Daily Conversations Daily Conversations

NEWS IN CHINA

• Xi Jinping Meets US National Security Advisor: Chinese President Xi Jinping met with the U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday, emphasizing the need for an appropriate strategic perception between the two nations. Xi stressed the importance of determining whether China and the U.S. are rivals or partners, highlighting China's consistent foreign policy and commitment to peaceful development. He called on the United States to view China's development positively and rationally, seeing it as an opportunity rather than a challenge. Xi expressed hope for both countries to find a way to coexist peacefully and achieve common development. Sullivan reiterated the U.S. stance against a new Cold War and its commitment to the One-China policy. The meeting, which followed a two-day China-U.S. strategic communication session, touched upon various aspects of bilateral relations, including Taiwan, climate change and artificial intelligence. Xi and Sullivan also discussed the possibility of future communications between the two countries' leaders. The talks were described as in-depth, candid and constructive, reflecting ongoing efforts to manage the complex relationship between the world's two largest economies amid global challenges.

• New White Paper on China's Energy Transition: On Thursday, China's State Council Information Office released a white paper titled "China's Energy Transition", showcasing the country's achievements and future plans in the energy sector. The document outlines China's path towards building a clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient energy system to support high-quality development and meet growing societal needs. Over the past decade, China has made significant strides in green and low-carbon energy development, becoming the world's largest investor in energy transition. The white paper reveals that China's energy intensity has decreased steadily, leading to energy savings equivalent to about 1.4 billion tonnes of standard coal and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 3 billion tonnes. Notably, since 2013, China has been responsible for over 40 percent of annual additions to global renewable energy capacity, with its newly installed capacity in 2023 accounting for more than half of the world's total. The paper also highlights remarkable progress in China’s clean energy adoption, stating that in 2023, the total installed capacity of power generation reached 2,920 GW, of which clean energy accounted for 1,700 GW (58.2 percent of the total). This underscores China's commitment to transforming its energy landscape and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. The white paper emphasizes China's dedication to international cooperation in addressing global climate change and promoting harmony between humanity and nature, positioning the country as a key player in the global energy transition.

• Wang Huning Praises Xizang's Development Through Paired-Up Assistance: China's top political advisor and CPPCC chairman, Wang Huning, has called for strengthened paired-up assistance for the Xizang (Tibet) Autonomous Region, emphasizing the goal of building a modern socialist new Xizang. At the fourth work conference on paired-up assistance for Xizang held in Lhasa on August 27, 2024, Wang highlighted the notable achievements of this program over the past 30 years since its implementation. The conference, marking the 30^th anniversary of the initiative, focused on promoting targeted, systematic, and long-term assistance for the region. Wang stressed the importance of improving livelihoods, fostering ethnic integration, and strengthening the sense of national identity among all ethnic groups in Tibet. Key objectives outlined include enhancing exchanges between ethnic groups, rallying public support and reinforcing identification with the motherland, Chinese culture and socialism with Chinese characteristics. Wang also emphasized the need to improve the management of officials and talents dispatched to assist Tibet. The event concluded with the awarding of honorary titles to exemplary individuals who have contributed to the paired-up assistance program.

• China Invests Heavily in National Computing Hub Project: China has made significant strides in its ambitious "east data, west computing" project, with direct investments exceeding 43.5 billion yuan (about 6.1 billion U.S. dollars) in the construction of eight major computing hubs by the end of June 2024. Liu Liehong, head of the National Data Administration, revealed these figures at the China International Big Data Industry Expo 2024 in Guiyang, Guizhou Province. The project, initiated in 2022, aims to develop inland regions' capacity to store and process data, forming a crucial part of China's digital infrastructure. The total investment driven by the construction of these hubs has surpassed 200 billion yuan, with the number of data center racks exceeding 1.95 million. Liu highlighted the project's progress, noting that network latency between eastern and western hubs achieved the 20-millisecond requirement, while the Power Usage Effectiveness of new data centers has been reduced to 1.04. China plans to establish a preliminary comprehensive computing power infrastructure system by the end of 2025, with efforts to encourage cities to pilot different technical routes over the next two to three years. The ongoing expo in Guiyang has attracted over 21,000 guests and 414 companies, including major domestic tech companies and 77 foreign companies from more than 30 countries, showcasing China's commitment to advancing its digital economy.

• China's Teaching Workforce Sees Significant Growth: China's education system has witnessed remarkable progress in both the quantity and quality of its teaching workforce over the past four decades, according to a recent press conference held by the State Council Information Office. Since the establishment of Teachers' Day in 1985, the country now boasts 18.918 million teachers across all levels and types of education, supporting the world's largest education system. The academic qualifications of full-time teachers have significantly improved, with 78.03 percent of primary school teachers and 93.09 percent of junior high school teachers holding a bachelor's degree or above in 2023, marking substantial increases from 2012. The professional structure of the teaching staff has been optimized, with a notable rise in the proportion of teachers holding senior professional titles. The country has also implemented various measures to enhance teacher education, including the "National Teacher Training Program" and a five-year cycle of full-staff training. Additionally, reforms in teacher management have been introduced, such as implementing teacher qualification examinations and improving the allocation of teaching resources. The status and treatment of teachers have also seen significant improvements, with their average salary now comparable to that of local civil servants.

• China Leads Global Innovation with Largest Number of Top Science and Technology Clusters: China has solidified its position as a global leader in science and technology innovation, according to the 2024 edition of the World Intellectual Property Organization's Global Innovation Index. For the second consecutive year, China tops the list with the largest number of science and technology clusters in the world's top 100, increasing from 24 to 26 clusters. This achievement underscores China's growing technological prowess on the international stage, despite ongoing tensions with the United States. The Shenzhen-Guangzhou-Hong Kong cluster ranks second globally, while Beijing holds the third position. Other Chinese clusters, including Shanghai-Suzhou, also feature prominently in the top rankings. The report also highlights the rapid growth of innovative activity in emerging economies, with Chinese clusters showing particularly steep increases.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

INDIA WATCH

• US Scrutiny of Indian Solar Panels Reveals Protectionist Trends: Global Times recently published an article on the recent developments in US-India trade relations amidst the ongoing US-China trade war and protectionist trends. It highlights that the US Customs and Border Protection has detained approximately $43 million worth of electronics equipment shipments from India since October 2023, citing possible links to alleged "forced labor" in China under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. As per the article, this scrutiny comes as Indian solar panel exports to the US have surged, with India accounting for 11 percent of US solar panel imports in Q2 2024. According to the article, this detainment is targeting Chinese manufacturing, reflecting broader US protectionist measures aimed at impeding China’s integration into global supply chains. The incident, as per the article, underscores India's reliance on Chinese supply chains for its manufacturing sector, despite efforts to position itself as an alternative to China in global markets. It further claims that protectionist measures adopted by the US are not targeted against any country, but rather to protect its own domestic industries. Thus, the article also argues that as India seeks to improve its position in the global industrial chains, it faces greater resistance than China did historically. As a result, the article infers that India will not have a long time to expand its manufacturing base amidst de-coupling efforts under the US to weaken China in global value chains. The article suggests that India needs to diversify its exports and strengthen cooperation with other regional countries to address these protectionist challenges collectively.

Prepared By

Vanshika Patel

Vanshika is a recent graduate from Ashoka University with a degree in Economics and a minor in Computer Science. Her interests lie in understanding the global economy and its impact on international communities, policy-making, and the social sector. She is particularly drawn to quantitative analysis and has a keen interest in international economics, aiming to contribute to data-driven decision-making in global economic contexts.