CiCM 10th Sepetmber 2024

NEWS IN CHINA

The 11th session of the 14th National People's Congress Standing Committee convened its first plenary session in Beijing: The Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Zhao Leji, Presided over the meeting held in Beijing on the September 10th session, reviewed the draft amendments to the National Defense Education Law and the Statistics Law. One hundred fifty-nine members of the Standing Committee attended the meeting, and the number of attendees met the statutory number. The meeting also heard the reports of the Constitutional and Legal Affairs committee to draft an amendment to the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Law. and the revision of the draft Energy Law. The second draft of the bill adds provisions for energy users to save energy and participate in green energy consumption—the revision of the draft amendment to the Anti-Money Laundering Law. To thoroughly implement the decisions and arrangements of the 20th CPC National Congress and the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, consolidate and expand the achievements of the reform of the national supervisory system, solve outstanding problems in supervisory work under the new situation, and promote the standardisation, legalisation and regularisation of supervisory work, the National Supervisory Commission proposed a motion to submit the draft amendment to the Supervision Law for deliberation. This is the first time the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress has heard and reviewed the State Council's report on government debt management after establishing and improving the government debt management reporting system. The meeting reviewed the written report of Chairman Zhao Leji's visit to Uzbekistan and Russia and his attendance at the 10th BRICS Parliamentary Forum and the 9th Meeting of the China-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee in Russia.
The first-ever public exhibition of Qinshihuang Mausoleum artefacts held in Shaanxi: To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the Terracotta Warriors. This exhibition was part of the international conference on the archaeological excavation of the Terracotta Warriors and the protection of Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum. The event, which took place on September 8 in Xi'an, China's Shaanxi Province, featured around 230 artefacts, many of which were displayed for the first time. These artefacts, based on the emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum, provide a unique opportunity for the public to connect with the rich history of the Qin dynasty and the grandeur of the era it represents.
National Educational Conference held in Beijing: President Xi Jinping emphasised the solid progress in making China the leading country in education. He attended the National Education Conference in Beijing on September 10th, marking the 40th anniversary of Teachers' Day in China. Xi reiterated the plan to speed up the drive to modernise education after the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, and a goal has been set to build China into a leading country in education by 2035, demonstrating its commitment to modernising its education system. Xi emphasised strengthening collaboration between universities and enterprises in scientific research and underscored the significance of improving the inclusiveness, accessibility, and convenience of education as a public service. The meeting was presided over by Li Qiang and attended by Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, and Li Xi. Ding Xuexiang delivered the concluding remarks.
Fire Olympics held in Harbin Province: The closing ceremony of the World Firefighting and Rescue Championship, a platform for global cooperation, was held in Harbin on September 10th. The championship happened from September 7th to 10th. The championship is known as the Fire Olympics, and it is organised by the International Sports Federation of Firefighters and Rescuers; this year marked the 19th Men's and 10th Women's World Fire and Rescue Championships. The event saw participation from nine nations, two observing international organisations, and 320 participants. The championship aims to deepen the exchange of global firefighting sports and promote the development of emergency management, firefighting and rescue services, fostering a sense of international community.
Delegation of Chinese Society of Human Rights Visit to Latin American Countries: The President of the Chinese Human Rights Studies Association, Balma Chilin, led a delegation of the Chinese Human Rights Studies Association to visit Mexico, Chile and Brazil from the 2nd to the 10th. The delegation met with the relevant parties of the three countries and discussed the expositions on respecting and protecting human rights and the profound connotation of contemporary China's human rights concept. It also focused on publicising and explaining the essential arrangements in the decision of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee on developing a full-process people's democracy, improving the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics, adhering to the correct human rights concept, strengthening human rights law enforcement and judicial protection, and paying attention to the overall coordination of development and security. Mexican Senator Anaya said, "It is a very advanced concept to regard people's happy life as the most significant human right, and China's concept and practice are far ahead”. Chilean House Speaker Cariola expressed “the hope of further strengthening exchanges on human rights with China and passing on more accurate information to the parliament and the people”. Enrique, Chairman of the Brazil-China Friendship Association, praised China for taking a human rights development path that suited its national conditions and believed that developing countries should start from their conditions and independently choose a human rights development path that suits them.
Certain Chinese Regions See Modest Increase in Birth Rates: Chinese local News agencies reported that certain Chinese regions saw a slight increase in their birth rate in the first half of 2024, marking the first bump in the last eight years. The increase is attributed to the introduction of new pro-natal policy incentives in many parts of China. Some local authorities released data showing the birth rate rise from last year. Mainly, Tianmen in central China’s Hubei province reported an 11.3% year-over-year increase in births up to Aug. 14, Baoji in northwestern China’s Shaanxi province recorded a 10.7% year-over-year increase in newborns in the first half of 2024. However, this data only included five local hospitals and maternity facilities. Other cities, including Qingdao in eastern China’s Shandong province and Alxa League in the northern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, also reported single-figure birth increases. The southern Guangdong province also reported a 1.4% year-over-year increase in recorded births at local hospitals in the first half of the year. These increases, attributed to policy incentives, are a positive sign for China’s future and the effectiveness of its pro-natal policies.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Mixed Reactions on Chinese Social Media as Huawei Outshines Apple’s iPhone: Apple's iPhone 16 launch has sparked mixed reactions on Chinese social media, where users expressed disappointment over delayed AI features. While Apple globally integrates AI technology, these features won't be available in Chinese until next year, raising questions about whether they will ever be permitted on the heavily regulated mainland. One Weibo user likened the absence of AI to "cutting one of Apple’s arms," while others demanded a price cut given the missing features. The phrase "squeezing the last bit of toothpaste out of the tube," describing the lack of new hardware innovations, trended on Weibo, reflecting the sentiment that Apple’s launch felt lackluster. Meanwhile, Huawei has capitalized on this moment with its Mate XT, the world’s first tri-foldable smartphone with built-in AI features, like text summarization and image editing. Huawei’s innovations have resonated more with Chinese consumers, who see it as more aligned with local market needs. As both phones are set to release on September 20, discussions on Chinese social media highlights a shifting preference towards domestic brands that are perceived as more innovative and responsive to regional demands.

INDIA WATCH

Indian Doctors Continue Strike, Seek Improved Safety Measures Following Tragic Incident: According to the South China Morning Post, Junior doctors in West Bengal, India, are continuing their strike in protest against the rape and murder of a trainee doctor, demanding justice and better safety measures in hospitals. Despite a Supreme Court order to return to work by Tuesday, the West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front has remained firm, emphasizing that they will only consider resuming duties if their concerns are addressed. These include increased CCTV coverage, deployment of female security personnel, better lighting, and adequate facilities in hospitals. While protests in other states have eased after the formation of a hospital safety task force, doctors in West Bengal, where the incident occurred at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, remain steadfast in their demand for justice and a safer working environment.

Prepared By

Athul T Dharan

Athul T Dharan is a Member of CTBTO Youth Group and is currently pursuing his Master's in Political Science from the University of Hyderabad, India. He was a research intern at the Centre for Air Power Studies, Delhi. His research interests include Chinese Studies, China’s Defense policy, Arms Control, Disarmament and Intelligence. During his undergraduate studies, he actively participated in the Model United Nations and served as the General Secretary of the Global Youth Ramjas Chapter. He is an active National Service Scheme volunteer and was part of the Enactus Team, working on rural development and slum rejuvenation projects. He can be reached at athul.t.dharan27@gmail.com