CiCM 16th February 2024

NEWS IN CHINA

Chinese SMEs sees better performance for the month of January: The small and medium sized enterprises(SMEs) in China, recorded an improvement of business performance in January as per the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Index, released by the China Association of Small and Medium Enterprises. The index score went up from 89 in the previous month to 89.2 in January. The Association reported that the increase was a direct result of the accelerated production at the beginning of the year, and growing consumer demand ahead of the Spring Festival. The report also indicated the SMEs’ growing confidence in the macro economy, which improved to 98.8 from previous month’s 98.5. The increase in market vitality went from 80.8 to 81.2, owing to the recovering domestic demand ahead of the festival. The index consists of several sub-indices to scale the performances and expectations of SMEs, with a reading above 100 meaning upward trend in business, while reading below 100 meaning the exact opposite. The report however also notes that the SMEs will still face high costs despite improved market demand, sales and overall better performance.

China calls for strengthening unity to continue fight against terrorism: During a recent UNSC public discussion on terrorism and global peace and security, the Chinese delegate stressed the need for international cooperation in the fight against terrorism. Zhang Jun, China’s Permanent Representative to the UN, underscored the ongoing severity of the terrorism threat worldwide. Zhang stressed on the need for tackling the underlying causes, and the significance of reaching a ceasefire in Gaza in order to stop more instability in the West Asian region. Zhang also pushed for the need to reject double standards and politicization of counter-terrorism efforts, advocating for a comprehensive approach, and the need for pursuing political solutions to prevent extremists form exploiting conflict situations. He called for increased support, particularly for the African countries, in strengthening their legislative, judicial and law enforcement capacities to enhance counter terrorism. Bolstering of counter-terrorism capabilities through bilateral and multilateral channels and support through China-UN Peace and Development Fund was also pledged upon. China expressed readiness to collaborate with all stakeholders to implement global security initiatives and safeguard international peace and security.

China to add more than 80 green small hydropower stations in 2024: The Ministry of Water Resources in China has outlined its key initiatives for rural water conservancy and hydropower work in 2024, with a strong emphasis on promoting green development, particularly in the small hydropower sector. According to officials from the Rural Water Resources and Hydropower Department, the focus will be on expanding the presence of environment friendly small hydropower stations adding over 80 green power stations this year. These demonstration stations will adhere to strict standards, undergo rigorous establishment reviews, and receive enhanced daily supervision to ensure compliance. They are expected to showcase best practice in river ecology protection, contribute to the restoration of river and lake ecosystems, maintain safety standards, and enhance the well-being of local communities. Furthermore, safety assessments will be conducted for small hydropower stations with storage capacities below 100,000 cubic meters, with a concerted effort to rectify any potential safety hazards. Additionally, the plan involves the installation of 500 safety production standardized power stations in the upcoming year. The ministry also aims to push forward with the classification rectification of small hydropower, promote implementation of ecological flow measures, and guide the sector towards a greener and more modernized future. These efforts align with broader goals of sustainable development and environmental stewardship in China’s water resource management strategies.

Provinces in China pursue high energy storage security: In Nanjing, an energy storage station is working wonders; with 88 battery cartridges boasting nearly 200,000 kilowatt-hours of storage capacity, akin to a medium sized power plant. According to local manager Shi Shengdong, it can power 26,000 households per day. This facility symbolises China’s rapidly growing energy sector, crucial for balancing electricity demand and supply fluctuations and maximizing clean energy utilisation. In a historic milestone, China’s renewable energy capacity surpassed coal power in the first half of 2023. The nation’s focus on energy storage evident, with 31.39 gigawatts of installed capacity by 2023, a tenfold increase from 2020. Bolstered by strong manufacturing capabilities, exemplified by Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd.(CATL’s) 30 GWh manufacturing base, China aims for Guizhou to be a hub for new energy technologies by 2025. While lithium ion batteries dominate, innovations like compressed air and liquid flow batteries are rapidly emerging. Provoking new business models, provinces like Guangxi are facilitating energy storage trading to accelerate industry growth.

