CiCM 27th-28th April 2024

NEWS IN CHINA

Li Qiang and Elon Musk Advocate for Enhanced Collaboration between China and Tesla: Premier Li Qiang held a meeting with Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, highlighting the importance of Tesla's achievements in China as a prime example of mutually beneficial collaboration between Beijing and Washington. Li highlighted China's dedication to maintaining an open market for foreign companies and promised to improve market entry and services for them. Musk praised the achievements of Tesla's Shanghai gigafactory, crediting the Chinese team's diligence and intelligence for its success. He stated his wish to enhance collaboration with China in order to achieve more mutual advantages. Musk's presence at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition happened at the same time as Premier Li's focus on the growth of intelligent connected NEVs and the progress of the automobile industry towards higher-end, more intelligent, and environmentally friendly vehicles. Li emphasized China's dominance in the NEV market and underlined the importance of innovation in core technologies to enhance the automotive industry. He promised to support a unified national market and increase high-level opening-up, treating both domestic and foreign companies equally to encourage mutual growth and successful results. Li also stressed the significance of enacting policies that promote buying vehicles to unlock more consumption potential.
Fatal Tornado Strikes Flood-Stricken Guangzhou: 5 Lives Lost in Severe Weather Havoc: A devastating tornado hit Guangzhou, China, resulting in serious destruction and the deaths of five people, with 33 others injured. The level-three tornado ripped through the city during heavy rain and hail, causing damage to 141 factory buildings. During the event, the weather station in Liangtian village registered a peak wind gust of 20.6 meters per second. Before the tornado, warnings were given for thunderstorms, rainstorms, hailstorms, and tornados in different areas of Guangzhou by authorities. This tragedy happened during continuous flooding in Guangdong province, where heavy rainfall forced tens of thousands to evacuate and caused at least four deaths, while ten people are still unaccounted for. Meteorological forecasts indicate that there will be ongoing rainfall in the province for the next five days, with an increased chance of severe weather such as heavy rain, hail, and tornados. It is important to mention that Guangzhou received its greatest April precipitation since 1951, reaching a total of 455.8mm. This event is part of a pattern of severe weather occurrences impacting China in the last few years, underscoring the growing occurrence and intensity of these disasters across the country.
China unveiling Vidu, a Sora-Level Text-to-Video AI Model: During the 2024 Zhongguancun Forum in Beijing, Shengshu Technology, a Chinese AI company, and Tsinghua University introduced China's first Sora-level text-to-video large model called Vidu. With just one click, the technology can produce high-quality 16-second videos in 1080p resolution. Vidu showcases long duration, great consistency, and versatile capabilities, making it comparable to the well-known Sora model created by OpenAI in the US. Vidu's unique feature lies in its capacity to include Chinese elements such as pandas and dragons in its content generation, which allows it to effectively target Chinese viewers. Vidu's fundamental structure is said to have been established in September 2022. This revelation increases the worldwide rivalry in the field of artificial intelligence by highlighting China's progress and its capacity to compete with top AI models such as Sora internationally.
High-Level Meeting: Chinese State Councillor Meets Cape Verde's Interior Administration Minister: Wang Xiaohong, the Minister of Public Security and State Councillor of China, met with Cape Verde located in the mid-Atlantic Ocean some 450 kilometres (about 300 mi.) off the west coast of Africa’s Interior Administration Minister, Paulo Rocha, in Beijing. In the meeting, Wang highlighted the importance of the successful advancement of bilateral ties between China and Cape Verde, stressing the productive partnership in different areas driven by strategic direction from both countries' leaders. Wang stated that China is dedicated to improving collaboration with Cape Verde in law enforcement at all levels, strengthening Belt and Road cooperation in security, fighting transnational crimes, and safeguarding the security of citizens, institutions, and projects in both nations. Furthermore, Wang emphasized China's commitment to protecting the common interests of China and Cape Verde and elevating their bilateral ties to new levels, while also strengthening China's overall relationship with Africa. Paulo Rocha expressed Cape Verde's enthusiasm to enhance cooperation with China in matters related to law enforcement and security. The gathering highlights the shared dedication of both countries to enhancing their alliance and promoting increased security collaboration in different fields, emphasizing the significance of the ties between them and stability in the region.
Surpassing 500 million: China's Internet User Base Expands Rapidly: China's online presence is growing quickly, with more than 500 million users, accounting for almost 40% of internet usage. At the fourth UK-China Internet Roundtable meeting, Wang Chen, the Information Office of the State Council head, announced this significant achievement. Significantly, there are currently 130 million rural internet users in China, accounting for 27% of the country's online population. Social networking continues to be widespread, with more than 50% of users participating in communication and sharing information on these platforms. Wang stressed the important impact of the internet, pointing out its role in boosting China's economy by generating around 2 million direct and 13 million indirect jobs in the field of e-commerce. In addition, e-government services have improved innovation in social services and the efficiency of the government. This gathering, with more than 100 attendees from government agencies, internet companies, and research institutions, highlights the significance of global collaboration in the digital arena. At the same time, the internet literature industry in China has thrived, with more than 500 million users by 2023. There was significant expansion in the number of published works in different genres within the industry, leading to a total income of 34 billion yuan in 2023.
China Lodges Formal Complaints Against Japan's Actions Regarding Diaoyu Islands: China has conveyed significant worry to Japan regarding recent events in the the Diaoyu Islands, as the Chinese embassy in Japan released a statement on Sunday. The embassy spokesperson emphasized that China Coast Guard ships have implemented regulations to safeguard their rights in compliance with legal procedures. According to media reports, five Japanese National Diet members, including Tomomi Inada, joined an "investigation group" set up by Ishigaki city government, went into waters near the Diaoyu Islands for "inspection," and expressed a wish to land. The spokesperson emphasized that Diaoyu Dao and its surrounding islands are an inherent part of China's territory, highlighting China's resolute commitment to protecting its territorial sovereignty and maritime interests. China urged Japan to follow the four-point principled agreement, stop political provocations and disturbances, and engage in diplomatic dialogue to effectively handle disputes. The objective of the call was to hinder any additional increase in tensions in the area.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER IN CHINA

