere to existing agreements and measures that help build confidence, and work together to maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas.
China’s National Bureau of Statistics warns against fabricating economic data: China’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has warned local authorities about forging statistics and intervening in data gathering to overplay performance. The NBS stated that Guizhou and Shaanxi were some provinces where falsifying data and government intervention had occurred. Although the NBS did not release any specific details or punishments, it did emphasize the need for accurate data collection for policy-making and decisions. Several analysts have long expressed concern about the lack of transparency and reliability of China’s economic data. The Bureau has started conducting inspections in several provinces to ensure accurate financial data collection and has initiated a nationwide economic census to provide information on the post-Covid landscape and the number of losses businesses suffered due to China’s zero-Covid policy. NBS Director Kang Yi stated that many county governments falsify data to promote prospects due to the pressure to meet economic targets. The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress noted issues with asset quality data at small and medium-sized financial institutions and how it did not reflect the actual situation. The NBS has started directly collecting data from large enterprises through surveys to enhance data accuracy.
China pledges support for COP28 and stands with developing nations on climate change: Chinese officials expressed their commitment to support the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) climate change conference held at Expo City, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). China’s special envoy, Xie Zhenhua, stated China’s alignment with the Group of 77 (the largest multilateral organization for developing countries), the BASIC countries (Brazil, South Africa, India, and China), and like-minded developing countries. Xie stated that China aims to play a constructive role in encouraging COP28 to address the concerns of the developing nations and foster political trust among UNFCC parties. China’s pavilion was also inaugurated at the COP28, which aims to host a series of events and activities during the two-week session of the COP28. The China pavilion will host over a hundred events covering themes like energy transition, digital development, green finance, and climate change policies. Huang Runqiu, the Ecology and Environment minister, expressed how he wishes that COP28 would prioritize responding to the appeals of the developing nations and encourage developed countries to adopt flexible multilateral solutions.
Wang Yi calls for a ceasefire at the United Nations Security Council meeting: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi chaired the recent United Nations Security Council high-level meeting on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as the rotating president of the Security Council for November. Wang Yi highlighted how China has relentlessly been working towards bringing peace to the ongoing conflict and pushing for a ceasefire, sending humanitarian aid, and emphasizing the need to implement a two-state solution. He stressed the need for a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire, expressed his contempt towards the violence against innocent civilians, and called for the release of detainees. He said China fully supported implementing the Security Council Resolution 2712 and called the international community and the UN to take action and coordinate humanitarian efforts in Gaza. He emphasized the need to revive the two-state resolution's political perspective with the international community's help and proposed holding large-scale peace conferences. Wang Yi urged the UNSC to take responsibility for solving the issue and act promptly. China also submitted a Position Paper of the People's Republic of China on Resolving the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict, which outlined the principles for resolving the conflict, promoting ceasefire, and commitment to coordinating with relevant parties. The participating countries appreciated China’s effort to organize high-level meetings and help alleviate the humanitarian crisis. Furthermore, they called for extending the temporary truce until a permanent ceasefire is achieved.
Jiangxi Province introduces regulation to combat phosphorus pollution in China’s largest freshwater lake: The East China province of Jiangxi has introduced a groundbreaking regulation to prevent and control total phosphorus pollution in the Poyang Lake, China’s largest freshwater lake. The regulation will take effect from January 1^st, 2024, and will be the first regulation in China to address a single pollution factor in a lake. Poyang Lake is one of the most vital wetlands of the world and contributes an average of 146 billion cubic meters of inflow annually into the Yangtze River, contributing to 15 percent of its runoff. The regulation will prohibit the use of detergents containing phosphorus in lakeside areas that directly affect the river quality as the total phosphorus concentration exceeds the acceptable limit. It also outlines the responsibilities for pollution prevention and control in the area. Despite efforts to improve the water quality in recent years, the total phosphorus concentration in the lake has been a significant contributor to pollution, pushing the government of Jiangxi province to meet Grade III water quality standards by 2030.
China establishes a national network of 101 hospitals to fight Thalassemia: China has established a national coordination network of 101 hospitals across ten provincial regions to combat thalassemia, according to a statement released by the National Health Commission (NHC). The national network aims to utilize high-quality medical resources to prevent, control, diagnose, treat, and research thalassemia. China has seen a decline in new cases of thalassemia in heavily infected areas over the past few years. The help of coordination within the network and collaboration with maternal, childcare, and grassroots medical institutions are expected to help increase efficiency, strengthen anti-thalassemia capacities, and help provide a better service model for patients of thalassemia.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER IN CHINA

Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger passes away: The death of the former US Secretary of State and famous diplomat Henry Kissinger at the age of hundred has met with a flood of grief around the world, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, who sent their condolences to the U.S. President Joe Biden. He called Kissinger a good old friend of the Chinese people and a pioneer of Sino-U.S. relations. In response to Kissinger’s death, several Weibo users have expressed their grief and memories of the diplomat. One user called Kissinger, the man who helped flourish and open China-U.S. relations and a hero to be remembered, and a user even called him a person who would be placed in history books. Many expressed sorrow over the loss of the statesman, while others criticized Kissinger's role in controversial U.S. foreign policies during his time as the Secretary of State. Few netizens shared videos and articles showing Kissinger's knowledge of China, his trips to China, and his involvement in policymaking.

INDIA WATCH

The 28th Meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) was held virtually and was attended by Gourangalal Das, the Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the Ministry of External Affairs, who represented India and Hong Liang, Director General of the Department of Boundary and Maritime Affairs of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs represented China. The meeting was held to review the border situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the western sector of the India-China border areas. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) released a statement stating how both sides engaged in an “open, constructive and in-depth discussion of proposals to resolve the remaining issues and achieve complete disengagement in Eastern Ladakh.” Both states agreed to maintain peace along the border areas and avoid any unwanted incidents that could disturb the region's stability. Both sides agreed to hold the Senior Commanders’ Meeting as soon as possible to ensure steady dialogue through military and diplomatic channels. This was the 28^th meeting of the WMCC on India-China Border Affairs after the first in-person meeting held in New Delhi in June this year. The 27^th meeting of the WMCC on India-China Border Affairs was held in June in New Delhi, where both India and China discussed proposals for disengagement in the border areas in a “frank and open manner,” according to a statement by the MEA. They proposed to restore peace and tranquility in the region, helping to normalize bilateral relations between the two nations. India and China signed an agreement to establish the WMCC on India-China Border Affairs on the 17^th of January 2012 to help deal with the border affairs and maintain peace and tranquility in the region. They would hold consultations once or twice yearly, alternately in India and China. The Chinese government claims that the sides have started normalizing the management of the border areas, which India disagrees with, and maintains that the situation remains one of hostility and cannot be normalized until tranquility is restored in the LAC. This reflects an ongoing divergence in perceptions between the two nations regarding the state of affairs along their shared border. However, the continuous dialogues between the states highlight their shared commitment and willingness to foster peace and stability in the region. These dialogues are the need of the hour for both India and China with the escalating border tensions and are a crucial tool to address the complex situation regarding the same.

Prepared By

Adhishri Seth

Adhishri Seth is currently pursuing her bachelor's degree in Global Studies at Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University Delhi, with a strong ambition to advance her academic career through a master's program in international relations. Her interests encompass a wide array of global topics, including world politics, political economic institutions, foreign policy, and global diplomacy, reflected in her dedication to extensive reading and research. Additionally, Adhishri is currently learning Mandarin, a crucial step towards understanding East Asian affairs, bridging both linguistic and cultural divides, and helping her to follow her dream of engaging more deeply with this intricate world.