CiCM 2nd May 2024

NEWS IN CHINA

Nationwide Cultural Campaign for Individuals with Disabilities Launched: China has started a countrywide effort to improve cultural involvement for people with disabilities, starting in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. Scheduled to run from April until November, this program will include cultural events designed specifically for the disabled community in various locations across the country. Activities consist of reading sessions, providing books as donations, and organizing group trips to cultural locations. Highlighting the importance of grassroots participation, a circular from the China Disabled Persons' Federation, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and National Press and Publication Administration underlines the necessity of broadening cultural options to enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities. Every year, China holds more than 6,000 specialized cultural events for people with disabilities. Public libraries play a significant role in providing access, with 35,176 designated seats for the disabled, 146.64 million braille books, and over 2.28 billion audio-visual materials available nationwide.
Qingdao Leads in Advancing Artificial Intelligence Industry: Qingdao's AI industry is flourishing, highlighted by the successful validation of the "Qizhi Kongming" industrial large model V2.0. Currently, Qingdao's AI industry has more than 10 large industry models in use. As a national AI innovation pilot zone, Qingdao has sped up its industrial arrangement by establishing the Qingdao Artificial Intelligence Industrial Park, which covers an area of 2,918 acres. The city is home to more than 500 AI companies, excelling in smart home appliances, manufacturing, and hardware. Specialized AI companies like Innovation Qizhi and Isaac have made a significant contribution, empowered many businesses and advanced AI applications in smart city settings. Qingdao has strategically built intelligent computing centres to facilitate the development of a comprehensive computing power system. Liu Dachuan, who heads Qingdao's Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, emphasizes the city's dedication to improving AI parks, speeding up humanoid robot advancement, and using AI to update industrial systems.
Shanghai's "Trade-In" Initiative to Upgrade Homes: Shanghai's real estate market has launched a "trade-in" program that aligns with the "May 5th Shopping Festival" to assist residents in upgrading their housing. The Shanghai Real Estate Industry Association and the Shanghai Real Estate Brokerage Industry Association have collaborated to launch an initiative aimed at individuals looking to sell their second-hand homes and buy new ones. Real estate companies and brokers promise refunds if old houses are not sold within a specific timeframe. This action seeks to solve connectivity problems between new and old homes, enhancing efficiency in transactions and improving the real estate market. Shanghai's effort mirrors the strategies in cities such as Shenzhen, Nanjing, and Zhengzhou, showing a trend across the country towards rejuvenating the housing market and enhancing living standards.
Xi Jinping Directs Urgent Rescue Efforts and Safety Measures After Fatal Road Collapse in South China: Xi Jinping has urged swift action to rescue and treat victims of a deadly road collapse in Guangdong stressing the need for immediate measures. He emphasized the importance of thorough rescue operations, giving priority to treating the wounded and restoring traffic circulation. Xi also emphasized the importance of increased surveillance, timely alerts, and readiness for emergencies to avoid future occurrences, Zhang Guoqing, appointed by the State Council as Vice Premier, was sent to Meizhou City in Guangdong Province to manage the handling of a road landslide incident on the Meizhou-Dalian Expressway. He went to the landslide location in person and saw the injured people at Meizhou People's Hospital. Emphasizing the need to focus on saving lives, he concentrated on search and rescue, medical care, and post-disaster recovery. Premier Li Qiang reiterated these feelings, instructing intensive actions to save the wounded, carry out subsequent duties, and reduce secondary hazards, especially during the hectic May Day holiday and in unfavourable weather conditions. The collapse on the Meizhou-Dabu Expressway led to Ministry of Emergency Management and Ministry of Transport teams being sent to coordinate on-site rescue efforts. The Safety Committee of the State Council issued an urgent notification advising all regions and relevant departments to take lessons from the Meizhou-Dalian Expressway landslide disaster.
May Day Holiday Witnesses Record-Breaking Railway Passenger Trips: China State Railway Group reported that the railway network recorded a historic 20.69 million passenger trips on the first day of China's May Day holiday. Officials expect that during the holiday period, there will be a combined total of 270 million journeys using different forms of transportation, surpassing levels seen before the pandemic. Beijing Capital International Airport anticipates a total of more than 918,000 passengers, with Xinjiang, Tokyo, and Seoul being some of the top travel destinations. There has been a rise of 20 percent in international flight reservations compared to the previous year, especially to the Middle East and Europe. Within the country's borders, there is a high-level activity on routes to Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu. In order to meet the rising demand, the railways are set to run an extra 1,094 passenger trains to manage approximately 17 million passenger journeys on Thursday. During the holiday season, the movie box office was lively, surpassing the previous year's numbers, showing robust leisure activity during the festive period.
Logistics Sector Shows Growth Momentum in First Quarter: The logistics industry in China saw a significant rebound in the initial three months of the year, according to a report by the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing. Between January and March, there was a 5.9 percent year-on-year increase in social logistics, bringing it to a total of 88 trillion yuan. This growth was, 2 percentage points more than last year’s growth, indicates a positive path for the industry's rebound. The reports shows that there was a 6 percent rise in logistics for industrial products, 11.6 percent increase in resident consumption, and a 5.5 percent growth in imported goods. Furthermore, the sector recorded total revenues of 3.1 trillion yuan, representing a 4.5 percent increase compared to the previous year. The strong results in different areas indicate a growing need for transportation and distribution services.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER IN CHINA

Chinese Scientist's Lab Closure Triggers Sympathy: Zhang Yongzhen, the scientist who originally published the Covid-19 genome sequence, encountered chaos when his laboratory in Shanghai was suddenly shut down. After being refused entry at first, he decided to demonstrate by sleeping outdoors for two days until he was permitted to enter again. He stated that he had been allowed back into his lab “for the time being”. His publication in 2020 significantly helped with vaccine advancement but did not receive government endorsement, which influenced his career. Claims emerged of ongoing hindrance by the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Centre at the location of Zhang's laboratory. The closure of his lab was attributed to renovation, yet concerns emerged regarding biosafety risks and contract disputes. One user on social media, who claimed to be Zhang’s student, claimed that the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Centre repeatedly obstructed Zhang’s work. Even though Zhang has made significant contributions, his experience highlights the challenges within China's scientific community and the role of government supervision.

INDIA WATCH

Boiler Explosion Claims Two Lives in Punjab Factory: Xinhua published an article about a tragic accident in Punjab, India, where two workers died after a boiler exploded in a rubber factory. The blast occurred on Wednesday evening in a commercial zone of Jaspal Bangar village, within the Ludhiana district. Chinese media reports state that the explosion led to panic in the surrounding area. They also report that the local police have started an inquiry to establish the cause of the explosion. The report is an example of Chinese state media’s focus on industrial accidents in India. Chinese media presents this news to highlight the difficulties India encounters in guaranteeing workplace safety and stresses the significance of tackling these issues to safeguard workers' lives.

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.