China's April Approvals: Lost Soul Aside and Broken Land Among 95 New Video Games Granted Release: The National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) in China has given the green light for the release of 95 new video games, which includes titles like Lost Soul Aside and Broken Land. These games are approved for domestic distribution. This was the fewest number of approvals in 2024, compared to 107, 111, and 115 titles approved in March, February, and January. Lost Soul Aside, an action RPG, was recently granted approval to be launched on both personal computers and PlayStation 4 and 5 consoles among the newly approved games. NetEase acquired a license for Broken Land, also formerly known as Code 56, a shooting game set to launch on both PC and mobile devices. Tencent Holdings was also granted permission for a mobile game cantered on carbon neutrality called "Tan Tan Dao" or "Carbon Island," in line with its dedication to promoting social responsibility. The NPPA has been consistently granting approvals while working to rebuild trust in the sector after market instability due to a proposed regulation on user spending and rewards. Furthermore, NetEase has been granted permission to launch a PC iteration of Diablo Immortal, indicating a revitalized collaboration with Blizzard Entertainment. This partnership also includes other games such as World of Warcraft and Overwatch, after they recently decided to renew their publishing collaboration.

INDIA WATCH

India’s face off with AI Deepfake in India's Elections: The South China Morning Post (SCMP) published an article about the renewed concerns about deepfake videos in India during elections, showing how AI is being used to alter stories. Articles highlight situations where Bollywood stars like Aamir Khan and Ranbir Kapoor are said to have criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi and supported the Congress party. The refusal of these celebrities to admit their participation highlights the difficulty for the Indian public in distinguishing truth from falsehood. Legal action is taken in response to the use of technology to damage reputations, as demonstrated in the Ranveer Singh endorsement video, sparking worries about misinformation in critical election times. The Chinese media further emphasized the importance of promptly identifying and stopping such misuse, particularly during election periods, to protect the credibility of democratic procedures. Experts emphasize the importance of implementing regulations and maintaining accountability to combat the proliferation of manipulated media, advocating for actions to monitor distribution and guarantee clarity in the utilization of AI-created material. They warn about the widespread influence of fake videos on public opinion and stress the increasing responsibility of individuals to differentiate reality from deceit in a time of technological progress and manipulation. Chinese media presents this news as a reflection of the challenges India faces in the lead up to the elections. They also highlight concerns about the integrity of democratic processes in the digital age and the need for proactive measures to safeguard against the spread of manipulated media.

Prepared By

Triveni Mahajan

Triveni is a student of Bachelor of Journalism and Mass Communication at Bennett University and has contributed to the field of Indian Politics Journalism.