Crackdown in Yunnan on Party officials during Spring Festival: Yunnan Province's Discipline Inspection and Supervision Commission revealed on February 16th that the tenth batch of party members and officials are under suspicion for various misconducts during this year's Spring Festival, including drunk driving, gambling, and misuse of public and private vehicles. One notable case involves the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau in Qilin District, Qujing City, where official fuel cards were allegedly used for personal vehicle refueling. Individuals implicated include Lu Chunwei and Nan Zhonghua for drunk driving, and Liu Yongfa for gambling. This exposure is part of a 10-day initiative from February 7th to 16th, aligning with a yearly tradition of cracking down on such offenses during the Spring Festival. Yunnan's continuous focus on these issues, particularly during holidays, signifies a commitment to strict governance and work style improvement. The approach has evolved to target not only overt misconduct but also underlying issues like the misuse of public resources and cliques formed around social activities. Despite progress in fostering better conduct, the persistent cases underscore the need for ongoing vigilance and strict enforcement to cultivate a culture of integrity among party members and officials.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER IN CHINA

Laufey’s Grammy win ignites social media frenzy in China, Wang Yujia’s victory adds to the buzz: The recent Grammy Awards have propelled Icelandic-Chinese singer-songwriter Laufey Lin Jonsdottir a.k.a. Lin Bing, into the spotlight of Chinese social media. Laufey, 24, won the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album award for her second album, Bewitched, expressing astonishment at her unexpected win, during the acceptance speech. Commanding a significant presence on platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Spotify, with millions of followers, Laufey’s fusion of jazz and pop has earned her widespread acclaim for bridging classical jazz with contemporary tastes. Having grown up in Beijing, Reykjavik and Washington DC, she embraces a diverse perspective on music and culture. Meanwhile, pianist Wang Yuija, a Beijing native has also made waves on Chinese social media with her fourth Grammy nomination and her win for the Best Classical Instrument Solo. Laufey’s post celebrating her win received over 43,000 likes, making it her most popular post on the platform. Chinese netizens flooded social media with comments, praising her success and expressed a sense of personal connection to her achievement. “We’re gathered here to celebrate the success of yet another amazing woman in our midst. Cheers!” read a top comment under Laufey’s post. “I have this feeling like an acquaintance of mine just won an award, you know?” another top comment said. “You totally deserve this! The best thing the Grammys did this year was recognizing you and allowing me to get to know you,” another user commented.

INDIA WATCH

Is China’s fight against extremism something that India could emulate? The Chinese in their fight against terrorism and separatism in the Xinjiang province, keeping in mind long term goals, focused on training, educating rehabilitating and de-radicalising individuals who committed minor offences under the influence of extremist thoughts. In adherence to UNGA’s resolution on United Nations Global Counterterrorism Strategy (60/288), the priority has been to wipe out all conditions conducive to terrorism. These efforts have been reflected in the improving social indices of the region which include the generation of 1.4 million urban jobs and 8.3 million rural jobs. In 2018, tourism in Xinjiang flourished, with a 40% increase in domestic and international visitors, totalling over 150 million, and substantial rise in tourist spending to 252.2 billion yuan. On the other hand, it has led to human rights violations in terms of mass detentions and surveillance, enforced disappearances, forced labour, etc. as highlighted by several international agencies in the last few years. Further, it also has disastrous implications for local culture in Xinjiang. In comparison to China’s 93^rd rank in the Global Terrorism Index (2022), India stands at the 13^th position with a score of 7.175. The primary causes of terrorism and insurgency in India are based on political, religious, ethnic, ideological, identity driven, linguistic or socio-economic grievances. However, India’s main concern in countering terrorism has been the lack of strategic doctrine, ‘kneejerk reactions’ and episodic measures post-terrorist incidents. In this regard, "India lacks a coherent strategic response to terrorism; there is no doctrine, and most of our responses are kneejerk," says retired Major General Sheru Thapliyal. India needs to have a more robust comprehensive strategy against terrorism by creating an integrated framework between central and state agencies. It also includes creating a “strategic narrative” to alleviate any doubts regarding India’s counter-terrorism efforts. Power responses can never permanently settle problems of extremism and terrorism, as the American example quite evidently shows. Alternative measures must be prioritised wherein conditions conducive to terrorism must be wiped out from the roots. However, India’s approach to anti-terrorism fight differs significantly from China as it does not engage in human rights abuses and thus, China’s approach cannot be emulated in India. India, therefore, needs to chart out its own path for its fight against terrorism.

Prepared By

Shourjyadipta Roy

Shourjyadipta Roy is currently pursuing his Masters' in Political Science and International Relations from the Department of International Relations, Jadavpur University. He takes a keen interest in Chinese foreign policy, China's impact on the world and Chinese politics as a whole. He plans to pursue research in the near future.